Page 6 of Brutal Days

Her family was Italian, and theyate. It was the best thing ever because they had me over regularly. Our fridge and pantry supply was meager at best. Mom did what she could and made sure I had food, but I was careful to leave plenty for her. She had the world on her shoulders as a hairdresser trying to pay all our bills.

We had several things going for us, though. Gia’s family fed me more often than not, and I brought home leftovers because her mom insisted. Which meant my mom also had extra food. She needed it—she worked herself to the bone. Another plus was that I’d gotten a scholarship to Hidden Valley Academy when my middle school counselor had suggested I apply. It had required an essay, which had been a piece of cake for me. My counselor had helped push my application through, so I got to go to HVA for free—and received a meal card. A third plus was that the school didn’t require uniforms. That was a real bonus because those could be expensive.

“Fine. Let’s go. I’m hungry too.” Gia gestured for me to climb down first, which I gladly did.

The tree house creeped me out. I swore I could still see the bloodstains in the corner where I’d huddled as a small child, hiding from my abusive dad. I shivered then shook off the bad memory, determined to put it firmly in the past, where it belonged. My feet touched the ground, and I breathed a sigh of relief, moving aside as Gia climbed down.

“Have you heard any more about your dad’s parole?” She must have felt the misery and salvation clinging to the tree house’s walls too.

I shuddered. “No.”

The subject was too shitty to think about, and when I didn’t say anything else, Gia dropped it.

Once inside the kitchen, the fantastic smells almost brought me to my knees. I had to check for drool at the corner of my mouth. I hadn’t eaten breakfast, which was on me. Mom had gone shopping late last night after work, something she insisted on doing even when I offered to help.

Gia’s mom, Gabriella, stood at the stove, stirring the sauce, and I couldn’t resist drifting over.

“It smells amazing.”

She patted my cheek, and a big smile spread across her face. “This is for dinner. We’re having creamy tortellini soup. You girls can help yourself to the leftover ribs and antipasti for a snack.”

“Can’t wait.” My mouth watered, and I hugged Gabriella, my second mom, before following Gia to her room.

Once back in Gia’s room, I dropped into her desk chair, and she flopped onto her lavender bedspread. A canopy covered her bed with white gauzy ruffles tied back to the posts. The dreamy decor perhaps seemed a little young, but it fit Gia and her family, so I loved it.

I heard a sniffle, and my gaze jumped to my friend. Big crocodile tears rolled down her face. I braced myself. I loved Gia, but she was drama all the time.

“I’m humiliated!” she wailed. “I’ll never be able to go back to school and face anyone.”

She wasn’t wrong. “Damon Savage is nothing more than a dumb jock with an overinflated ego.”

“No, Sky.” She didn’t want to hear my thoughts. “He’s a good guy in an impossibly horrible situation. You know what he went through when his mom committed suicide. It messed him up. He changed.”

We both knew the story, but it looked like I would hear it again. I twisted my hair into a knot on top of my head and leaned back in my chair while she created a potential white knight from what was actually a demon—which was literally his nickname in the Ring.

“Give him a break. It must’ve been so hard for him to lose his mom like that—suicide—as he and Cole delivered the note to their dad. You should know better than anyone.” Her gaze was hesitant, full of sympathy. “When stuff like that happens, it either kills you or makes you stronger. Look at you. You’re the strongest person I know.”

I gritted my teeth to stop the pain from doubling me over. I wasn’t strong. I was scared shitless about what the future held for Mom and me with my dad’s parole looming over us.

Gia pursed her full lips then sat cross-legged on her bed. I braced for the return of upbeat drama. It was better than the weepy shit any day.

“Do I need to remind you of the plan?” She pointed to the closet door, which remained securely shut. If her dad caught sight of that, heads would roll. “The plan does work with Damon. And I know you think this is stupid, but when I’m older, I don’t want to look back on these days and wish I’d been different, taken the chance you keep trying to talk me out of.”

“Gia—”

“No, Sky. Just listen. If I get laughed at, if the mean bitches end up teasing me until I want to run away, good news! I’m off to Notre Dame next year, and I won’t be anywhere near them at Thane University to hear about it.”

I mulled that over. It was a good point, and the best friend card was big for Gia. “Fine. But I think you can do better than hunky high school manwhore Damon.”

Triumph flashed in Gia’s dark eyes, and her cheeks flushed pink with excitement. There was no stopping the train wreck, so I might as well hop aboard.

“Damon is gorgeous. And that body!” She flopped back on the bed. “I think he has muscles on top of muscles. I can’t wait to feel what it’s like to be with him.”

I tuned most of the Damon fan clubbing out. Still, I couldn’t help but agree with most of it. Visually, he was the stuff of dreams. I hated myself for thinking anything sexual about the guy Gia had set her sights on. But thankfully, when he opened his mouth, the image shattered. Dominant, alpha asshole. That was who he was and the last thing I would ever want.

I got up to use her attached bathroom—she was seriously lucky with that. Mom and I shared one. With a flick of the switch, the room flooded with light, and I sucked in my breath.No… Gia. Such a bad idea.I grabbed the box of hair dye and stormed back into her room. “Please tell me you’re not doing this. It’s platinum blond.” Gia was a dark brunette. “It’ll destroy your hair.”

She pushed herself up onto her elbows. “I’m not going to do it.”

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