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"I'm not. I swear to God. I'm just worried about her."
"We don't need your concern. We've got it under control."
He laughs at my words. "You should have seen her tonight. She was fucking terrified."
"Of you," I bark, cocking my arm back. "Did he put you up to it?" I roar, swinging forward, my fist finally connecting with his cheek.
Fuck, it feels good after all this time.
"No," he shouts back after flexing his jaw. "I told you, I haven’t seen or heard from him since he vanished. I'm as fucking clueless as you all are."
"Lies." I fly at him again, getting his eye this time, the skin of his brow splitting, spilling blood over my burning knuckles.
Shaking my hand out, I keep my eyes on him.His fists curl at his sides; he really wants to retaliate, but for some reason, he's holding back.
"Did you ever think that maybe she's not crazy? That maybe he is actually here?"
I shake my head, not believing what I'm hearing.
"You know nothing, Ashton. Fucking nothing. Who are you even? No one. You are no one."
"Good to see the power's not gone to your head," he mutters, lifting his hand to wipe away the blood that's running down his cheek.
"Just admit it, you did this, didn't you? You drugged her. You're tormenting her. This is all you and him and your twisted fucking mind games."
He moves first this time, and I find myself flying back toward the stairs with his arms around my waist. My back connects with the harsh edges as he lands on top of me, winding me.
"I haven’t done any of this, motherfucker," he bellows before his fist forces my face to the side.
"Stop it," I hear someone shout as I manage to get the upper hand, rolling Ashton onto his back and going in for another hit.
My face burns with the punches he's landed and my chest heaves as I try to catch my breath, but it's not enough to stop me, and I throw another straight into his nose, causing blood to spray over both of us.
"Don't just stand there, someone stop them." Mia's voice drags my eyes from Ashton's bloody face, and when I look up, I find her standing at the top of the stairs with her arms wrapped around herself and tears once again cascading down her face.
"Get the fuck off me," Ashton barks, shoving as hard as he can and rolling me to the side. "Don't worry," he snaps as he pushes to stand, wiping his bloody nose with the back of his hand. "I'm fucking leaving. But," he adds before walking away, "if you want my advice, I'd start listening to her." He points up at a terrified-looking Mia before storming from the house.
Her sobs rip through the silence that descends around us and Sasha takes off running, taking the stairs two at a time until she pulls Mia into her arms.
"I can't do this anymore. I can't," she cries, repeating herself from the hallway earlier. "I need it to end. I need to get away, I need t-to…" Her sobs engulf her words as we watch Sasha lead her down the hallway and into her bedroom.
"You think there's any truth to what he's saying?" Brandon finally asks. "Do you really think it could be Cade?"
His words rattle around my fuzzy head for a few seconds."There's no evidence. How could he possibly do all this without leaving a trail?"
"Because he's Cade fucking Kingsley. That's how."
19
Mia
Iwake in a blanket of sweat, cocooned in Bexley’s arms. My heart races in my chest, a testament to whatever nightmare haunted me in my dreams. But I can’t recall anything except a black void.
After Ashton left last night and I fled to Sasha’s room, she conceded and gave me two Xanax. She and Bexley got into it, arguing over me like I’m some child unable to make her own decisions.
The drugs hit quick, and the last thing I remember is Bexley carrying me to bed and whispering that everything is going to be okay.
It’s not.
