True Colors (The Masks #1)(54)

“Libby, stop.” Indie’s voice was steel cold, but behind her mask she was a quivering mess.

“I can’t do this anymore, Indie! I don’t care what Liam threatens me with.” Her bravado was only just masking her palpitating terror.

“Keep going, Libby, tell me what’s happening with Liam.” I tentatively touched her arm, not wanting to scare her off, but feeling like a little human contact might help her along.

Libby sniffed, big fat tears popping onto her lower lashes. “He started up a business last year. He recruited a whole bunch of vulnerables.” She pointed at herself in anguish. “And he makes them do all this extra work - assignments mostly, but he’s managed to steal a few tests as well. We have to complete them and then hand in the answers and then the rich kids who aren’t smart enough to do their own work, pay him.”

“Libby, please stop.” Indie’s teeth were clenched.

“No, Indie.” Libby threw a vehement look at the meek redhead before turning back to me. “Liam approached me a few months ago and I was hesitant at first. It felt wrong to me, but he kept telling me how much he needed me and how there’d be these great rewards.” Libby swiped at her tears. “That’s why I knew whenever you guys were doing anything social. He knew I wanted to be part of your crowd and he kept inviting me and finally I caved. But then I started second-guessing myself and I tried to quit. I told Liam the workload was getting too much. That’s when he set up the Carter thing. He knew I liked Carter and he also knew there was no way I’d have the guts to do what Carter was demanding. It was the perfect threat to keep me in line. Carter was going to start these rumors about what we’d done in that upstairs room. He made sure everyone saw us go up there and then people saw me leaving in tears. On Monday, Liam told me he’d taken care of any rumors, but nothing could stop him from igniting some new ones. He threatened to call my parents. I had no choice but to do what he wanted.”

“Libby, shut up!” Indie slammed the table. “Don’t you get it? He’ll destroy you. If this gets out, you’re dead.” Her voice hitched.

“Indie, it’s okay.” Micah gently touched her hand.

“It’s not okay.” Tears flooded her eyes, making them a brilliant blue. She yanked her hand away and stood from her chair. “You don’t know what he’s like. You don’t know what he’s capable of doing. Libby needs to shut up and toe the line. That’s the only way to be safe! You’re an idiot, Libby!” Her finger was trembling as she pointed at the weeping girl beside me. “You should have kept your mouth shut! Now we’re both gonna pay!”

“Indie.” Micah’s voice was a soothing balm. He reached for her hand again and held tight when she tried to snatch it away. “It’s okay.” His large thumb caressed her pale skin. She looked so small and fragile beside him.

Her chin trembled as her lips fought for control. “It’s never going to be okay,” she whispered.

“Yes it is.” I could see Micah’s anguish as he gently pulled her onto his knee. I thought she’d fight him, but she didn’t. She sank into his embrace and buried her face in his shoulder. His strong arms encircled her, cocooning her from the world.

Her pitiful sobs brought tears to my eyes. I looked at Libby and nearly started laughing. We were all blubbering messes. I yanked some Kleenex out of my bag and passed one to her. She gave me a watery smile as she took it, her eyes filling with an apology that didn’t need to be spoken. I shook my head and squeezed her hand.

As Indie’s tears slowly ebbed, she turned to look at me. Her head was perched on Micah’s shoulder and she didn’t want to move it. I passed her a Kleenex. Our fingers brushed as she took it and her face crested with pain.

“I’m sorry about what happened to you on Friday.” Her voice was small. “I didn’t find out until afterwards and I felt so bad.”

“It’s not your fault, Indie.”

She swallowed, looking guilty.

“What happened to you?” Micah frowned.

I flicked my hand, going for casual. “Some guy tried to give me a warning, told me stay away from Liam.”

“Did he hurt you?”

“I’m okay, Micah.” I didn’t want to go into details. Indie didn’t need to hear it. She already looked bad enough and it wasn’t her fault. “Indie, who attacked me?”

“I can’t.” She shook her head. “You don’t understand. He’ll hurt me.”

“Who? Liam or this other guy?”

Her lips quivered. “Both.” She drew in a sharp breath. “They both have their ways of keeping me in line.”

Micah looked ready to murder someone. I shot him a warning look. Indie did not need to meet his angry side. I knew he had one, that’s why he’d been on probation...for fighting. He worked overtime to pull his emotions inline. I could see him using some sort of calming technique he’d obviously learned. The unnerving black rage I spotted slowly swirled away.

Satisfied he wouldn’t explode, I turned my attention back to the trembling waif on his knee. “Indie, you can’t go on like this. We have to stop Liam. We have to end this and get you somewhere safe.”

“I don’t have anywhere safe to go. Liam lives at my house.” Her breathy laughter was sad and broken. “He manipulated his way into my life and now I’m trapped. I can’t get out. He’ll kill me, Caitlyn. And as miserable as my life is, I don’t want to die.”