Page 274 of Wicked Brutal

“Listening to you speak is punishment enough, Isaac. I promise I wasn’t hiding for the privilege.”

“Could’ve fooled me. You’ve been orbiting everybody’s business like a vulture in Cartier.”

“And you’ve been mistaking volume for intelligence since kindergarten.”

“At least I don’t collect other people’s disasters like accessories.”

Bella smiles. Mean. “No. You just become one.”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Danny mutters.

Normally I’d enjoy this. Today I want to put both their heads through the tile.

Bella looks away from Iz — not because she’s finished, but because she’s looking at Ally. “You can’t go.”

Ally folds her arms over herself. “I don’t exactly get a vote.”

“Then somebody needs to make sure Tremblay doesn’t get one either.”

Iz scoffs. “Thanks for the insight, you poisonous fucking debutante.”

Bella’s eyes cut back to him. “Does being useless come naturally, or do you practice?”

“Does inserting yourself into other people’s shit?”

“Only when they’re too incompetent to handle it themselves.”

Iz takes a step toward her. “Say that again.”

“Which word confused you?”

“Enough,” Kaid warns.

Bella looks back at Ally. “Getting you to Switzerland makes everything easier for him.”

“How?” Kaid asks.

“Because Switzerland isn’t the cage.” Silence. Her whole expression has changed. “It’s the first stop.”

My stomach drops. “What?”

“Once she’s out of the United States, Tremblay can move her.”

Ally goes still. “Move me where?”

“Anywhere.” She says it too easily. Like she’s thought about this before. “Private planes. Houses. Friends. Business connections. Places where nobody knows you. Nobody knows Ryan. Nobody knows what Roman did to your arms—“

“Hold the fuck up.” X’s voice cuts through the room. Bella stops. X looks at Ally’s sleeves, then at Bella. “How the fuck do you know about her arms?”

Danny’s head snaps toward her. Kaid looks between the girls. Iz goes completely still. Penny suddenly finds a locker fascinating. Cat doesn’t even bother pretending. I look at Ally.

“Ally?”

Her lips press together. “She saw them Saturday.”

“What?”

“Prom shopping,” Cat says. “She showed up.”