Chapter 7

When James came back, I was reading in the living room.

"Why aren’t you asleep yet?"

"Waiting for you."

A rather rhetorical question.

He knew I was waiting for him.

Just as I knew he would come back.

For no other reason than I had Lily’s medical file.

James paused while putting down his keys.

He took off his tie and sat across from me.

"What do you want to talk about?"

His calmness was stifling.

I looked at him quietly.

"What if I told Lily everything?"

James looked up, his eyes cold.

"I told you, don’t touch her."

"What if I insist? What will you do? Run me over?"

"Lila, I won’t hurt you. But I can hurt a lot of people."

That made my face go cold.

As I stood up, the book fell to the floor with a dull thud.

I picked up a baseball bat.

"I won’t touch her."

"An arm or a leg, your choice."

James stood up.

After a long stare, he extended his left hand.

Without hesitation, the bat came down heavy.

I heard the bone crack.

James’s face turned pale, a muffled groan escaping.

He gritted his teeth, looking at me.

"Happy now?"

"Get lost."

He cradled his arm, walking out.

I couldn’t help but ask, "Do you really like her that much?"

James stopped, blurting out.

"She took a knife for me, can you do that?"

For a moment, the air was completely still.

I watched James’s tense back.

He turned abruptly.

Paler than before.

His lips moved.

"I..."

I just laughed.

Leaning back lazily.

"Of course not."