to the woods and bury me in that box.
Sean’s gaze is locked on mine. “Avery, you have to leave. Now.”
“No!” I shove his chest. Black tries to touch my shoulder to spin me around, but I hiss at her, “Don’t you touch me!” Miss Black gnashes her teeth, but she backs up after glancing at Sean. I turn to Sean once more and say the words that are burning a hole in my tongue, “Here, you fucker. Take your goddamn ring back and never talk to me again. Ever.” I rip my ring off my finger and throw it at his face.
By the time I turn around, Gabe is behind me. His accomplice is pissed and bloody. I’m still fighting the drugs that are trying to pull me under, but I won’t let them win. I stagger when the rush of energy slips away and Gabe grabs my arm. “Why don’t you listen?” he asks softly.
Sean hasn’t moved, offered an explanation or anything. He remains rigid and lifeless. The man is made of stone and I gave him my heart. I let out a pathetic sobbing sound and slump in Gabe’s grip before Black says, “Take her out of here. Now.”
CHAPTER 2
I’m hauled away and shoved into a car. They abandoned the box. I have no idea where it went. It wasn’t in the stairwell when they carried me out. Whatever they shot into my arm makes my eyelids feel like they weight a million pounds. They keep trying to close, but I force them open again.
Time is screwy. I don’t know how much has passed or what’s going on, but I recognize the building in the city. It’s early in the morning by the time we get there. We head up to Miss Black’s office, where I’m told to wait until she comes back.
When the other man leaves, Gabe points to a chaise in the corner. “Go lay down.”
“No.” My arms are folded over my chest. I’m sitting in a chair, staring straight ahead.
“If you were my kid, I’d slap you.”
“Oh, please. If I was your kid, I wouldn’t be here. You would have killed every single one of them for looking at me funny. Let’s not play games anymore, old man. Why am I here?” I can see him shake his head out of the corner of my eye, but he doesn’t speak. “I’m dead, right?” I ask because I have to. My heart slaps into my ribs once and then goes back to its slow, drugged beating.
“Avery, listen to me. You’ve got no friends, no backup, no nothing. The only person batting for you on this team is me, and you don’t pay attention.” Sighing, he grips his forehead like he has a massive headache. When he glances up at me, his voice is softer. “Listen for once in your goddamn life, and listen closely. Black is full of shit. Watch what she says. Don’t take her word over Ferro’s. They’re both liars, but one of them is two steps ahead of the other.”
I’m still too out of it to grasp what he’s saying. “What are they doing? And which one is two steps ahead?” I turn and look at him.
“I don’t know, but the playing board is much bigger than you think.” Gabe disappears without further explanation.
I never felt so stupid in my entire life. I can barely think with this stuff in my veins and I wish that I’d never met Black. My life has totally fallen apart. I’m chasing a mental man that I can never have. No matter what I do, Sean will always be haunted by the memories that hide behind those beautiful eyes. Black is equally ruthless and scares the shit out of me. I have no doubt that she chopped up other girls who gave her trouble and planted them like daisies at the arboretum.
I need to get out of here, but I have nowhere to go—no one to hide me. Gabe is right. I’m alone. I bury my face in my hands and let out a rush of air. I’m fucked. How do I get out of this?
At that moment, Black walks in the room. She slams the door shut and tosses her purse on the desk, nearly hitting me in the head, before sitting down in her chair. “Do you have an idea what you’ve put me through?”
“You’re not
Sean’s gaze is locked on mine. “Avery, you have to leave. Now.”
“No!” I shove his chest. Black tries to touch my shoulder to spin me around, but I hiss at her, “Don’t you touch me!” Miss Black gnashes her teeth, but she backs up after glancing at Sean. I turn to Sean once more and say the words that are burning a hole in my tongue, “Here, you fucker. Take your goddamn ring back and never talk to me again. Ever.” I rip my ring off my finger and throw it at his face.
By the time I turn around, Gabe is behind me. His accomplice is pissed and bloody. I’m still fighting the drugs that are trying to pull me under, but I won’t let them win. I stagger when the rush of energy slips away and Gabe grabs my arm. “Why don’t you listen?” he asks softly.
Sean hasn’t moved, offered an explanation or anything. He remains rigid and lifeless. The man is made of stone and I gave him my heart. I let out a pathetic sobbing sound and slump in Gabe’s grip before Black says, “Take her out of here. Now.”
CHAPTER 2
I’m hauled away and shoved into a car. They abandoned the box. I have no idea where it went. It wasn’t in the stairwell when they carried me out. Whatever they shot into my arm makes my eyelids feel like they weight a million pounds. They keep trying to close, but I force them open again.
Time is screwy. I don’t know how much has passed or what’s going on, but I recognize the building in the city. It’s early in the morning by the time we get there. We head up to Miss Black’s office, where I’m told to wait until she comes back.
When the other man leaves, Gabe points to a chaise in the corner. “Go lay down.”
“No.” My arms are folded over my chest. I’m sitting in a chair, staring straight ahead.
“If you were my kid, I’d slap you.”
“Oh, please. If I was your kid, I wouldn’t be here. You would have killed every single one of them for looking at me funny. Let’s not play games anymore, old man. Why am I here?” I can see him shake his head out of the corner of my eye, but he doesn’t speak. “I’m dead, right?” I ask because I have to. My heart slaps into my ribs once and then goes back to its slow, drugged beating.
“Avery, listen to me. You’ve got no friends, no backup, no nothing. The only person batting for you on this team is me, and you don’t pay attention.” Sighing, he grips his forehead like he has a massive headache. When he glances up at me, his voice is softer. “Listen for once in your goddamn life, and listen closely. Black is full of shit. Watch what she says. Don’t take her word over Ferro’s. They’re both liars, but one of them is two steps ahead of the other.”
I’m still too out of it to grasp what he’s saying. “What are they doing? And which one is two steps ahead?” I turn and look at him.
“I don’t know, but the playing board is much bigger than you think.” Gabe disappears without further explanation.
I never felt so stupid in my entire life. I can barely think with this stuff in my veins and I wish that I’d never met Black. My life has totally fallen apart. I’m chasing a mental man that I can never have. No matter what I do, Sean will always be haunted by the memories that hide behind those beautiful eyes. Black is equally ruthless and scares the shit out of me. I have no doubt that she chopped up other girls who gave her trouble and planted them like daisies at the arboretum.
I need to get out of here, but I have nowhere to go—no one to hide me. Gabe is right. I’m alone. I bury my face in my hands and let out a rush of air. I’m fucked. How do I get out of this?
At that moment, Black walks in the room. She slams the door shut and tosses her purse on the desk, nearly hitting me in the head, before sitting down in her chair. “Do you have an idea what you’ve put me through?”
“You’re not
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