Page 123 of Twisted Heathens
“She tried to kill herself,” I blurt.
Kade’s mouth drops open as he goes white. “What?”
“Phoenix found her bleeding out.” I pause, shoving the chilling image from my imagination. “She’s alive, out of it currently. We need to be there when she wakes up. And she needs medical attention, Phoenix has done what he can.”
Kade fists his hair, panic gripping him. “Are you fucking insane? We should take her to Doctor Andrew right now before she tries it again. Jesus Christ, where is she now?”
I shake my head frantically “No! Don’t you see? They’ll take her away for good this time. If we turn her in, we lose her. Permanently. Don’t be a fool.”
Kade’s face falls and his eyes move without seeing, as if searching for options and coming up blank. “But we can’t just do nothing! Isn’t it better that she’s alive, even if it takes her away from us? She’s a loose cannon and you know it.”
I can’t help myself, I punch the blithering idiot.
“Ow! Dammit Hud, the hell was that for?”
“To knock some sense into your thick skull. She will rot if they take her away. You know that Blackwood is the only way out of the system. We’re talking about her life here.”
“And I’m trying to save it,” Kade spits.
Turning my back, I walk away to prevent myself hurting him further.
“What exactly was your idea? Screwing her to make it better?” he adds.
He’s got a fucking death wish.
“Don’t push me right now, I will break your fucking legs. Of course, that’s not what this is about!” I collapse into a desk chair, gathering myself. “I don’t know what else to do.”
Kade kneels in front of me, his expression an open wound of shame. “What is happening to us? First Eli, now Brooklyn.” His eyes fall shut, hard lines carving his forehead. “I’ve failed you all, we’re falling apart at the seams.”
I place my hand on my brother’s shoulder, summoning some reassurance that I really don’t believe myself. “We’ll fix it. That’s what family does, right? You said so yourself.”
He manages a half-hearted smile, sparing me an appraising look. “Careful, brother. You’re starting to sound a little too optimistic for your own liking.”
“Well, don’t get used to it,” I mumble.
We both stand and clasp hands, nodding in acknowledgement. It’s probably the first time we’ve agreed upon something in the eighteen months we’ve spent here. Brooklyn’s brought us together despite the odds, now we’ve both got to work to save her. Kade holds my hand for a second too long, overcome with the moment of clarity.
“Good to have you on my side,” he offers.
“Don’t get all weepy on me, we’ve got shit to do.”
We leave the back office, heading back to the reception but my attention is drawn by the guard leading someone up the stairs from the basement level. My eyes clap on his proud smirk first as he sees us standing there, watching in dismay.
“Gentlemen,” Rio taunts. “How’s Eli’s leg doing? Bit sore?”
I try to move, determined to pummel him into the ground and release the anger slowly choking me. Kade grabs my arm, muttering under his breath. “Not worth it. I reported him to the warden for the attack. He’ll be punished the correct way.”
Rio struts past us, heading for Miss White’s nearby office. My fingers twitch with the urge to punish him myself, but I focus on the task at hand, Brooklyn front and centre in my mind.
“I hope they bury you in solitary,” Kade snaps.
Before Rio can respond with some inflammatory response, a stern voice barks at us. “What exactly is going on here?”
We all turn to see the warden herself appear from her office, hands on her hips and face unimpressed. “Kade, if you wish to keep your job, I suggest you get back to work. You and your friends are already on very thin ice. My patience is limited.”
Her cold eyes stray to me, bitter resentment taking over. “You best pray that Rio here doesn’t wish to press charges against Elijah for starting the fight. This could get very messy.”
“What the fuck?” I gasp. “You can’t be serious. You’re taking his side?”
