Page 117 of Wicked Ends
Cole snorted. “Please, it was just a concussion.”
“Cole,” I bit out. “I don’t have the bag.” There, it was out. It needed to be said.
Cole studied me. “So I heard. Who has it?”
I didn’t even stop to think before speaking. It didn’t matter if Ari had used me; I wasn’t sending the Harbor Hounds after her.
“It doesn’t matter. It’s my fault. It’s my responsibility.” I raised my chin. “And I’ll take it, whatever you want.”
Cole was still studying me closely. “Meaning?”
I blew out a breath. That chaos swirling in my chest with nowhere to go fell quiet; I realized I was done fighting my destiny. I was a Bailey, with Bailey blood—I’d tried as hard and as long as I could to be someone else, but it always came down to this.
“If you want me to get Dad out, I’ll do it. If you want me to help more with the Hounds, I’m here.” I set my hand on top of my brother’s.
He was still so pale, but his heavy ink was a harsh contrast against the white sheets.
“Who has the money, Marcus?” Cole asked, his tone resolute. He wasn’t the type to just drop something. He was going to need more.
“Maybe I should forget about trying to be someone else and be the person I was born to be,” I said. “Would you forget about the bag if I gave up on those pie-in-the-sky dreams?”
Cole’s hand gripped mine, surprisingly strong. “Where is the money, Marcus?”
“I spent it.” My tone was final.
“You spent it? That’s how you want to play this?” Cole asked quietly.
“It’s the truth. It’s my fault. Blame me.”
Cole stared at me so long and hard, it felt like he was seeing right into my soul.
Then he sighed and let go of my hand. “What a fucking mess.”
“I’ll make it up to you,” I said. “If you want me to join the Hounds, I’ll do it. Honestly, I’m tired of fighting it.”
Cole frowned at me.
“What was it Dad always used to say? ‘Water always finds its level.’ This is mine. I’ll join and watch your back. You’re my brother. You’re all I have in the world.” Pain ripped through me at the stark honesty of that statement. My friends had their girlfriends, and bright, shining futures ahead of them. Ari—Ari would hate me now for the self-destructive presentation stunt. My parents had never given a shit. There was only Cole.
And the only person who’s ever really cared about me.
“Come on. Ask them for the papers to sign me out. I’m going home,” Cole sighed.
“What? No, you can’t. You need to stay here.”
“Marcus, you want to be a Hound, first thing to learn is that what I say goes. Get the papers,” Cole snapped at me.
“Yes, boss,” I muttered and went to find a nurse.
Arianna
I couldn’t rememberthe rest of the day. It passed in a sickening blur. Once the others from Marcus’ class had gone, I knew that the rumors about those pictures would spread around the campus, probably by the end of the day.
I sat in my empty classroom and stared out at the woods beyond the campus grounds.
Everything had fallen apart like I’d known it would when Dale had shown up. I’d been an idiot to think that maybe there was a way that it wouldn’t.
I kept turning over Marcus’ words in my head. He knew my real name, which meant he’d met Dale. It wasn’t surprising; my brother was exactly the kind of vindictive person who would seek out a way to destroy my life, even if he was leaving. But Marcus saying I was using him? What could he be talking about?
