Page 14 of Scorned
“I’m not in the mood for—”
The blonde-haired beauty pushed the door farther open and stomped past me without a care.
“I don’t need an intervention, April.”
“I’m not here for that.” She stopped next to the couch with arms crossed. Her sympathetic face filled with pain and it didn’t seem like it was for me. “Before the battle, your mom was my best friend. Now I have nobody other than you and Zeke. He’s comforting, but I needed a woman to talk to.”
Worried she’d rope me into a conversation I didn’t have the energy for, I swallowed my words, then nodded.
“I wanted to tell you I started my period because I knew you would understand.”
My chest became heavy again because I understood exactly what she meant.
April and her husband Zeke had been trying to have a baby for many years. Every month she would show up at my mom’s house with a bottle of wine and tear-stained eyes. They would cry, talk, and laugh together. They were each other’s rock the way Lyric and Erik were mine. And even though I felt heartache for her, my emotions threatened to consume me, leaving no room for anything else.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered softly, hoping the two paltry words would comfort her.
She blinked, tears rolling down her pale, blotchy face. “It’s okay. I feel it’s for the best, especially since Zeke and I are fugitives now.”
“You aren’t fugitives.” I stumbled into the kitchen, trying to avoid feeling anything, but unfortunately, she trailed behind me.
“Since we left Venom, we—”
“Don’t say that name in my house.” Grabbing a bowl from the cabinet, I opened a pack of ramen and poured the contents into it.
With no emotional energy left, I refused to meet her eyes, instead placing my hands on the gray laminate countertop and staring at the dry noodles. “Anything else you need?”
April let out a snicker, which had a slight hiss to it. “Well, I guess not.”
Her footsteps were louder leaving than they were when she came in. I closed my eyes tight, bracing myself for what was next.
The small cabin rattled when she slammed the door shut.
My chest tightened again, emotions trying to claw their way to the surface. Taking a deep breath, I slowly blew it out through pursed lips, smacking them back down.
Nope. No more crying until tomorrow.
After eating my dinner alone, I went to bed—and by which I mean, I laid in the dark for five hours thinking of Luka.
Winnie was right, I had died when they took Luka . . . or at least my soul had withered away.
Or possibly Sorin shot me in the head, I died for real, and now I’m stuck in emotional purgatory.
Chapter 4
Winnie
We needed to go into town for food and medical supplies, and Drag tasked me with making a list of necessities. We also had to get burner phones so we could call Naomi and see what the hell she wanted. I tried not to expect anything, but a huge part of me hoped she had information on Luka. But despite that possibility, I was apprehensive of letting Sage talk to her. If Naomi didn’t have any info, Sage may shut down even more.
Lyric came out of the bedroom, bringing me from my thoughts when I noticed she was wearing my favorite blue T-shirt that said, “Old School Hacker” that had a cassette and scotch tape on it. “That’s my shirt.”
“And?” She ignored me, grabbing her white sneakers off the floor.
“You weren’t even born then. You probably don’t even know what it means.”
“It’s comfortable, though. And cute.” She slid her sneakers on, then squatted to tie them. “Oh, we need a bunch of tampons. April started her period, therefore mine came early, and so did Kimber’s. I’m sure the rest will be next.”
I lifted a brow. “Oh, shit.”
