Page 251 of Lessons in Cruelty

Everywhere.

And Kai’s yelling, and it sounds like part of a dance track, staccato, syllables matching each punch.

“She’s mine! Mine! Fu-cking kill you! I’ll kill you!”

Each word punctuated with blood. With breaking bone.

He’s not saving me. He’s claiming property.

They’re fighting over me like dogs over a bitch in heat.

I scream and surge forward. I don’t know if I want to pull them apart, or get in a few punches of my own.

But I’m dragged away before I can touch them.

“No, stop. Stop! Haven, no!” Melissa’s snatching me, her nails digging into my arm as she pulls me over the DJ stand. “Come on!”

Shouting. Yelling. A few screams.

But we leave it all behind, and then it’s just the sound of leaves snapping as we race through the foliage.

Lights blur in my vision because I’m crying⁠—

it’s raining

—and I can’t stop sobbing⁠—

yelling

—and then I’m flat on my face on the lawn, my fingers digging into the grass as I try to haul air into burning lungs.

Melissa falls down on her knees beside me, grabbing my arms. “Come on, get up. We’re almost there.”

I shake her off, roll onto my back. Cover my face with my hands.

Can’t stop crying⁠—

screaming

—as the rain lashes my face.

“What the fuck is going on here?”

I surface from the depths of my ocean mind at the sound of Professor Rooke’s voice. Strong hands grip my wrists, drag my hands away from my contorting face.

“What did you give her?”

“Molly. She was fine, but then, fuck, he⁠—”

My fingers brush against a strong jaw that clenches at my touch.

“Get me out.” I grab a bow tie.

Out of what, Haven? The collar? The party? This life? You’d have done that a long time ago if you weren’t such a fucking coward.

“Out!” My fumbling hand finds the dog collar around my neck. “Off!”

“Breathe for me, sweet girl. Breathe.”