Page 72 of The Other Side of Green

Phillipe looked at Mom. “I’m sorry, Ruth, you know what I’ve got to do.”

“No!” Mom grasped his arm, holding onto it with her fingers. “Please don’t. Let’s just talk it out. He’s protecting someone, that’s obvious.”

Mom stared sat me, her eyes flashing. She knew who I was protecting. Maybe she’d always known.

So she knew why I couldn’t now make any statement otherwise. What would that do to Lyra? All these years I’d walked down Asshole Street because of the Lennox siblings… but right now I wouldn’t let anything harm her.

“Mom, it’s okay.”

“How is this okay?”

I shuddered a breath. I had no idea how this could be okay.

Fuck.

With my shoulders dropping, I looked Phillipe in the eye. “Do what you need to do. I need to go and make a call.”

Without a backwards glance, I strode into the guest room and pulled out my cell. Unwillingly, I pressed on Lyra’s name. She picked up straight away, her tone straight.

“Hey, what’s up?” My blood chilled. Whatever was wrong, I was about to make it a whole shitload worse.

“Nothing, just, you know…”

“Everything?”

“Yeah.”

I rested my back against the bedroom door, letting my head drop back as I stared at the ceiling. “Lyra, I think you should go back to Boston with Alex and Eva.” Damn it burned to suggest she go with Alex, but he was better than her still being here and finding out I’d been arrested.

And I would be.

Red hot evidence had been found by the case detective in his own house… no escaping that I don’t think.

“Why? I thought we were doing the DNA thing.”

Shifting away from the door, I scratched the back of my neck. “It’s going to take a while for the kit to arrive, then we have to send it off. Maybe Eva and Alex are right. You can’t not go back to college, otherwise their fight would have been for nothing.”

Silence.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“Just get on the flight with Alex and Eva.”

“No.”

A knock landed against the bedroom door. “Lyra, I’ve got to go.”

“Jack, wait! When are you coming to Boston? What are we going to do about the DNA test?”

“We’ll sort it, I promise. Go back and wow them, Lyra. Show them that you deserve that place more than anyone else, because you are exceptional.”

“Jack—”

I hung up and turned for the door, taking a deep breath.

I always knew Luca would ruin me one way or the other. Looks like he was getting his wish. Ironic that his sister was the sun of my entire existence and I’d never do anything to retaliate.

Although my options were short. I opened the door, Phillipe stood the other side, his expression tight and firm.