Page 32

A hand grabbed my arm, and I slapped it away.

“Don’t fucking touch me and don’t fucking stop me. I’m leaving!”

“You want to leave so bad?” Briar snapped at me.

“Yes!” I damn near screamed.

“Then get in the fucking car, and I’ll take you wherever you want to go!”

“Promise?” I asked.

“Please. I want you out of the house more than you want to leave. Get in my car. Now.”

Huffing, I listened, climbing into his car in the driveway.

He closed the front door before getting into the car and starting it. With a glance at his mirrors, he was pulling out and speeding down the street.

“Take me anywhere. Far from this shit hole. Take me to Ashbourne and let the citizens kill me for all I care about.”

“Stop being dramatic,” Briar muttered.

“Dramatic?” I growled. “Look at my fucking arm, Briar! He broke it. Now I have nothing.”

“Except for the new arm we are paying for.”

“And what about for now? I’m the one-arm freak of Evercrest. What did you get getting off on humiliating me? That your kink, rich boy?”

“Hey!” he barked, dark brows pulling together. “I worked for what I had! I worked to get into the academy and get money. It’s not my fault.”

“Yeah, because you rich people could give two fucks about Ashbourne! You cross the street if you saw us, spit at us, and laugh at us.”

“Maybe other people. Not me.”

“Have you been to Ashbourne before me?”

He stayed silent.

I scoffed. “That’s what I fucking thought! You all are so fucking entitled. So entitled you let him break the shit I worked hard for—”

Briar pulled the car to stop on the side of the road somewhere. Barely any other cars were out just yet. He twisted to me, rage in his eyes. “Let’s get one thing straight. Just because you are pissed at Kier doesn’t mean you can take it out on me! You have a fucking habit of doing that. Cut it out before I fucking turn this car around and take you back there!”

“Fuck you. You barely know shit about me, mister-I-only-care-about-myself-and-keeping-me-safe. I get it. I’m damaging to you and your little friend group, and I get it I’m not one of you.”

“Don’t you dare twist my words, Psalm. This isn’t a fight you’re going to win.”

“I don’t need this shit from you. You don’t even like me. You’re trying to get rid of me right now!”

“Or I don’t plan on dropping you off anywhere. I’m letting you cool the fuck down because I can’t have you running the street like a crazy woman,” he said, shifting into drive and beginning to drive.

I stay silent. Though he was trying to make it sound better, he didn’t want me to leave the house alone, and I could tell. I sat back, reaching up to touch my severed arm.

My eyes closed and I could damn near hear the laughter through the cries of my pain. After the mutilation, I knew I had passed out when I came to a young Cozen begging me to wake up. Blood was everywhere but inside of me. Jade lifted my head making me drink sugar water. It helped a bit.

My foster father sucked his teeth. “Damn. Now she’s fucking ugly.”

My eyes were wet with tears, and I tried to push myself away or tried to hide. But my body was too weak from losing a limb.

10