Page 51 of Downfall

By the time we’ve said our goodbyes and everyone except Amelia has left, I feel desperate. I didn’t realize how much I liked having Skylar all to myself until I had to share her with all these people. Amie seems to pick up on it, shooting me a look after Skylar starts to clear the dishes. “Don’t worry. I’m going,” she mouths.

I roll my eyes, but wrap her in a hug all the same. “You have some explaining to do, big bro,” she says, pulling away.

“I was going to say the same to you.” I nod at Skylar to let her know that I noticed their little disappearing act earlier.

“I’ll tell you mine when you tell me yours,” she replies.

“Touche.” I press my hand up against the wall. “Seriously, though, Ames. Are you okay?”

She sighs. “I will be.”

I don’t like the sound of that one fucking bit, but she’s an adult now, and I have to remind myself that she can handle her own shit.

She winks at me as she steps to my side, briefly touching my cheek with her thumb. “And stop fighting with fucking bikers.”

“When did you start cursing like a sailor?” I yell at her retreating back.

“When I decided I wanted to be just like my big brother,” she answers before disappearing out the front door.

As soon as it clicks shut, there’s a gasp from the dining room. “This is awful,” Skylar shrieks. I try to keep my face neutral while she chews a forkful of pasta. I’m not sure what to do with my hands, so I put them in my pockets as I lean against the wall.

“It’s crunchy. I don’t understand.” Then suddenly something clicks and she drops the fork. “Shit, I think I was supposed to cook the pasta before I baked it in the oven.”

Yes, Skylar, you were definitely supposed to cook it first. But I don’t say that.

She looks up from the table, a question in her eyes. “You lied.” It’s not accusatory, more matter-of-fact.

“It wasn’t that bad,” I say as I walk closer to her.

“You’re lying again.” Even as her hands find her hips, her resolve seems to slip a little. Then understanding washes over her face. “They all ate my disgusting food. What did you do, threaten them? Oh my God. Luke. I can only imagine what you have on him.”

“I don’t have anything on him. Luke really liked your cooking. I’m not sure what that says about him, but it’s the truth.”

“Yeah, right, because I can trust anything that comes out of your mouth.” Her sarcasm surrounds us like a thick cloud.

“You worked hard on this dinner, Skylar, and it was great. People laughed and had fun. That’s what matters.”

She sighs, wordlessly stacking dishes to bring into the kitchen, but I stop her, placing my hand on hers. “Let me.”

“Okay,” she says softly as she heads over to the stairs. “I’m going to bed then.”

I get to work stacking the dishes she left behind, placing forks and knives on top of plates and am about to bring them to the sink when I hear soft footsteps returning.

“Why did you do it?” Her voice is barely above a whisper, but it makes me freeze before I can make it to the sink.

“Why did you say all those things? Why did you break your promise?” Her tone is louder now, more frantic.

“Skylar.”

“Answer me, Declan. Why the fuck did you do it? Why tell me I was yours only to gut me hours later?”

I place the plates down on the counter, taking a step toward her, but she backs up.

“Because I was trying to protect you.” Saying it out loud doesn’t make it sound any better than it did in my head. It doesn’t excuse what I did in the same way I thought it would at the time.

“From what?”

“From becoming my mother.”