Page 155 of Slumming It

As if he didn't know."When you disappeared as a kid. They were really worried."

At this, Reese made a sound. It wasn't a laugh, and it wasn't a scoff. It might've been somewhere in the middle if it weren't full of hard edges and bitterness that evenhecouldn’t hide.

I tried again. "It's true. They even called the police."

Now hedidlaugh. But the sound wasn't happy. And neither was his voice when he replied, "I know."

"You do?" From the couch, I stared up at him. "So, why do you look so angry?"

"Because yeah, they called the police, but not the wayyoumake it sound."

"What do you mean?"

"They didn't file a missing persons, if that's what you heard. No, notthem." His jaw clenched. "They wanted me thrown in jail."

Chapter 61

Emily

My parents wanted him jailed?

The idea was ridiculous. In fact, it was so ridiculous that if Reese didn't look so grim, I might've burst out laughing. "Oh, come on! They don't throw grade-schoolers in jail."

"Fine. Juvie then."

Now Ididlaugh. "Will you just listen to yourself? You're thinking like a ten-year-old kid."

His eyes blazed with anger. "Yeah. Because that's what I was."

"Fine. But you're not anymore." I gave him a pleading look. "Seriously, grow up and think like an adult."

"I'm no child." He stared down at me. "And I'm not stupid. I never said theydidit. I said that's what theywanteddone."

"Either way, I don't believe it. I mean, seriously, why would you be arrested in the first place?"

"I'll tell you why." His voice dripped with venom. "For punching their youngest daughter."

My jaw dropped. "Me? But that makes no sense. I wasn't even there. And neither was Vivian."

"I know." He gave me a cold smirk. "That's what makes it so fucking funny."

It wasn't funny tome.

I still hadn't replied when he said with bitter sarcasm, "I mean,you'relaughing, right?"

"Just stop it!" I said. "Unless you're blind and deaf, it's pretty obvious that I'm not laughing. And neither was my mom when I talked to her."

He gave a humorless snort. "Wellthat'sa first."

I jumped to my feet. "And what doesthatmean?"

"She alwaysdidhave a dumb sense of humor."

My teeth were grinding now. "Whatdid you say?"

"You heard me. What ten-year-old wants to hear a fuck-ton of knock-knock jokes?"

"Hey! Those jokes were actually pretty funny."