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"Again!" coain My heart tears pastI stifle the screas Jax fires the bag through the , then dangles headfirst and waves his hands "Let’s go"

Taking two burning cold gulps of air, I sturound crunches beneath my feet I s, lick my lips and narrow my eyes I can do this I’m a champion kickboxer If I did that, I can do this If I could do what I did a few ht I don’t want to think about that now

Or ever

Again

I’hter Not anyht toward the house, kick off against the vinyl and fumble with the old trellis I clirabs on towrist and, seconds later, both he and Kaden pull h the

The moment my butt hits the floor, Jax shuts the pane and Kaden drops a blanket over me "What happened?"

"I’m late" Yes, I’m definitely in shock

"Noticed" Kaden ducks his head under the bea as he crosses the compact attic space This is my room Better yet, it’s whatboxes of old clothes, picture frames, spiderwebs and the smell of h the one-inch space Sounds frole with the voices of runt Probably Jax’s brothers wrestling in the room below us

"Haley," says Kaden My brother and I used to be close Like everything else inin his hands "Where’s Dad’s "

"No, they’re not"

"What?"

"There’s lettuce in there and noat the neckline of my shirt "No, they’re in there They have to be"

"Not here" Kaden shakes the bag again so that it crackles "It took Moh for the pills How could you lose them? Dad needs them"

"I know," I snap and throwthe back of ainst the wall I lost Dad’s odforsaken place That’s why the guys left I didn’t lose the in to pulsate Tears burn ain and I did I swore I’d never be hit again And I have This is the penance for breaking that promise God, I’m worthless