Truly Madly Deeply: Chapter 69

I spent the entire drive to Cal’s house stopping myself from telling her she was being a coward while she longingly stared at my profile. I couldn’t rush her. Even if she was clearly fucking both our lives up by giving up something just because she was afraid of losing it.

“I think Allison sent people to stab you,” she blurted out of nowhere when I turned off the engine in front of her house. “Like, almost certain of it.”

“It’s possible.” I reached into the glove compartment, brushing my hand over her knee accidentally while popping it open. I extracted a pack of gum and threw two sticks into my mouth. “She has a track record of wanting people dead.”

“How are you not mad?” Her fingers curled around the handle of the passenger door, but she made no move to leave. “She could’ve killed you.”

“Back at ya.” I popped my gum, looking out the windshield with my signature boredom. She needed to do this. She had to face her bully if she ever wanted to step out of the shadow Allison had cast over Cal’s life. I had my own beef with Allison, and I was going to go for her throat, but not before Cal found out for herself that she could handle anything, least of which was Mayor Murray.

“It’s not the same,” she cried out desperately. “She formed an entire movement against you.”

I didn’t take my eyes off her, waiting for the penny to drop.

“It’s still not the same,” she yelped. “What happened to me was a long time ago.”

“You let your past dictate your present. Which is why you have no future.” I reached to open the door for her. “Word to the wise—fight your own demons before helping other people slay theirs. Goodbye, Dot.”