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CHAPTER 1

My head feels like a balloon, swollen and light I’ on my back, inside the box, as my mind screaain, trying to focus, but there’s only darkness I can still ht Whatever they injected isme woozy, but it hasn’t taken full effect yet I can feel it trying to pull me under as each moment passes

The box tips forward a little and I knoe’re in the stairwell

I’h to think and I’m so far past irate that I’ in a box And Sean What the holy fck did he do?

My brain tries to race through scenarios at a sluggish pace and I know I can’t wait any I react, and slam my body into the side of the box The sudden rasp I hit the floor hard, but they didn’t think to seal me in The box falls open on its side and I scurry out Gabe is cursing and stuck in the corner on the other side of the container The other thug fell down the next flight of stairs

Move, I scoldup the stairs

Gabe warns, “Don’t do it” But I don’t listen He doesn’t chase after oes to help the other man

I e to stuhs “You’re a little too toasted to be walking around You want help?” I try to tell her no, but she thinks I’ me back to my room

“I’m fine”

“No, you’re not” She’s laughing lightly and takesand tipping I’ and her questions finally register “And she hasn’t been in class either Do you knohere Mel is? I’m worried”

“She’s been around,” I lie “I saw her last night”

“Ah, so this ain No wonder why she didn’t come back She didn’t want to share” Asia makes no sense, and when she’s by my door, she reaches for the knob I have no idea what Black and Sean are doing, but I’ to shoot her

Ripping my arm away from hers, I snap, “You’re such a bitch, Asia Mel didn’t co hint”

Asia straightens and holds her shoulders back Her jaw drops as I speak and then snaps shut She twirls on her heel and marches back down the hall to her roo it, but I don’t want her involved I ht, but I can barely string together thoughts, much less come up with creative lies

I know I have seconds before Gabe and his buddy drag h the door Sean is standing in front of Black with fury in his eyes Black glances over her shoulder at me Her slender arms are folded over her chest and she looks pissed

I have trouble controllingher down Miss Black hits the floor with an oof I er over to confront Sean For half a second I just stare at him, and then I make a fist Before I know it, my knuckles have connected with his jaw Sean’s face whips to the side on iaze is on fire and I’m afraid

I go to punch hiain but he catches o “I told you to go with therowls the words like a feral animal

Ignoring hied to someone else! What the fuck! You lied toto ets to her feet behind rinds her teeth I’ take me to the woods and bury me in that box

Sean’s gaze is locked on mine “Avery, you have to leave Now”

“No!” I shove his chest Black tries to touch my shoulder to spin me around, but I hiss at her, “Don’t you touch lancing at Sean I turn to Sean once ue, “Here, you fucker Take your godda off er and throw it at his face

By the time I turn around, Gabe is behindthe drugs that are trying to pull er when the rush of energy slips away and Gabe grabs my arm “Why don’t you listen?” he asks softly

Sean hasn’t id and lifeless The ave hi sound and slurip before Black says, “Take her out of here Now”

CHAPTER 2

I’m hauled away and shoved into a car They abandoned the box I have no idea where it went It wasn’t in the stairhen they carried me out Whatever they shot into ht ato close, but I force theain

Ti on, but I recognize the building in the city It’s early in the et there We head up to Miss Black’s office, where I’m told to wait until she comes back

When the other man leaves, Gabe points to a chaise in the corner “Go lay down”

“No” My ar straight ahead

“If you were my kid, I’d slap you”

“Oh, please If I was your kid, I wouldn’t be here You would have killed every single one of theames anymore, old man Why am I here?” I can see him shake his head out of the corner of ht?” I ask because I have to My heart slaps into

“Avery, listen toThe only person batting for you on this tearips his forehead like he has a lances up at oddamn life, and listen closely Black is full of shit Watch what she says Don’t take her word over Ferro’s They’re both liars, but one of them is two steps ahead of the other”

I’ “What are they doing? And which one is two steps ahead?” I turn and look at him

“I don’t know, but the playing board is er than you think” Gabe disappears without further explanation

I never felt so stupid in my entire life I can barely think with this stuff in my veins and I wish that I’d nevera mental man that I can never have No matter what I do, Sean will always be haunted by the memories that hide behind those beautiful eyes Black is equally ruthless and scares the shit out of ave her trouble and planted them like daisies at the arboretum