“Give it to me.”
Scarlett stands, pulls her headphones off. “Um, excuse me—”
“Out,” Axel snaps.
She glances at me, terrified, and then grabs her laptop and bolts.
I’m clutching the envelope so hard it crumples. “You’re not even going to count it? Just take what you need?”
He crosses the room in three strides, rips it from my hand. Just shoves the envelope into his pocket and turns toward the door.
My shock hardens into rage.
“Are you fucking serious, Axel?”
He doesn’t answer. Just opens the door and slams it behind him.
Asshole!
I storm after him, Thea right behind me. We bolt down the hall, past open doors where people are peeking out, confused and scared.
“You’re just like Dad!” I scream after him as he hits the stairwell. “It’s fucking sickening!”
He spins on the landing, nostrils flaring. His face is a mask of fury.
“Shut the fuck up! I need this money more than you do!”
“For what?” I’m at the top of the stairs now, gripping the railing. “To pay for your fucking drugs?”
He hesitates. Just for a second. His fists clench at his side, jaw twitching as he looks up at me.
I see it. That flash of restraint. He wants to hit me.
The silence stretches, thick and suffocating.
Then he spits the words like acid. “Welcome to West Pointe.”
My breath catches. “I came here for my brother, but he’s not here, is he?” I point at my head, jab my finger twice on my temple.
He stares at me for a long moment. Then his face goes blank.
“Then you made a big fucking mistake.”
He continues down the stairs.
“Axel—”
He pauses, halfway down, doesn’t turn around. “Pretend you don’t know me. It’s for your safety.”
The door slams. The echo bounces through the stairwell, violent and final.
I stand there, breathing hard, cheeks burning. My hands are shaking. Everything is shaking.
Thea’s hand finds my shoulder. “Lex...”
I shake my head. The tears break, hot and furious, spilling down my cheeks.
We stare at each other for a beat. The kind of look that sayswe’re not dropping this.
