Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 130512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
I wanted to destroy who helped take my father away. I was doing it how I could, with the options given to me.
I did that. I gave a criminal lord the information on who helped to hurt my family.
In a way, the gun they helped load and put in my father’s hands, I simply turned it around and gave it to a bigger monster than them.
I was okay with what I just did.
57
MADDY
A few days later. Again.
Max was here.
There was no chill.
None. The chill had left the building, because I know he didn’t think I saw him, but I did. An arm came down around my shoulders as a body pressed against my side where I was leaning against my locker. “What’s up?”
I didn’t look, already knowing it was Traine. I reached up, lacing my fingers with the hand that hung over my side. He squeezed me back. “Max is in the office.”
He tensed. “Wait. What?”
I was breathless. I was so excited. “He’s transferring here.”
Angling his head so he could read my face better, he arched an eyebrow. “No shit?”
I was so happy. “No shit. He doesn’t think I know today’s the day he’s transferring, but I do. I overhead the entire conversation he had with his parents and mine. Come Monday, he’s an official Fallen Crest Academy student.”
“Shit. We still have football. He should play. He kicks literal ass.”
I wrinkled my nose at him. “He’s mine first.”
Beltraine relaxed back against my side, giving me a fond half-grin. “Maxie boy is always going be yours first, and the same the other way around. We’re cool with that.”
“Yo.” Steele and Axel joined us.
Steele tipped his chin up while Axel gave us a half-hearted wave with his book.
The other students automatically moved for them. It was so ingrained in them and us, that I almost didn’t even notice anymore. We got looks too. There were always others watching us. Other girls. Guys eyeing me. Guys eyeing the guys. We drew attention. It was just part of the deal now of going to school here. Max would be included in that soon, not that he wouldn’t by himself because it was Max. Everyone was going to be as obsessed with him as I was.
Which, come to think of it, I wasn’t okay with that.
The last bell just rang, but I’d snuck out of class early because I wanted to see Max going into the office. The plan had been to surprise me, but well; that was hard to do with me.
I had my ways.
He’d been pissed at me for drugging him, but furious because he hadn’t been able to be there for me when I stuck my half-aunt in the tummy. There’d been an entire discussion about my behavior. My parents were alarmed. Like, hella alarmed. Max’s parents were just as concerned, if not more because what were they going to do if they decided I couldn’t see their son? Talk about waving a red flag in front of a bull. I would’ve declared war the size of a small country on Heather and Channing if they tried to take Max away. It’d be a different story if Max himself decided that was it. Drugging him was the final straw. I’d have to respect his wishes, but it would’ve killed a part of my soul.
I still would’ve done it.
I messed up. I got that. I really did. (With drugging Max, not with anything else.)
But even with the other stuff, it worked out.
Everyone rallied for me. I wasn’t sure if they should’ve. I mean, I did stab a person, but she needed to be stopped. I’d done that. She was gone now. Her parents flew in. I officially re-met my grandfather. The whole re-meeting Grandpa Garrett again was weird. It’d been awkward. Nolan and Nash were confused as well, but Mom seemed happy to see him. That’s all that was important.
They left the next morning to take Brinna to Switzerland. That’s where the facility was located, the one that was supposed to help her.
I’d been giving my parents the side-eye lately because if they started getting ideas, I had a plan. So far, they’d not said anything about shipping me off. They were just the ultra helicopter parents. Watching me. Telling me they loved me, but also, what was I doing? Where was I going? Like I didn’t know they would increase the Parental Maddy Watch Program.
I even understood it.
But I’d been good. I really had. Course, it’d only been a week but I had no intentions to use my tendencies for bad. Only good. Protecting my loved ones, if I could do something that others couldn’t, sign me up.
That included these three guys because all of them covered for me.
Even Steele, who was technically my uncle? Half-uncle?
I gave him a look, and he noticed. “What?”