The Getaway

CH. 42 Dirty Little Secret

As my hand stayed clamped over my mouth, we communicated only through our eyes.

I blinked, letting a tear fall slowly down my cheek and drip in between my fingers.

The confusion in the room was thickly evident.

Lance stared with slanted eyes, his head tilted at me in question. Chase's mouth was agape, not sure of what he had just heard. West's body was tense; his shoulders frozen in place in an alerted manner.

The floorboards creaked, and a hand slowly snaked it's way to my shoulder- gripping it supportingly. I glanced out of the corner of my eye to see Kade standing tall; looking forward to our band of brothers with a sad look in his eyes.

Flynn had his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes staring only at the floor as he chewed the inside of his cheeks.

The silence began to grow bitter as we all stood around the kitchen, petrified in thought.

Finally, across from me, someone cleared their throat.

I looked up to make eye contact with Lance whose brown orbs were glazed over with horror, "Did I hear that correctly?" He asked in a shaky voice.

The way his eyes searched my face almost begged me to answer no.

I felt my lips beneath my hand quiver, staring at my older brother with the upmost shame.

I couldn't bare to look at him, seeing that my lack of a response only horrified him more.

I clenched my eyes tightly as a storm of tears began to spill uncontrollably.

I inhaled deeply through my tears, feeling Kade's grip on my shoulder tighten.

I nodded to Lance.

I reopened my eyes to see his reaction.

To see everyone's reaction.

My eyes firstly caught Chase. He stared at the floor with a ghostly expression on his face before taking a deep gulp, "I think I'm gonna be sick," he mumbled, turning around and leaning himself over the counter for support.

My stomach, too, twisted at Chase's reaction. I wasn't even sure how it was supposed to make me feel.

I just felt all sorts of wrong.

I dropped my hand embarrassedly from my mouth as I tore my eyes away from Chase's hunched over figure.

I now brought my gaze back to Lance. I bit the insides of my cheeks, willing myself not to release a long-needed sob of anger and frustration.

Staring at him, it was almost as if he couldn't control his face. His lips were rolled into a grotesque snarl, and his eyes were widened in shock— making the entirety of his face rise into an appalled expression.

I couldn't help myself from engraving his features into my mind.

They only made me feel like more of a disgrace.

From Lance and Chase's poor reactions, I wasn't even sure I wanted to look at West. But... my eyes moved quicker than my mind could tell them to stop.

There he stood, stiff as a board. His whole appearance was grim; even the creases of his lips seeming to scream at me in disgust. His green eyes connected directly with mine, now flickering in a deeper understanding.

There was his missing puzzle piece.

Instantly, I tore my sight away from West.

I shook my head, staring down at my feet.