Page 55 of Betrayed

“I’ll pay you later,”RealKanesays casually. “I’msureI’llrun into you again sometime, sweet thing.Maybeeven sooner than you think.”

And with that, he saunters out of the diner without even paying his bill!

I stare after him in disbelieving silence untilAnnabellecomes up beside me.

“Did he just leave without paying?” she asks, frowning.

“Uh-huh.”Inod. “Saidhe’d ‘pay me later’ if you can believe that.”

“That man looks like five miles of bad road,” isAnnabelle’sverdict. “Sorry,Sunny, butIthinkIliked your fake brother better.Yourreal brother is a jerk.”

She’s not wrong.Iwatch his hairy shoulders disappear down the sidewalk as he swaggers away.IhopeInever see him again—family or not,Idon’t want anything to do with him.

I have no idea thatI’llsoon have no choice about spending time with my real big brother.Orwhat a nightmare having him find me is going to turn out to be…

34

SUNNY

On the walk home,Iget a text from a numberIdon’t recognize.That’snot actually unusual—everybody gets spam texts these days, right?ButwhenIstart to read the message, my heart skips a beat.

DearSunny,it begins.

I know you don’t want to hear from me, butIhave to warn you of something.Ijust got word that your real brother has made contact with you.Letme warn you,Kaneis dangerous!He?—”

I delete the rest of the message and block the number.Myheart is aching andI’mso angryIwant to throw my cell phone.Onlythe fact thatIdon’t have the money to replace it keeps me from hurling it straight into a tree.

It wasFakeKane—I’msure of it.Butwhat does he care if my big brother is dangerous?It’snot like he really cared about me—he lied to me.Usedme.He’sprobably just using this as an excuse to worm his way back into my life.AndI’mnot falling for that.

I stomp home as the shadows grow long and the full moon comes out, still feeling wounded and angry.It’slike he poured lemon juice on a fresh wound.I’llnever forgive him for how he tricked me and used me—never!

WhenIget homeIfeedMissSassyand then let her out for the night.Sometimesshe likes to roam andIdon’t blame her.Besides, she always comes back in the morning.

I take a long, hot bubblebath—trying to soak away all the anger and sorrow and irritation of the day but it doesn’t work.I’mstill just as angry and sad and frustrated as ever whenIget out of the tub.

My breasts are aching and my nipples have turned a darker pink.They’releaking even more of the strange golden liquid—it leaves sticky trails down the undersides of my breasts.

I wash off and then dry off again and wrap myself in a towel that can absorb the liquid.I’mgoing to have to find a new solution.Also,Ishould probably go to the doctor—ifIcan find one that will take self-pay instead of insurance.It’sprobably going to eat up every bit of the tiny savingsI’vebeen able to put away in the last year or so and put me in debt, like as not.

I don’t want to think about that.Idecide to go sit on the couch and watch a movie to take my mind off things.Ishould probably eat something too…butI’mnot very hungry.MaybeI’lljust pop some popcorn.

But no sooner doIget settled on the couch in my towel with a big bowl of extra-buttery popcorn on the end table beside me thanIhear a knocking on my door.

My heart leaps up into my throat.Whocould be at the door at this hour?It’salready dark outside—Idon’t like having people at my door after dark.

I decide that maybe ifIkeep quiet, they’ll leave.Imute theTV—which wasn’t very loud to start with—and sit there, holding my breath.

“Hey, little sis!Letme in,” a deep, grating voice calls from the other side of my front door.Myheart seems to stop in my chest—it’sRealKane—my brother. “Iknow you’re in there,” he continues. “Ican smell your scent!”

What theHellis he talking about?Howcould he possibly smell me from outside?EspeciallysinceIjust took a long soak in a strawberry-scented bubble bath.

I start to answer him…and thenIrememberFakeKane’swarning that my brother is dangerous.Hewould know—the two of them were cellmates.NowIkind of wishI’dread the rest of his message instead of deleting it and blocking him.

I decide to stay quiet.SurelyRealKaneis bluffing—he can’t really smell thatI’min here.Right?

But my strategy doesn’t work.Aminute later,Ihear the clicking sound of a key turning in a lock and the front door swings open to revealRealKaneand two other huge, burly men.

I sit there in shock for a minute.I’mstill only wearing a towel!AtlastIfind my voice.

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