“Glory offered you a deal, didn’t she?” Cole says. “She knew Nicole was working on a play. She knew it was good. That it would be something big. And she traded it to you for your silence.”

“She bought you,” I whisper. The match in Willa’s hand goes out. But she immediately has another one between her fingers.

“She offered me an opportunity. A chance to become someone completely different.”

“But you became a monster,” I say. “You could have become anything. And you chose to become a thief and a liar.”

“How did Avril end up in the water?” There is so much ice in Cole’s voice that for a moment he sounds exactly like Willa. “Was that Glory, too? Or was that you?”

“I didn’t know she was there. Not until Glory left.” Willa is looking at me now. And just for a moment there’s something soft in her eyes. Something genuine and sad. “I didn’t know Nicole had even brought you with her that night. That’s the truth. But then you popped up out of the grass. And I knew you’d seen. That you knew. So I did what I had to do.”

“Jesus. She was a little girl.” Cole sounds sick. Like he’s going to throw up. “Was the fucking Tony worth it?”

Willa tightens her jaw. “I did what I had to do. Just like I did what I had to do last night.”

“You tried to kill Glory.” The realization of it comes to me so suddenly. “She was going to tell me, wasn’t she? She couldn’t live with it anymore.”

Willa shrugs. “I did what I had to do.” She strikes another match.

“And what are you going to do now that it looks like Glory’s going to live?” It’s Cole and the pain in his voice is almost the worst thing about this whole unfathomable night. “Are you going to try again? How many times are you willing to kill someone?”

“I’ll do what I have to do. Just like I’ll do what I have to do tonight. Whatever that is. I won’t let anyone take my whole life away from me.”

“I was your son,” Cole says. And one word rings in my ears. Was. “I should have been your life.” There’s so much heartbreak in his words. “Not that play.”

Willa is looking at Cole. The match in her hand has gone out, and I’m sliding my hand under the white dress. Into the pocket of the shorts I’m wearing underneath. I’m running my fingers over Cole’s smooth good-luck charms. Finding Lex’s lighter.

Willa Culver tried to drown me, and she failed. Now she thinks she can take me out with fire. But she doesn’t know me.

I’ve never been afraid of the flames. I’ve always craved the burn.