I brushed my lips over her forehead as she ran her hand up my shirt, playing with a loose thread near the collar.
As my heart rate slowly decelerated, I let my eyes travel around the room. I noticed a pile of books in the corner, neatly organized for school. Next to that was a small stack of tatty novels and next to them were three neat piles of clothes — pants, shirts and two sweaters. Her red Converse rested on top of a bag, which I assumed contained her socks and underwear. In spite of the fact it was on the floor, it was very orderly. Across the room was a kitchen counter with a grimy sink and two gas hobs that looked as though they hadn’t been lit this century. She obviously did no cooking here, so what was with the utility knife? I glanced at the door. The blade she’d thrown at my head was still sticking out from the frame.
I couldn’t believe she lived here. It made my heart bleed imagining her wrapped up under the light-weight cover on her own. The place was as warm and friendly as a jail cell.
“Where’s your dad?” I whispered.
Her long fingers stilled and my body automatically tensed. I tried not to let it show, but I’m sure she felt my pecks tighten. She took her time answering. I couldn’t help wondering if she was trying to think of a good story, still playing her Dani role, or if she was summoning the courage to tell me the truth.
“My parents are dead,” she whispered.
I whipped my head to look at her, taking in her pale skin and the haunted look in her eyes.
The truth. It fit and explained so much about her.
I squeezed her shoulder. “I thought you said you had a dad?”
“I lied.” Her voice was tiny.
I forgave her with another kiss to the forehead. “How’d they die?”
The pause was so long and pregnant I thought she wouldn’t answer me. Eventually a detached voice drifted into the room, “They were murdered.”
My lungs went dry, devoid of air, as I tried to take in what she was saying to me.
“When?”
“I was thirteen.”
“And, um, how old are you now?”
Her head shifted on my shoulder as she looked up at me. “Eighteen. Same as you. I never lied about that.”
Not this time anyway. I kept my thoughts to myself, trying to forget the fact she’d played an eighteen-year-old senior only last year when she was trying to con Miles Filmore.
I shut my eyes, forcing myself to focus back on the questions I had for her. She was talking the truth for once and I had to take advantage of it.
“Did you—were you there when they died?”
Her head moved on my shoulder again, snuggling into me as if trying to block out the images. I held her tight, knowing I wasn’t going to like what she had to say.
Yet again a detached voice relayed the information. “It was after dinner…on a school day. I’d just got the lead in the spring musical and we were celebrating. Mom sent me down to the basement to get ice cream from the chest freezer. As I was nearing the top of the stairs, this man showed up…” She sniffed and shook her head. “I watched it through a crack in the door…and then I ran.”
“Why didn’t you run to the police?”
She pushed off me, sitting up and facing the wall. I sat forward and ran my hand down her back, resting my chin on her shoulder.
“My parents were killed by a dirty cop. I couldn’t go to the police. So I ran. That’s what I do best. I run, Zach.” She turned to face me, our noses brushing against each other. “I never wanted to be a bad person. I never meant to steal, but I had to survive.” She let out a wry laugh. “I don’t know why. My life has been pretty shitty, but something in me needs to survive.” Her body began to tremble beneath my fingertips. “I don’t want to die like they did.” Her voice tripped and I could sense the tears returning.
“Shhhh. It’s okay,” I whispered.
“You can’t tell anybody you know me.” She turned in my arms, her eyes pleading as she reached for my face. “You have to stick with the Dani story, do you understand me?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “But we can trust—”
“No.” Her fingers gripped my skull. “We can’t trust…I can’t trust…” She licked her bottom lip and dropped her hands, looking away from me.
Gently placing my fingers under her chin, I pushed her head up. “I won’t tell anyone. I promise. You just keep being Dani. My Dani.” I grinned and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
When I pulled away she was smiling. “Thank you. I never meant to tell you about my parents. I’m sorry.”