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“Better than getting knocked out, isn’t it?”
“Whatever. What else?”
“The Jamie thing, that would still be the same.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?!” I explode as I get up. “What’s the fucking point of going back if I can’t see her anyway?”
I’m close enough to him and angry enough that he senses a threat. I can see it in his eyes. He gets up slowly, asserting his height on mine. He’s so much bigger as well. What a fucking scary bastard.
“I think you should take what you’re given, mate. I’m not going to try to bring you back to Stoneview again. It’s your one and only shot.”
“Yeah? And what couldyoupossibly want me in Stoneview for? You all got an agenda and I’m just here doing everyone’s dirty deeds while y’all fill your pockets with blood money. Go on, Sam, what do youneedbad enough to bring me back to Stoneview?”
There’s a change in his gaze. I see it straight away. He’s worried. The fucker is worried to death. Not about me, I’m sure. He runs another hand through his hair and when he talks again, his gaze is behind me, avoiding mine.
“I need Rose safe.” He scratches his throat and puts his hands in his pockets to act casual. He’s anything but.
The loud laugh that escapes my lips is so cold, I’m pretty sure the room temperature drops a few degrees. My brain doesn’t control my body anymore. Only anger does.
I push Sam so hard he staggers back and falls on the bench.
“Youdon’t need her to be safe. You don’t need her fucking anything,” I rage. “Don’t talk to me about her. I don’t want her fucking name crossing your lips.”
He’s back up quickly but I’m quicker. The punch to his temple barely bothers him, because this time he was expecting it. He pushes me back but doesn’t hit. Good, I’d probably be in big trouble if he tried to. Fuck, it felt so good to finally punch him.
“You’re being a fucking idiot, you know that?” His voice barely changes. There’s only a quiet strain to it that shows he’s getting angrier. “I’m trying to help here.”
“I don’t need your fucking help. You don’t get to decide who keeps her safe.Ido!” I’m shouting so loud my voice breaks. The fury coursing through my veins has numbed all sorts of pain I was feeling.
“Don’t you think maybeshedoes?”
Of course he had to point out what a possessive fucker I am when it comes to the ones I love.
“She’s a fucking mess, Jake. I pick her up, drugged off her face every weekend from North Shore.” He shakes his head. “You Whites and your fucking need to control everything. You want to make decisions? Fine.”
He puts his hand in his back pocket and brings out his phone. He throws it to me after tapping on it a few times.
“Enjoy yourself,” he says quietly.
My mouth drops open when I look down. The latest message is a video of Rose with a few NSC guys at what I’m assuming is some party on the North Shore. She’s wearing a bra only, showing her tattooed arm and the other few on her hip and ribs. One of the guys has a hand on her lower back while she’s bent down snorting a line. The camera pans, showing all the other men around. They’re looking at her like some piece of meat. As soon as she straightens back up, my heart picks up in anger again. Her left eye is bruised a deep purple and I know exactly who did this to her.
“Fuck,” I whisper in a broken voice.
She’s so fucking skinny, she looks exactly like the last time we lived at Bianco’s: bruised and with ribs popping so bad through her skin you can count them. Except this time, instead of eating nothing, her diet is cigarettes and coke. Who knows what else?
The video stops and I look down at the text. It’s from some guy called ‘3’.
3:Ain’t that your girl, bro? You need a tighter leash.
I feel like I’ve been put through a fucking washing machine. Shit, I feel so fucking sick. The mix of the punches I took, the stress, the news. It’s all lethal.
“She’s not your girl,” I tell him through gritted teeth but it’s almost a question. Who knows what happened in the last two months?
He grabs his phone back and looks at me deadpan. “She’s not,” he confirms. “I’m glad this is what’s worrying you right now.”
“Where’s Nate when this happens, huh?” I rage. “Isn’t he meant to be taking care of us? What a great guardian.”
“Nate has no idea what she’s been up to. You think any of them would still be alive if he did? Bianco is keeping him so fucking busy he barely has time to sleep.”
