Page 45 of Forged in Rain

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“We conspired to make my uncle disappear. He’s gone, but we don’t know who did it. His nephew, a known criminal, showed up at the house and looked me in the eye with a creepy as fuck smile. I’m either going to jail, or I’m a dead woman walking.”

“You’re not going to die,” he grumbles.

“Ha!” I exclaim, staring out over the vacant field. “What other option is there?”

“Well, you can be his sex slave,” Bastion sneers.

Shrugging my shoulders, I say sadly, “And for that, I might as well have let my uncle do the honor.”

There’s a pregnant pause before he says quietly, “How’s Saul any different?”

“He isn’t, and I didn’t fucking sleep with him! Yes, I thought I could, but I just . . . couldn’t, and instead, I allowed my cousin to lose another piece of herself because I was a coward.”

Bastion doesn’t respond, and when I turn, I find that Cyn and Jig have joined the party. Great.

Avoiding Cyn’s gaze, I mutter, “What now?”

“Hate called,” Cyn says quietly.

“Oh?” I’m not exactly thrilled by the prospect. I mean, he’s a dick and a scary mofo, and if I was personally escorted out here, it can’t mean anything good.

“Yes, we need to meet up with him—change of plans. After school,” he says before opening the door of the building so fiercely it cracks on its hinges.

Flinching, I watch him go before Jig smirks at me and follows. Then, it’s just Bastion and me again.

“You’re not a coward,” he mutters before heading inside behind the others.

“And then there was one,” I say to the universe, exasperated.

“Not so fast.”

Spinning around, I back up when I find Saul coming around the corner looking pleased with himself, the arrogant fuck.

“What do you want?” I ask, backing up the steps and grabbing the door behind me.

“I want what everyone wants,” he says silkily.

“Which is what?”

“You.”

“Really? Well, that’s not an option. Besides, I’d rather fuck anything but you,” I sneer, pulling at the door.

But he’s quicker than I am, and when I try to keep the door from closing with my foot, he presses it closed, trapping me between the door and his body.

Gritting my teeth, I say, “Back the fuck off.”

“No can do. You’re far more trouble than your cousin made you out to be. Listen up, bitch. I told you to keep your mouth shut, and instead, you’ve been spreading tales.”

“I didn’t say anything about the guy.”

“What guy? Jagger’s all over my ass, and my people are being watched. Why? Because I suspect you told the wrong dicks my business. You understand I can’t have that, don’t you?”

Ignoring the ache in my ankle, still stuck in the door, I shove against him with my hand, but he just smiles with all his teeth.

“What’s going on?” Natasha asks behind us, and I slump with relief.

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