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But fuck. She’s not making it easy.

“You’re grieving, Delaney, so I’m going to pretend you didn’t just accuse me of murdering your friends.”

“Well, I’m not,” Sienna cuts in. “Max had nothing to do with what happened to them.”

I glance at her, grateful for the defense, but surprised she doesn’t say anything else.

Nothing about Mr. Collins.

Nothing about our suspicions that someone may actually be targeting the Reds.

Then again, one look at the women standing in front of us tells me this probably isn’t the time or place to tell them they’re all being hunted down, one by freaking one.

“Wow.” Misty lets out a bitter laugh. “You really do have everyone fooled, don’t you?” She takes a step toward me. “But I know you, Max. I know what you’re capable of.”

“You don’t know me.” I lift my chin, forcing myself to meet her glare.

“No?” Misty lets out another humorless laugh. “I know you’ve spent your entire life pretending you’re some innocent little victim. Poor Max. Poor motherless Max. All alone in the world. Everybody look at how hard Maxine Morgan has it.”

My jaw clenches as she turns some of the most painful parts of my life into a punchline.

“But you weren’t the only one who lost a mother. I lost mine too.” Her voice trembles with anger. “At least you got time to spend with yours. Mine dumped me at my grandmother’s the second I was born, only to OD a week later. But you didn’t see me turning it into my entire fucking personality.”

Something cold settles inside me as Misty continues picking at my scabs for sport.

“You think you had it rough?” Misty sneers. “You don’t even know what rough is.”

“Your little pity party is starting to bore me.” Sienna’s voice turns lethal. “So either make your point or shut the fuck up.”

Misty looks at her in disbelief.

“You don’t see it either, do you? And you’re in law enforcement.” She laughs bitterly. “Jesus Christ. The world really has gone to shit.”

“Misty,” Sienna growls, but Misty barrels right over her.

“No. I was blind to it too. For years.” She points at me. “Then I finally woke up and saw her for what she really is.”

“And what exactly is that?” I ask.

“An albatross around your neck,” she replies before focusing on Sienna. “She’ll drag you down with her too. That’s what she does. She’ll keep pulling and pulling until you can’t breathe. Until everything around you is just as miserable as she is.”

Sienna takes a step forward. “Watch yourself.”

“I’m trying to help you.”

“By accusing my best friend of murder?”

“By telling you to cut the cord while you still can.” Misty’s eyes flick back to me. “Because right now, she’s coming after mine. But don’t think for one second she won’t come after you too if she thinks it’ll get her enough pity.”

“Do you even hear yourself?” I snap. “You sound fucking unhinged.”

“Maybe I am!” Misty screams.

The force of it silences me.

Her expression falters, tears spilling over before she angrily wipes them away.

“Maybe watching my best friends die one after another has made me unhinged. Maybe standing over Sydney’s grave while everyone pretends this is all just a coincidence has made me fucking unhinged.” Her finger comes up again, pointing straight at me. “Having to look another second at your face makes me really fucking unhinged.”