Page 30 of Feed Your Fiends

“I’m tired of running,” she says, suddenly sounding exhausted. Living out of your car for weeks with only beer for fuel will do that to you. “I want to get back to normal. That’s what I’ve been trying to do while I couldn’t reach you.”

“Normal?” I snort. “Like when Jarett was around?”

“He isn’t around, Elle.”

“What if he suddenly came back?”

“He won’t,” she says firmly. “He’s gone, and I’ve finally accepted that.”

No, you haven’t.

“Look, I know you don’t want to talk to me—”

“So why are you talking to me now?” I snap, searching the street for a banana-yellow saloon. Where the hell is my ride-share?

“What do you mean, why? Elle, I have no idea what’s going on with you. I was so worried and frantic when I couldn’t find you. When everyone on that blasted campus was whispering aboutall that blood. About the rigged pointe shoes.” She shakes her head as if she’s still in disbelief. “They told me you went to the hospital, but no one could say which one and when I couldn’t find you on any public ward, I lost it. Until I tracked you down to that fancy private hospital where I couldn’t get in. Where the security told me you didn’t want to see me.”

“I didn’t. I still don’t,” I say bluntly, watching a red saloon roll by.

She swallows. “But Gant Auclair can see you, take care of you? He took you there, right? To that expensive hospital. Why? After everything he’s done—”

I shake my head. “Why do you care? It’s not like you’re any better than he is.”

“Of course I care! Ballet is your dream. It’s always been—”

I wince, and she looks at my feet.

“Your feet…” A pained gasp shakes her shoulders. “What has that demon done to you?”

“Nothing worse than what you’ve done to me,” I say flatly. “Then what you let your beloved husband do to me.”

“Elle—”

“Don’t touch me.” The nerve of her to look affronted as I shrug away from her grasp! “Don’t try to help me. All you ever do is make things worse.”

It’s her turn to flinch.

“All you do is make me have to step in and help you. Helpus.I can’t help you any more! I’m trying to help myself finally.”

“Elle.”

“You’ve taught me an invaluable lesson early on. No one cares about me. I’m trying to learn to care about myself. To take care of myself because what choice do I have?You?”

Which is to say, none at all.

“I get it. You’re angry,” she says finally, her lip trembling as a sheen of tears I’d seen a million times before coats her green eyes. Is that all she deduced? That I was merelyangry?

“I’m not going to push you. You are an adult now, and whenever you’re ready, you can come to me. You can always come home, and I’ll be waiting for you.”

There’s a jiggle between us then she’s sticking out a key and the sunlight bouncing against the chrome damn near blinds me.

I ignore it and her.

“And I’m not here for Jarett. Or a drink. I haven’t drunk since the night of the play.”

“Do you want a reward?” I snap.

“I came for tickets,” she says, suddenly hoarse. “My favourite band’s playing this weekend. They used to uplift me. I figured I could use a pick-me-up right about now. One that doesn’t involve a can.”

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