Page 88 of Off the Rails

I ripped my arm from Nash’s grip, suddenly very aware of the prying eyes of Valemont’s bustling town center.

Blade and Nash stumbled for an answer.

I hadn’t seen them since the night they tried to escape Heirs of Promise, the last group home I’d actually been okay in. Just weeks before the home was shut down, I’d caught them trying to leave. More specifically caught Dana — Cyrus — packing up her supplies.

Their escape set off a chain of events that landed me on couches and bouncing from trailer parks to libraries for years.

And these three had pretended I was nobody to them.

They never came looking for me.

Feeling my eyes growing wet, I turned to leave.

But Cyrus had blocked me in, her muscular frame removing nearly all of my escape options. Her voice was a deep growl as her near-black eyes bored into me. “Get the fuck in the car. We are not discussing this here.”

Prying eyes were around every corner.

Surrounded, I couldn’t bolt. I could scream for help, hope that these bystanders would intervene.

I’d have nothing again, all my shit still in their apartment buried deep in Feverpoint.

Looking back at Blade, I saw the pain in her eyes.

Besides, I still owed them a few more weeks. One more Fright Night.

And I knew they would make me hold up my end of the bargain.

Even if I managed to hide from them, I’d wasted my first $20k on those stupid betting markets.

And most importantly, I wasn’t going to let them get away without answers. Not again.

Without another word, I grabbed the passenger door handle and threw it open — nearly smacking Blade in the face.

Climbing into the Cadillac, I took my seat and tried to control the boiling rage in my chest. It was time for my Freaks to come clean.

50

NASH

In the silence of the drive, I could almost convince myself that everything was fine. Tess couldn’t be that mad if she’d gotten into the Cadillac, right?

One look at her scowl in the rearview was enough to set the record straight, though.

As we came to a stop, finally safe within the confines of the park, I turned to face her. But she was already out of the car, slamming the door with enough force to make me jump.

“Tess…” Blade called, throwing open her own door. I quickly followed suit.

But Tess hadn’t even made it to the apartment door before turning on her heels and shrieking. “How could you not tell me? You fucking assholes.”

The words struck me like a thrown stone. I wished we had told her. I knew from the start that Tess deserved honesty, even if Cyrus disagreed.

But Cyrus and Blade were my only family. And if Cyrus wasn’t ready to tell her…

“What? Because you were so truthful?” Cyrus slammed the driver side door, rising from the Cadillac like a dark cloud.

Tess’ lip curled, but she ignored Cyrus’ jab, turning her ire on Blade instead. “You. How could you? You let me fuck you! You slipped into my bed, and the whole time, you knew?”

My head whipped to Blade, who flinched like a kicked dog.