I stop dead and turn on her.
My hand snaps around her throat, squeezing. Her feet lift off the floor, eyes blown wide, breath stolen. Her fingers grip my wrist.
“Don’t say my fucking name,” I hiss, venom coating every word.
She nods — barely. I release her, and she gasps for air, choking on it. Still crying.
I ignore it and keep walking, dragging her behind me. Through the hall, down the stairs. She hits the banister once — twice — trying to keep up, but I don’t slow. I don’t look back.
Her sobs grow louder and it grates on my brain.
She needs to stop. She needs to understand this is it.
“Ghost!” Bones’ voice crashes through the common room like thunder.
I freeze and turn toward him. He’s already standing, face hard, fury buried deep behind the steel in his eyes.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he bites out.
I tilt my head. Calm. Deadly.
“I’m taking her to the Fun House.”
The room stills.
Several of the brothers are watching. None of them move, but they instantly feel closer, like wolves sniffing blood.
“You’re not,” Bones says, voice final. “We need to talk.”
I scoff, and take a step forward.
He gets in my way.
Rage fucking blinds me.
“Sympathizing with traitors now, Prez?” I sneer. “Not surprising, since you’re one yourself. How’s Temperance? She forgive you yet?”
The second her name leaves my mouth, his jaw tightens and his eyes darken. But he doesn’t move.
Adora keeps crying behind me, the sound scraping at me like nails on a chalkboard.
“Do…Do…Ghost, please,” I hear her whisper, voice breaking.
She needs to fucking stop already.
The brothers at the tables rise slowly. Quietly. They start circling.
What the fuck is wrong with everyone? If I want to kill a lying bitch, I’ll kill a fucking lying bitch.
“Ghost,” Bones tries again, his tone hiding a plea. “You need to calm down. Think. You’re not thinking right.”
“I’m thinking just fucking fine.”
“You’re not taking her to the Fun House,” he says. “That’s an order.”
And that’s it.
I stare at him, seething, rage clawing at the back of my throat.
