Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 95453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
“Don’t be a fucking child.” To my surprise, he brushes past me and starts walking fast, like he can get away.
“Coward!” I have to almost jog to keep up with him, my eyes glued to his broad back. “You’re going to run away again? Are you only brave when you’re carrying the switchblade?”
“Enough.” He’s as quick as a cat, whirling around and grabbing hold of me, pushing me against the closest wall. Leaning in, his breath hot in my face, he asks, “Do you wanna play games? You think you’re brave enough? You’re so tough?”
“Who’s talking about being brave when you won’t even take off that mask?” I whisper. Am I ready to die from fear? Maybe. But I’m getting through to him. I feel it.
“Is that what you want? Is that really what you want, little girl?” He looms over me, blocking out everything around us, but I’m not afraid. I know who he is. I might’ve been afraid of him in the past, but not anymore. We’re past that now.
“Do you want to see? Fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Holding my breath, I watch him lower the hood and rip off the ski mask. I’m somehow able to keep from gasping at what I see.
One side of his face is exactly the way I remember it.
The other?
“Oh,” I whisper with a sinking heart, staring in horror at the scar tissue covering the other half of his face. “What happened to you? Oh, my god…”
“And you wonder why I didn’t want you to see?” In a flash, he puts the hood in place again, snickering. “Aren’t you glad you know what happened?”
“But I don’t know what happened. What did this to you?”
“Give it a little thought. You’ll figure it out.” He scoffs before turning away.
I can’t believe it. He’s going to walk away. He’s actually going to leave me standing here. Before I can think about it, I reach out and grab his arm. “Don’t go! Come with me. You don’t have to hide!”
“I know what I’m doing. Let me go,” he warns, looking down at my hand.
“I won’t. Don’t you understand how it’s been driving Colt crazy, with everyone thinking you’re dead? Even me! Why would you stay away now?”
“Do you really want to know?”
“Yes!” I almost sob. It’s real—he’s alive. Colt was right. Who’s in his grave? How did he get burned? There are so many questions. I can’t possibly let him go.
Leaning down, he whispers, “I’m staying away because if I don’t, what happened in that alley is going to happen again and again. It’s all I can think about, Leni. Hurting you again the way Dad did.”
A wave of nausea washes over me before he scoffs again. “Trust me. This is for the best. So if you know what’s good for you, pretend this never happened and go. The fuck. Home.”
Yanking his arm away, he adds, “And don’t even think about telling Colt. You tell him, I’ll disappear for good,” he threatens.
It doesn’t occur to me to ask him to stop or call after him again. I’m too shocked, horrified. He wants to hurt me like his dad did? Is he really that twisted?
There’s nothing I can do but watch him as he disappears into the darkness. When a cab rolls down the street, I throw my arm out, desperate to get home now. Maybe I’ll be able to piece it all together when I’m there, where it’s safe.
Although that’s not going to help once Colt gets home, and I have to pretend once again I’m not hiding any secrets.
I don’t think there’s ever been a secret as big as this. Or one he might hate me more for keeping.
12
NIX
After the rest of the week passes, I know one thing for sure: She hasn’t told him. She couldn’t have, or else Colt would burn the city down looking for me. The emails he’s been sending haven’t changed, either, which is another clue. He would’ve sent me another message immediately if he thought for sure I was alive and close enough to where he lives that it’s within walking distance. A long walk, but what else do I have to fill my time?
I walked tonight, since there’s never a guarantee I’ll be able to get a parking space close to their apartment. So I hang out across the street in an alley, staring up at their apartment. Sometimes I lose track of time while I do it, standing for hours. I watch their shadows move across the ceiling and imagine what they’re doing up there. I don’t deserve to be any part of it.
At least one good thing came out of showing her my face: she hasn’t been around the neighborhood since. She learned her lesson. For all I know, she’s more scared of me than she is of the other dangers out there, but that’s fine. It’s better if she hates me, if she’s scared of me. She should be.