Page 6 of Forever Relentless

She scoffed. “How could I make it worse?”

“Do you know where we can find her?” Hadley pressed.

“I sure do. Fourth row from the back of the old cemetery, under the pine tree.”

Dante blinked. “Excuse me?”

Mom studied them all again. “Tiffany. She’s dead. Didn’t you know?”

Chapter 2

Briar

“Dead?” Hadley asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. “How?”

I watched my brother storm out of the garage. My mom huffed about him being late and hurried after him, leaving me with five curious pains in the ass.

Wonderful.

Just what I needed today.

An inquisition.

And they’d done more than enough damage for one afternoon.

I’d had enough.

I’d need to peel my brother off the ceiling or drag his ass out of a holding cell. Either way, I didn’t need this shit, and Mason definitely didn’t need this shit.

“Look it up,” I snapped at them. “You like to dig, go find a shovel.” I pointed to the street. “Mason told you, and I’m telling you, we’re done here. Go away.”

“I—”

“Let’s go,” Dante said smoothly, talking over Hadley. He watched me as we all heard her snap her mouth shut. “You’re right,” he gave me that media smile he wore so well. Full of shit and zero substance. “Are you still employed at school?” he inquired politely.

“If you don’t leave in the next two minutes, I’m calling the cops.”

Dustin sniffed as he walked past me. “I liked it better when you were hiding behind your hair,” he said.

“Yeah?” I challenged him, my mouth turning up in a smirk. “I liked you better when you couldn’t remember my name.”

One by one, they filtered past me and down the short driveway to the street. Noah was the last one, and the other four never looked back to see if he was following them.

He wasn’t.

“What?” I asked him, feeling the fight leave me as he lurked behind. “I’ve nothing left to say.”

He nodded, his face showing he didn’t believe me. “You haven’t said much of anything at all.”

He wasn’t trying to be charming. His voice was smooth but flat. Unimpressed. I’d seen him be amiable. I’d watched it work on people from across the field. He wasn’t doing it now, and I wasn’t sure whether that was better or worse.

Whatever.

“And yet you’re still here.” I turned away from him; maintaining eye contact was unnerving. Out of habit, I reached for my hair to pull it forward, forgetting it was in a ponytail today.

“Answer me one thing,” he murmured, and I could feel the heat of him at my back.

“What?” My voice held a slight wobble, and I didn’t like it. I rolled my shoulders back.