Page 89 of Midnight Curfew

“That’s what you want,” Liv whispers. “You’re drawing them in. You want his attention.”

Did she actually think this was about her?

That morning when my father confronted Dallas and me at the visitors center was the last time Dallas spoke to me.

Or spoke to me kindly.

The next weekend, I came over to the Bay like we talked about, but he didn’t want me anymore. Already had someone new in his sights.

Whenever I tried to catch him alone, he’d spit awful words at me or laugh. He stopped joining his brothers to work on our pool and lawn, and seemed to go out of his way to rub women—and other men—in my face.

I hated myself. It was like I’d imagined everything.

So after months of trying to bury it in my head, I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I wanted to make him hurt.

Starting with his sister, who waltzed around school as if she wasn’t a constant reminder of him.

We struck a deal. She’d play at Fox Hill with us tonight—we’d even get her a girl.

And I’d give her a contact and help her save the Bay for her family.

I knew she was lying when she finally agreed to this. She was playing me.

But a deal is a deal. I’m just making sure she keeps her end of the bargain.

“Unless you told them about the night we planned,” I tell her. “Then no one will know where to find you tonight, so no, I don’t expect your brothers to actually show up. It’s just us. I’m sure they’ll find me in the days to come, though. After we’re done.”

She swallows, a lump moving down her throat.

They’ll search high and low tonight, and tomorrow or next week, Dallas will fuck me up.

I expect it.

No one is coming for her, though. She doesn’t have a phone on her, unless it’s back in the limo, so no one is tracking her.

If he doesn’t want me, then I’ll make sure he never forgets me.

We race onto the highway, speeding down a dark lane, and Del dips off to the left suddenly, taking the long paved road up to Fox Hill.

The oaks on both sides provide a canopy from the moon and stars, and the shimmer in her eyes is the only thing I can see as she stares at me and I gaze back. Darkness consumes us, and my heart beats faster.

I could abort right now. Say it’s a prank and laugh it off.

She’d keep her brothers at bay, because she doesn’t want them arrested.

“You will never come back from this,” she murmurs.

I didn’t know these muscles were a thing, I feel Dallas’s light whisper on my spine.

I don’t want to come back from this.

I’m tired of awful men in my life. They’re killing me.

I glance out the window. “I’m not worried about me.”

“You should be,” she says. “This is gonna hurt.”

I’m banking on it.