Page 55 of Split You Open

“Why don’t we see why Ledger did this before we come up with any course of action for him?” Rhett asks. “While I get wanting him to pay, he saved us, Blair. Ledger could’ve easily swooped in and killed us or sat back and let the others do it. I want to know why.”

I heave a sigh of relief. Yes, this is what we need: answers!

But while I relax, Blair stares at Rhett wide-eyed in disbelief and asks, “Does madness need a reason?”

Wes frowns. “Ledger’s reasons may sound logical to him but they might not make sense to us.”

“I still want to understand—logical or not,” Rhett looks at Blair. “Don’t you want to know why this all happened? If he wanted you dead, why would he step in to help us? Why not kill you before you arrived at Gnarly Pines? He used to be a hitman before all this, right? Ledger understands discretion—insane or not—so why all this fanfare? Something isn’t adding up and, honestly, I don’t think he wants you dead, Blair.”

Blair’s eyes grow cold as her body goes eerily still. “How are you defending him right now? Haven’t you and I been through enough recently to see that the only way out of this is with his death?”

Rhett sighs loudly. “Maybe killing isn’t the only way, Blair.”

Blair rolls her eyes. “How are you a serial killer when the thought of death gets you squeamish?”

“My killing comes with morals. There’s a reason behind them.”

It’s the wrong thing to say. I know it the moment the words fall past his lips. Wes and I share a mirrored grimace as Blair inhales sharply and she recoils.

Blair recovers quickly—eyes flashing, brightening her dark glare that she pins on him.

“So, what you’re saying is that I don’t have any morals, Rhett?” Blair hisses as her brows crash together.

“No, no, that’s not how I meant it!” Rhett tries to backtrack, tripping over his words to try to make things right. “Blair, listen to me. I’m just saying⁠—”

“That I’m a moral-less bitch. Yeah, got it.” Her voice cracks and my heart cracks with it. “Funny how you can go after the people who killed your family, but I’m supposed to just let it go when it comes to doing the same thing. It wasn’t just me Ledger targeted. My dad is only god knows where; either running for his life or has become a rotting corpse! Love the hypocrisy. Thanks for letting me know where you stand, Rhett.”

She shoves by us and stomps down the porch steps. Wes steps forward, shooting a glare at Rhett, before pushing past me.

“Blair, wait, come back!” Wes calls. “We can talk about⁠—”

She ignores him and storms off across the yard into the woods.

Rhett swears before turning and storming into the house.

Wes sighs, standing at the top of the stairs and staring off in the same direction my attention is locked onto. My heart’s screaming in protest as distance grows between us again. I reach out and grip the railing.

No, this isn’t right.

She can’t just storm off. Not after being gone so long.

I have to make this right.

Without another moment of hesitation, I launch myself over the railing. My feet hit the soft grass but they’re not there long. I sprint across the yard on bare feet toward the woods.

My footsteps don’t slow as I dive into the woods. Anxiety climbs up my spine as I scan the woods, searching for any sign of movement. I don’t see any. My heart races and a ringing starts in my ears. Where’s Blair? I know she has the skills to slip away and never be seen again. She could do it before I have a chance to fix things, and that thought scares the shit out of me.

What if she doesn’t come back?

I know, logically, it would be hard for her to leave with no shoes, barely dressed, and without a weapon or car keys but it’s not impossible. Blair managed to be invisible most of her life.

The thought that Blair would leave me, in any capacity, is agonizing.

No, no, no!

My scream of denial creeping up my throat is suppressed as I run harder.

There! I see her! She’s closer than I expect and that’s such a huge fucking relief. I don’t slow as I sprint toward her.