Page 208 of Midnight Curfew

Striding around them, I grab my backpack off the floor.

“What do you want out of life?” Army presses me.

I bolt for the front door. “Fuck you!”

But Iron is there, blocking my way, and Trace and the girls give us a wide berth.

“Answer the question.” He glares at me, blocking the door. “Answer it and you can leave!”

“I want out!”

That’s what I want!

“Tell us,” Army demands. “Say it!”

Stalking back into the living room, I throw my backpack at him as my pulse races. He shoves it out of the way before it hits him.

“One thing in the world you can have,” Iron shouts. “What is it?”

Goddamn them…

“What do you want?” Army growls.

What do I want? What do I fucking want?

Where would I be this second if I could?

I roar, launching my foot out and kicking the sideboard table sitting underneath the window.

“I don’t want anyone else to touch him!” I bellow at the top of my lungs as my mother’s glasswork topples over. “I don’t want anyone else to have him!”

The words just spill out as if, if I say them with enough fury, I won’t feel them.

I swipe my hand over the vases, sending everything to the floor.

To my surprise, no one stops me.

“What do you want?” Macon asks calmly.

I kick the sideboard again and again. “I don’t want him to become his father.”

“What do you want?” Iron repeats, almost in a whisper.

I push at the table, but my strength is gone, and I’m so tired.

Tears fill my eyes, and I turn around, leaning back. “I don’t want to lose him.”

I shake my head, shame covering every inch of my skin. I just want to disappear.

If I could be anywhere in the world this second, I’d be up in my bed with him and nowhere else.

In a moment, Macon is standing in front of me, his hands holding my head up.

“You love him,” he says.

Keeping my eyes shut, I can’t even look at him. Barely, I nod, my heart in my fucking throat.

“I need to hear you say it.”