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“Okay, let’s settle down,” the female teacher called out.
She glanced my way as I turned, my fingers pressed against the throbbing ache in my forehead, one that was starting to grow. I sat there, catching glances my way from the other students and feeling like the entire world was against me…
Until finally, the last bell rang.
“Come on.” Gio rose from his seat beside me. “Let’s get you out of here.”
But once I'd seen their hate the first time, it was all I could see. Not everyone looked at me, but there were enough. I grabbed my laptop, lingered long enough to stay out of the rush, then made my way to the front of the school.
Rumble…rumble…rumble…
I glanced up, finding that dark, midnight beast waiting for me at the curb.I’ll meet you here…and don’t be talking to any boys this time.Nick’s warning filled my head.
“I’ll walk with you for a bit,” Gio offered.
I just shook my head, scattering that pounding roar throughout my head. “No, thanks, I got it.”
I left Gio behind and strode toward the waiting Mustang, feeling that throb in my head grow barbs. Nick was watching the other cars when I yanked open the door and climbed in.
He wasn't chatty this afternoon, not demanding and snarly. Thank Christ for that. He shoved the car into gear before I had a chance to grab the seatbelt. And before I knew it, I was thrown hard against the door as we turned. Agony roared through my head as I slammed into the door, then clawed for the seatbelt and snapped it closed around me.
I waited for the snarl…
Waited for demands and the degradation.
I waited forhim.
But he was silent all the way back home. The moment he pulled into the driveway and killed the engine, he turned to me. “Ryth…”
“Just leave it,” I muttered, and shoved the door open. I couldn’t deal with this, not any of this. Not dad, or mom…or my new predatory stepbrothers and now the kids at Duke who hated me. Nothing ever changed for me.Nothing. I clenched my fists, fighting the overwhelming urge to lash out or run, and I gripped the laptop to my chest and strode toward the house.
“Wait,”Nick barked.
But I didn’t, just shoved through the front door and made for the stairs.
I barely registered that the rest of the house was silent as I hit the top of the stairs.
“Ryth!”Nick roared, yanking me around to face him. “What the fuck is your problem?”
A bedroom door opened beyond me…the thud of heavy steps followed as Tobias stepped out. “What the fuck is going on, Nick?”
A chill rose along my spine as Tobias' glared at Nick. “Brother. You and I need to talk.”
FOURTEEN
tobias
She fucking ran from us,barely glancing toward me before scurrying to her room. She should. She should lock herself in there and never come out. If she knew what was inside my head, she would. The moment she was gone, I turned to him…my brother.
“Look at me like that, T, and I’ll lay you out.”
“Look atherlike that, brother, and I’ll do more than layyouout.”
His lips curled into a snarl. “You gonna do this here?”
“It’s my house.”
“Our fucking house, Tobias!And it’s about time you remember that.”
