PLAY WITH FIRE

CHAPTER 38

TW: MENTION OF ASSAULT & ASSAULT

HOLDEN KINCAIDE

PRESENT TIME

One stupid, petty fight and she was back at her apartment, giving me the silent treatment over the phone. We could've acted like the adults we were, but we lost the end of our childhoods so we were making up for that time now. 

Only a couple of days ago we were inseparable, especially after what happened with Jerimiah outside of the club. And now? She wasn't answering my texts. 

The fact we were stuck in a bog wasn't what angered me, it was the fact that deep down, beneath Scarlett's assumptions about her families murder case, there was some truth. A truth she wasn't aware of. A truth that'd haunt me until I die. A truth that if it got out would ruin everything. 

EARLIER THAT DAY

"We're getting nowhere" Scarlett groaned from across the desk, her head in her hands as she lay, slumped forward against the table, her hair splayed outwards like a crown. Lining every inch of every wall in this room was box after box after box of information we had on Scarlett's family and that day. 

It went from something as dire as a witness statement to something as small as when her Dad's prized car was purchased. Every moment of each Valentine's lives were documented in these boxes, and not one slip of paper had a decent clue. 

"You've just gotta be patient" I replied, my head buried in a manila folder. In the last so many months I've read enough on each Valentine I'm practically apart of the family. And who was I reading on right now? The woman sitting across from me. For some reason, I couldn't read the personal stuff on Scarlett. When I accidentally came across a folder with 'Scarlett Avalon Valentine, Psych Report' written on the top, I closed it and buried it within other folders. In this line of business there are very few things we won't look in to about an individual. 

But for this one? I just couldn't. 

Not Scarlett. 

"You better be talking to yourself, boy" The harsh grunt brought my from my thoughts as I looked up and away from the folder and towards Scarlett. Boy?

"Pardon?" 

"I've got to be patient? Holden, I should have an award for my patience. I spent the last 5 years in prison for something your brother did, so don't you dare-"

"Why do you do that?" I cut her off, my heart sinking in my chest as I stared at her from across the table. Her face fell into a frown as she shrugged. 

"Do what?" 

" 'Your brother this', 'Your brother that.' Fuck Scarlett, people don't get to pick their families and it feels like you're always blaming me for the fucked up shit he did" My heart ached, my head pounded, my body shook as Scarlett's confused look turned to one of disgust...and blame. 

"Yeah? W-Well Nolan wouldn't have died if you didn't ask me to wait for you. Wyatt wouldn't have drugged me. He wouldn't have raped me. He wouldn't of-" My ears rung at her words, bile rising in my throat as my face fell. 

"So it's my fault? Everything that's happened is my fault because I was a 17 year old kid with a stupid crush?" When she didn't reply and just stared at me an aggressive shiver ran up my spine, sending goose bumps over every inch of my body. I jerked back as if Scarlett had just slapped my across the face. Somehow, Scarlett blaming me for everything in this moment felt worse then growing up with my mother and Wyatt. Her accusation hurt more then the time I spent alone with my family. Her gaze made me more uncomfortable then I've ever been.