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I stopped right in front of him. “You might want to hit me now, but I suggest you wait until Kaden grabs a hold of you, unless you want to die. That’s not a bluff or a threat—it’s a warning, because even though you’d like to kill me, I’m not looking to kill you.” I spoke to him like he was a child—worse, an absolute idiot.

Kaden walked over to him, and the man didn’t wait to take his shot.

He’d barely moved before he too was lying unconscious at my feet. Unlike my grandmother, he was alive.

I glared at Kaden, rage and hatred burning in my eyes.

“I’m not doing this again. I’m warning you now. I’ll leave first.”

“You can hate me all you want, but at least you’ll know how to protect yourself,” he said.

“I don’t give a shit. Go fuck yourself.”

I left him standing in the field. I didn’t go right back to the house, afraid Luisca would be there waiting with questions. Instead I found a nearby hill to perch on where I could be alone for a few minutes.

From the looks of things, I wasn’t sure anyone would want to talk to me. I could see the smiling faces from the other night already turning into cautious gazes as they spotted me. The stories were spreading fast. There were probably a couple hundred people in this community, and I’d bet one hundred and ninety-nine of them had heard about me knocking out their neighbor from yesterday. Wait until they found out I’d just taken down another one.

“Loser.”

I spun around, thinking someone had directed that at me. A girl of maybe twelve was standing in the shade of a tree. She wobbled slightly, and that was when I realized one of her legs was shorter than the other. She was surrounded by a gang of kids who were probably a couple of years older.

“We told you, you can’t hang with us. Now go away,” a larger boy said. He picked up a rock and threw it at her, hitting her in the cheek.

I got up from my perch. “Hey, leave her be,” I said.

The girl looked at me and ran off. The lead boy stood his ground.

“Mind your own business, freak,” he said.

Had to give the kid credit—he’d heard the story already but was still holding his ground. Kid had balls, if nothing else.

“Do that again and you’re going to be dealing with me,” I said, as if I’d actually back that up. I hadn’t been able to hurt Kaden. What was I going to do to a kid? Didn’t matter, as long as I was believable.

“Get lost, freak,” he said, but then waved his group on, as if he didn’t want to be bothered with me.

I didn’t care, as long as my message was taken. I turned and headed back to the house. Between the stares and the kids, this place wasn’t any more relaxing than the potential of running into Kaden, or fielding questions from Luisca.

I slunk into the house, hoping no one would hear me. I’d made it to the second-floor landing before Luisca spotted me. She had to have been waiting.

“Billie, can I steal you for a few minutes? I have a few things that might fit you.” She was already climbing the stairs to join me.

If I was going to be cornered by anyone, Luisca was the best pick.“Of course.”

The second we walked into her room, she shut the door. “Are you all right? You don’t look good, and I’m hearing things. Is Kaden bringing men in to attack you?” She was standing between me and the door, looking as stubborn as Kaden could.

“It’s not fun, but I’m okay. He wants me to be able to defend myself.” I nodded, feeling like if I could convince her it was true, it would be. That it wasn’t wearing down everything I was.

She was scowling. “But the men he’s choosing…”

Yeah. They sucked. If I knew it, then she definitely did, considering she had a long history with these people.

“He’s trying to push my limits, but I think he’s got good intentions.” I hoped he did, anyway. Either way, she was his friend. I wasn’t going to say otherwise while I stayed in their house, which might not be for too much longer.

“If it gets to be too much, I want you to come to me, okay?”

“I will.” I nodded, knowing I wouldn’t. If it got to be too much, I’d leave. I’d grab what few things I had and figure it out.

She was crossing her arms, almost as if she didn’t trust I would. The woman had good instincts.