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I don’t know. He didn’t tell me she was dead until months later. He wanted to hold over my head the fact that he was paying for her medical bills. A way to make sure I wasn’t going anywhere.
“Fucking hell,” Kay mocks me. “We all knew you were a heartless bitch, but not attending your mother’s funeral is a new level of selfish.”
I look back at her, slightly up since she’s taller than me. “I didn’t know,” I force out between clenched teeth.
I see Ethan shift next to me. He looks down at me, brow furrowed like he can hardly believe it, and yet…he still does.
“Well, don’t worry,” Kay says, tightening her grip on my shoulder. “You’ll join her soon if you don’t do what you’re told.”
I shrug her off. “I’ll do your fucking jobs. I’ll get your money back.”
Fifty grand? I might as well ask her to kill me now. I’ll die of old age before she gives me enough jobs to call us even.
“Yeah. You will,” she confirms with a confidence I yearn for.
“The brothers can keep an eye on you while you do my jobs. You’ll stay here with them since you’re homeless.”
Another jab. Another hit I take by grinding my teeth.
“Do I get to kill her once she’s paid you back?” Caden sneers behind his sister.
Kay moves to the side, but it’s Billie who comes forward.
“No.” Her eyes are on me, and the pity in them makes me want to puke. My own worst enemy thinks I’ve fallen so low she feels sorry for me.
“Jade,” she says to me. “I forgive you for what you did. I’m alive and well. You stopped Sawyer from raping me.”
My eyes widen. She remembers?
And I must look truly vulnerable right now because she reads me like an open book. “Of course I remember.”
“I set you up,” I admit out loud, like confessing to a priest.
“Yeah. And I bullied you and beat you up in high school, just ’cause we were from different gangs.”
“You could have died,” I insist.
“And I could have been raped. But you stopped that.”
Yeah. I wouldn’t wish being sexually assaulted by any of the Kings men on anyone. Clearly, not even on my worst enemy.
She turns to Caden. “I told you a million times that I have nothing against her anymore. Move on, Caden. I’m serious.”
His eyes narrow on me, practically growling at me like the fucking guard dog he is.
“We’re going home,” he finally says.
“We are?” Billie can’t believe she actually got through to him.
“Yes, little bee. I must punish that ass of yours for ordering me around, don’t I?”
We’re not privy to the rest of their conversation. Jealousy rips me inside as I watch them leave the house. He’s so in love with her. My gaze flicks to Ethan. We used to be in love. What happened to us?
Kay throws something at me, and I catch it before it hits my aching ribs.
“I call, you come. Any time of day or night. Anything the brothers need, you’re on that too.” She takes a few steps back, smiling at me. “Welcome back to the North Shore, Jade. We missed you.”
9
