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He takes a step closer. “What?”
I look down. “We said we’d always stick together,” I say.
Dante rests his thick hands on my shoulders. “And we will,” he says. “But right now, you gotta stay here.”
“I wanna go with you.”
He shakes his head, amused. “No. Stay in school.”
“I’m serious.”
“I know, but you’re still just a kid.”
“I’m sixteen!”
“Exactly.” He chuckles. “You and Eli should be doing kid things. Not following me around.”
I cross my arms, too heartbroken to argue with him.
He sighs and drops his bruised hands to his sides. “Look, I brought this money for you, all right? It’s yours. I’ll send more.”
“I don’t want it,” I murmur.
“Then, give it to Elijah. He’ll keep it safe for when you guys can get out of here for real. Until then...” He nudges my chin, forcing me to look at him. “You stay here. Someone’s gotta take care of Eli, right?”
I roll my eyes, unable to resist our inside joke. “He’s always getting in trouble.”
“That’s right.” He smiles. “We’ll be together again soon. You just gotta grow up a little first.”
I punch him in the arm. He winces but laughs through the pain as he steps away from the workbench.
“I should go before Gramps realizes I’m here,” he says. “Take care of yourself.”
“When will you be back?” I ask.
“I’m not sure. Keep working on that left hook while I’m gone.”
“I will.” I smile. “I love you, big brother.”
He opens his car door and smiles back. “Love you, too, little sister,” he says before lowering himself inside.
Chapter 11
Lilah
Now
My face rests against a hard and cold surface.
I open my eyes and wince as the sunlight burns in. My head is throbbing harder now, plagued by a loss of the caffeinated fuel I love so much and a heavy intake of harsh chemicals.
“Take it easy now…”
I raise my head off the table and turn my neck to find him sitting on the other side of me.
Archer leans back with his feet up and a book in his hands. Another one of my tampons hangs from his bloody nose, the string dangling down over his swollen purple lip.
I try to sit up, but my hands catch beneath the table. I feel the long chain connected to my handcuffs and wound around the steel tab leg. The table itself is bolted down and solid as a rock.
