Page 89 of The Devastation You Reap

I hate that place, and I wouldn’t bat an eyelid should I get an alert to tell me that someone has burned it to the ground.

There’s only one reason I continue any kind of relationship with my uncle. His money. People might judge me for it, but I don’t care. Out of all the bad, I want to do something good. And if it means that I have to make things a little harder on myself than necessary, keep certain promises to the monster who’s ruined so many lives, including mine, then I’ll do it knowing that in the future, I’m going to be able to give back to kids like me. Boys like the ones who put their trust and futures in the hands of a man who was meant to only want the best for them.

Movement outside my door catches my attention, but any hope of Leon storming through and sweeping me up in his arms have long vanished.

Placing my cell on my nightstand, I walk over to my dresser to pull out a pair of leggings and an oversized shirt to hibernate in for the day.

I damn near jump out of my skin when a knock rattles my door.

“Mace,” Nathan calls. “You’ve got a visitor.”

My eyes widen as I suck in a sharp breath.

“Oh my God.” I reach for my hairbrush and quickly attempt to tame my red mane. “I’ll be right there.”

My hands tremble as I try to make myself look presentable before I walk toward the door on weak knees, my stomach doing somersaults as my trembling hand reaches for the handle.

I suck in a huge breath, hoping some confidence will come with it and pull the door open.

My eyes find Nate first before I look over his shoulder, desperate to find Leon’s green eyes staring back at me.

Only, it’s not him I find standing confidently behind Nate, but instead Letty.

“Oh… Um… Hey,” I say nervously as an image of the last time I saw her, or more so her fiancé, slam into me.

“Hey,” she says, stepping around Nate and coming to stand in front of me. “I was hoping we could talk.”

“Uh… yeah. Sure. Come in.”

I nod at Nate who disappears down the hall and step aside to allow Letty into my room.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, terrified that something from my overactive imagination might have happened to Leon to stop him from getting in touch.

“Yeah, everything is good.” She looks around my room, taking everything in. “I just thought I should introduce myself properly. Friday night probably wasn’t the best time for it.”

“Are their parties always like that?” I ask.

“Honestly, that one was pretty tame.”

Lifting my hand to my hair, I tuck it behind my ears, swallowing nervously as I consider how wilder things could get. Drink, drugs, sex. What more is there?

“Oh… right. I’m not really a party girl,” I confess.

“Yeah, I suspected as much. You mind?” she asks, pointing to my chair.

“Of course not,” I say, backing toward my bed and dropping down on the edge.

She studies me for a few seconds as if it’s the first time she’s seeing me.

“I wanted to apologize for Friday night. I can’t imagine you left with all that great of an impression of me.”

“I-it’s okay.”

“I was pissed at Leon. That wasn’t meant to rub off onto you. I’m sorry.”

“Honestly, it’s fine.”

“He came to see me the other night to tell me about you.”