Free Heart Of Marley by T.K. Leigh Page B

aunt and uncle, but it still irritated me that no one had anything better to do than gossip about other people’s struggles.
    “Well, you can take your pick, really. That you and Marley were more than your parents could handle so they left you, and your aunt and uncle, being the saints they are, took you in.”
    I shook my head in disbelief.
    “Let’s see…” She wrinkled her forehead, deep in thought at the ludicrousness of it all. She felt it, too. “There’s also the rumor that your father was some hot shot in the movie industry, and he left your mom for some famous actress and she went off the deep end. And, of course, your aunt and uncle, being the saints they are, took you in… Notice a common theme, here?”
    I nodded. “I’m starting to.”
    “You should because every rumor ends with your aunt and uncle being saints.”
    “Saints in public, maybe.”
    “I know what that’s like,” Brianna muttered under her breath. “Put on a smile and pretend that everything in your life is like it should be so no one becomes suspicious that there’s something wrong.”
    I stopped dead in my tracks. “What do you mean by that, Bri?”
    “Nothing,” she answered quickly, avoiding my gaze. “I just… I’m sorry. I never should have opened my mouth. Everything in my life is fine. I just…” Her chin quivered and she took a deep breath. “I guess I just wish things were as simple as they were before. My mom and step-father don’t get along with my dad, and they use me as a pawn in their game of who’s better. My mom took my dad back to court, and both sides slung false accusations at each other. Who do you think it affected? Not them. Me. At least I’ll be able to get away from it all for a bit when school begins because I’ll be busy with theater and all the pageant stuff. I’ll finally be able to escape…I hope.”
    “But you got out today,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. “I can’t think of anyone else that I’d want to get grounded for.” I nudged her gently and she turned to meet my eyes.
    “Either can I.”
    We stopped walking in the busy central market and faced each other, people attempting to maneuver around us. I didn’t care that we were blocking their passage. At that moment, it was as though Brianna and I were the only two people in the universe. I bent toward her and she raised herself onto her toes. Closing my eyes, I poised my lips over hers, the electricity I felt from being just a breath away from her mouth igniting me. I didn’t even have to kiss her to feel an overwhelming sense of fulfillment.
    “Kiss me, Cam,” she begged.
    Licking my lips, I placed my hand on the small of her back and pulled her tall, slender body into mine. She whimpered…not in pleasure, but in pain. My eyes flung open and I saw a look of discomfort on her face. “What is it? Are you okay?”
    She nodded quickly. “I’m fine.”
    “Are you sure?” I asked, eyeing her dubiously.
    “Do you think I’m lying to you?!” she exclaimed. “If I say I’m fine, I’m fine!” She spun on her heels and began to walk away from me.
    Exhaling loudly, I wanted to kick myself. Thankfully, I’d had enough experience with Marley’s breakdowns and outbursts that I knew I could fix this.
    Running through the crowd of people in the market, I caught up to her and grabbed her hand, spinning her around to face me. I could still see the terror and burn on her face.
    “I’m sorry, Bri. I don’t think you’re lying to me. I shouldn’t have made you feel as though I thought that. I get it.”
    “I just strained my back yesterday at dance class. That’s all.” She looked away, confirming my initial suspicion that she was hiding something from me…especially considering I knew that she had dance class every Wednesday, not Saturday. She typically worked at the gym on Saturdays.
    Leaning down, I placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head and inhaled her scent, letting out a small moan.
    “Smell something