Page 109 of Bitter Lies

“Me? What about you? What was this about, getting in my pants? Revenge?” My chest hurts so fucking badly, the burn might bring me to my knees, as I wave my arms in the air.

“No,” he says, leaning into my face. “It was about fucking you out of my system.”

“Oh? Are you done now?”

Stepping back, he takes a deep breath, his eyes flickering before they grow icy cold, and he looks me up and down, his tone so low I have to strain to hear him. “Yes, I’m done.”

My heart stops in my chest, the void so great, I can’t breathe past it. Stepping around him, I walk down the hall, frozen from the inside out.

“Halsey…fuck.”

Once outside, I breathe deep and push back the angry tears. I will not fall apart, not here. I’m walking down the gravel drive when Max pulls up in Griffin’s SUV and tells me grimly, “Get in.”

“I’m not going back.”

“Yeah, I kinda got that. Get in,” he says impatiently.

Sighing, I round the vehicle and get inside, watching out the window as he drives into town and parks outside the bus station.

Closing my eyes, I lean against the window and sigh—a fucking bus. Epic. I guess it’s better than the alternative.

“C’mon,” he says, leading me inside and paying for a ticket at the counter.

Silently, I sit in the hard-ass plastic seat, surprised when he sits beside me until he speaks, and I turn to him, incredulous.

“I have the necklace. I need you to give it to Patch.”

“What? Fuck no.”

“Halsey,” he growls, “do you want the money?”

“Oh, now there are more conditions? Fuck you!” Seething, I cross my arms over my chest, and glare at him, ignoring his nasty scowl.

“You don’t have a choice. He’s picking you up from the bus station when you get there. Just give him the necklace, and you’ll be fine.”

“Max,” I say, staring at him wide-eyed. “Why would you tell him where to find me?”

He rolls his eyes. “It’s fine. He just wants the necklace.”

“That’s not true, and you know it.” He doesn’t hear me though, and I look down with dismay when he shoves the jewelry at me and stands.

“Enough. Just do it,” he says, walking away.

Staring after him, I contemplate my options because I’m fucked. I can take the damn bus and deliver the jewelry or call my mom and beg her to come and get me.

Or my final option is to grovel to Griffin and hope he comes and gets me, except then Max will be there.

Shit.

Patch is dangerous, and I can’t believe my own brother would do this, but I refuse to put myself in another fucking ridiculous situation.

Pulling out my phone with a sigh, I shoot a text to Griffin and wait.

I need to talk to you

But after an hour of checking my messages like a freak, he never answers, which leaves me nowhere. I have little money and only my brother as my other resource unless I call my mom and end up worrying her and creating more ridiculousness again.

I’m fucking stuck.

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