Page 44 of Rebel Moon

The clip ended. The screen went to black. And in it I could see my own face, reflected. My cheeks were damp and I hadn’t even noticed.

Blake didn’t say anything. She didn’t reach for me, didn’t offer a tissue, didn’t fill the silence, just let me sit. Finally, I took the headphones off and set them on the table with unsteady hands.

“There’s more,” Blake said quietly.

“What?”

“Knox’s interview.” She was watching me very carefully. “The tour came up. He didn’t know what you’d done all those years ago. He found out on camera, when I told him. It’s …” She stopped for a moment, looking up at the ceiling. “I’ve filmed a lot of people finding out a lot of things, but this was a doozy. I could tell it shook him to the core. He talked for a long time after. About you.”

Every single cell in my body wanted to grab those headphones and put them on and watch Knox Hartley’s face while he found out what I’d done and hear what he said about me afterward. I have never in my life wanted anything the way I wanted that.

Which is exactly how I knew I couldn’t.

Because if I watched it, and if he sat in that chair and said something that broke me wide open, I’d have no defense left. None. I would fall in love with him. Which is what could absolutely never, ever happen. This whole thing was like a speeding train headed for a glacier, and I had to get off before we crashed.

“No,” I said.

Blake didn’t argue. “Okay.” She reached over and closed the laptop, gentle as anything. “It’s not going anywhere. When you want it, it’s here.”

“I won’t want it.”

“Okay,” Blake said, in the voice of a woman who has interviewed a great many liars and is far too polite to say so.

I stood up, legs trembling.

“Tell me what you want me to do with Rhett’s footage,” Blake said gently.

“Leave it in. Leave it all in. Knox too.”

And I hurried out of there before I could change my mind.

A SONG

Hobbled for the Holidays

By Knox Hartley

Verse 1

This Christmas I asked Santa for someone sweet

And full of spice

Instead I’m stuck in a hotel suite

With my ankle packed in ice

Verse 2

It was a sled, red and bright

Made for Christmas wishes

And flying downhill on a wintry night

Hoping for Christmas kisses

Chorus