Page 107

So what? I’m supposed to hide?

The bright, shimmering city with pretty buildings soon became duller and shabbier. The houses were now worn out. Walls were covered in graffiti, and roads were far less impressive.

“Your sisters live in apartment 4B,” Shonda said just as she parked in front of a dirt-colored complex on a quiet street called Mitch Road. There wasn’t much except for a corner store and far too many empty alleys. “Your new ID is in the bag.” She handed me a small backpack. “There’s also a number inside. You’re only to call it in true emergencies. Other than that, you don’t need to worry about anything. You’re under our organization’s protection.”

I didn’t move an inch. Instead, I sat still on the passenger seat, staring at the building.

“Bellerose, you can leave now—”

“The man who saved me. Do you work for him?” I blurted, my eyes going to her.

Shonda frowned. “You don’t need to know any of that. Just know that you’re safe now to go back to your family.”

“What’s left of my family,” I snapped.

“At least you still have them,” Shonda said softly. “Most of us don’t even get that. You must forget all that happened and go live a normal life.” Even as she said it, there was pity in her eyes. And I hated that pity.

And normal? I scoffed. Nothing about my life was ever going to be normal again.

My family was destroyed right in front of my eyes. And what kind of a coward would I be if I went back and pretended everything was normal? I promised that evil-eyed man I would kill him, and I will. One way or another, I would.

A motion caught the corner of my eye, and sudden heaviness swelled like a boulder in my chest. Little Ari looked so lost as she held onto Ella’s skirt for dear life as they both made their way inside the building. Ella put on a smile for her, but I could see in her eyes that she was dead on the inside. She was trying her best.

Shouldn’t I be trying too?

How do I go back to them and tell them I lost Snow? That we’d lost everything? Did they think I died, too? How was I supposed to sleep at night after everything I’d seen?

“Bellerose?” Shonda’s hand gripped my shoulder, stirring me.

I stiffened. I hated when others touched me. But now more so than ever, her foreign touch only reminded me of that man’s hand all over my body and his lips on mine when I said no.

I said no.

No. No. No.

But even then, he did it.

What if something like that happened again? What if, another night, someone else barged into our home? What if someone did that to my sisters?

And once again, I couldn’t do anything at all?

“Bellerose,” Shonda repeated this time in a softer tone. “It’s time to return home. Your family is waiting for you.”

I shook her grip off my shoulder and held the bag to my chest. “Take me to that man,” I demanded. “I want to learn how to fight like him. Kill like him.”

Shonda’s dark eyes widened. And for a second, she looked helpless, like she didn’t know how to handle the situation.

“That’s not something I can do, Bellerose.” She tried an understanding tone, but I wouldn’t budge.

Frustration crossed her eyes at my defiance. “You need to leave now, Bellerose,” she said firmly. “Or else…”

She didn’t get to finish the sentence when a loud pop burst through the air. I froze. I’d heard it enough times to know it was a gunshot. Through the rearview mirror, I saw a group of men dressed in black and thug-style masks enter the corner store. One of them wore a ghostly white mask, opening fire into the sky like he was having fun or something.

“Go inside now,” Shonda shouted at me as she pulled out a pistol from the inside of her suit and headed toward the corner store with caution.

I nodded, pretending to rush to the complex, but I waited till she disappeared around the block, speaking to her wrist. Taking the chance, I hurried toward the car and tried to pry it open. It didn’t matter if she couldn’t take me to that man. Her trunk could. Only the car wouldn’t budge open. It was locked.

“You’re too young to steal a car, girl.” An unfamiliar voice spoke from behind me. Something about it was so powerful and dangerous, but at the same time, it made my heart pound.