Page 93 of Rules

“Dammit, dammit, dammit!” I kick the first thing that gets under my foot and watch it fly across the room and crash into the wall. Josephine groans loudly, and from my periphery, I can see her shift and sit up, but I don’t dare turn around and look at her because if I do, I’ll knock her out myself. Of all the stupid things she could have done… “Is that why you’re blackmailing Hill?”

Just saying his name tastes bitter on my tongue, but I have to ask. I have to know where I stand.

Josephine looks away, and even before she opens her mouth, I have my answer.

“Of-fucking-course not!”

“I’d pay off Dan.” she whines.

“And spend the rest getting more drugs and digging an even deeper hole underneath you!” I yell, turning around to look at her.Reallylook at her. She’s skinnier than I remember, her skin washed out. There are bags underneath her eyes, and she looks at least ten years older than she actually is. Her hair is lifeless, greasy and falling flat down her back. And looking at her pitiful form on the ground is like a punch to my gut. “You’re never going to learn, are you?”

The question is rhetorical, so I don’t expect her to answer.

Tears well in her eyes, big, ugly, desperate tears. “I’m sorry, Brookie.”

I turn away, blocking her out of my sight. “How long?”

She doesn’t need an explanation. “One month.”

One month.

I tilt my head back, exhaling slowly.

He gave her longer than I expected, but if she doesn’t have the money by then… I didn’t even want to think of the consequences. Not like I’ll be sticking around long enough to find out anyway.

Without saying another word, I turn around and walk away. I lock the door as soon as I’m in my room, and only then do I let everything that’s happened settle in. My legs give out on me, and I fall to the ground.

One day. That’s all I had. One day of hope, and now it’s all gone. Burned to ashes. Because if Dan is after Josephine to get his money back, ten grand no less, that means he’ll do everything it takes to actually get it. And that puts me and everybody I love at risk.

My phone buzzes. Sighing, I pull it out and look at the messages I didn’t even hear come before now, the pit in my stomach growing bigger by the second.

Max: Hey, just wanted to check in since you ran out on me.

Max: Let me know when you get inside, otherwise I’ll worry.

And the last one that just came seconds ago.

Max: Brook? If I don’t hear from you, I’ll come knocking on your door. You know I’m not joking about it.

Stumbling to my feet, I go to my window and try to see if maybe he’s still out there in the parking lot, praying at the same time that he’s long gone. But of course, I don’t see anything from this angle. Hitting reply, I type back.

Got in. All is fine. Don’t come back.

I hit send and turn off my phone. I don’t want to be tempted to see if he sends anything else. Now I only have to make sure he stays away.

That they all stay away.

One month.

Chapter Thirty-Five

BROOK

“You better tell me you’re on your way here,” Lia says in way of greeting. Her voice sounds all serious and stern, and maybe I’d believe it if I didn’t know the face she pulls when she uses it.

“Lia,” I drawl. “I already told you…”

“And I already toldyouI don’t care,” she interrupts me mid-sentence. “It’s New Year’s Eve, and I don’t want to hear any excuses. Either you get your ass over here or I’m coming to your house and dragging you out. You have thirty minutes. If you’re not here, I’m coming to get you. Your choice.”

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