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I could snap back at my stepsister. I could be the violent man she expects me to be. Instead, I shrug. “I like her. I played myself. What can I say?”
“I don’t fucking care! Take your fucking Stoneview princess, know-it-all, Taylor Swift superfan and get the fuck out of my house.” Her eyes dart behind me, and she adds, “And remember you were in love with Billie and ready to kill for her yesterday, so don’t expect me to believe you moved on so fast.”
A gasp startles me. Only because I recognize it so well.
I spin around to find Alex with the door half open, and I know Emma intentionally added the part about Billie.
“Is that true?” she asks in a quiet voice.
What did she hear? Surely not the part about the dirt on her dad, or she would be already running for the hills away.
“It wasn’t yesterday,” I quickly answer. “It was more than a year ago. I have absolutelyzerofeelings for Billie, I promise you.”
Her brows furrow, her eyes going down. “I think I should go.” She looks up at me and gives me her best fake smile before turning around and leaving. “Thank you for having me.”
“Alex,” I call out, but Emma grabs my upper arm, attempting to pull me back to her. I let her, pushing and pressing her against the wooden railing. “You shot yourself in the fucking foot here. She breaks up with me, and you get nothing.”
“I’m sure her prince charming will fix it all.”
“Fuck you, Emma,” I seethe. Grabbing her wrist and forcing her hand to let go of me. I hold tighter than I should, but she doesn’t let it show.
“Your family needs you. NSCneedsyou. Don’t turn your back on us, Xi.”
“I’ll do whatever the fuck I want.”
“You’re going to get me dirt on Senator Delacroix, and that’s an order.”
“An order?” I hiss in her face. “You’re giving me anorder?”
“Yes. As your fucking boss.”
There’s that stupid thing when you’re part of a gang. It doesn’t matter if it’s NSC or the Kings…loyaltyis everything. The Scotts, Emma’s family, have been the leaders of NSC for as long as I can remember. Her dad is the one who gave me my first job. It doesn’t matter what happened after, he recruited me, and I worked for him. I owed him my life.
When Emma took over, she became everyone’s leader. It never felt like it because we’re a true family, except tonight is a stark reminder. One I certainly didn’t want to hear.
“Do it, Xi. Unless you want me to tell Alex who youreallyare. See how she reacts then. There’s no forgivingthat.”
My heart drops to my stomach. She’s got me, and she knows it. The fear of truly losing my girl paralyzes me until I find my anger again.
“Fuck you,” I spit at Emma before letting go and striding back inside.
Alex is right by the front door, apologizing to Lik and Billie for leaving as she wipes away tears from her face.
“Alex, please don’t leave.” I don’t take another step, too worried it’ll scare her away. I feel like a hunter trying to make friends with his prey. One wrong move and she’ll run off.
Emma is right behind me. “Don’t worry, I’m sure Daddy will dry those tears with his stacks of bills,” she mocks her.
“Emma!” Billie gasps. “Leave the girl alone.”
But for once, I don’t think Alex feels the need to be defended by someone else. Something shifts in her pretty eyes the moment Emma mentions her dad. Her face hardens, and her hand tightens around the door handle.
“You know what,” she seethes, trembling from rage. “Iama Stoneview princess. God, we get it you hate us. I’ve never been in a fight. And I cry all the time. I’m not a badass like you and your friends. Hey, I even have bunnies as pets! But guess what, it doesn’t make me weaker than you. You have no idea what I’ve been through. You don’t know what someone does to survive in this messed-up world. So keep your judgement to yourself.”
And with that, she’s gone, slamming the door on her shocked audience.
“Shake it off!” she screams from behind the door. A last fuck you to Emma.
Lik whistles. “Damn. She hides that backbone pretty well.”
