Page 183 of Poison Aches

My chest is heaving so fast that I know the situation is critical. But I’ll be damned if I ever ask this man for help. “Yeah? Well, I’ll be sure to be the liability that finally deals with you.”

At my softly worded promise, he reels back as if in shock, but I’m not done.

“Yeah, that’s right, I fucking know. I know what you did all those years ago and you can markmywords, seal them with blood or whatever you want, but I will make you pay for what you did.”

And with that, I hop down the ring and leave.

I don’t turn back when Syrus calls my name, nor do I stop when I see most of the men watching me. Instead, I throw my hoodie on and start running.

Even though my body has been beaten and by all common sense, I shouldn’t be doing this at all, I still run. Out of the estates. Down the mountain, fleeing from everything but my sick heartbeat.

I don’t think I’m even breathing and I don’t know where I’m going, but before I know it, I’m in a strange park.

Vaguely, I remember that if dispatched, Grandfather’s men can find me easily, even though this isn’t their turf, so I go even farther, to the very back of the park where there are dense trees and hedges.

That’s when I see her.

She’s walking unsteadily, as if she’s dazed and confused.

Then I hear low whimpers and sniffles… which all makes sense when I see the tears streaming down her face.

I don’t know if I make a sound or if she does, but suddenly, she looks up and her tear-filled, pain-filled gaze crushes with mine in a way that’s more of a blow than Vaughn’s punches.

The thing in my chest groans…

“Emmett,” she gasps, her voice doing that weird thing to my blood.

Fuck.

“What are you doing here?” she croaks. Then she takes a good look at me. “Oh my God, what happened to you?”

I turn around, intending to get as far away from her as possible.

She’s one of them, the people that did irreparable damage that cold night my mother was abducted.

I take ten steps away, then I hear pattering feet behind me.

“Hey, slow down, what happened to you?” the girl questions, her voice not as it usually is.

“It’s none of your business, leave me alone!” I snap.

“But you’re all bruised and bleeding and it’s going to rain! You need medical attention.”

“And you just know everything, don’t you?”

The girl stops.

She falls silent, so silent that I have to look over my shoulder to see if she’s still there.

When I do, I see her crouched down on the ground, her tiny frame shivering and trembling as she hugs her knees to her chest.

I frown.

“What’s wrong with you?” I demand, needing an answer as quickly as possible so I can leave. Being near Ivy Marie Irving is the last thing I need right now.

The girl doesn’t answer. Instead, she starts crying, sobbing in fact. Big, heavy, messy sobs.

“If anyone comes over, they’ll think I hurt you or something,” I snap, but she keeps crying.

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