Page 79 (1/2)

I give her a sheepish ss with a look that says you’re-so-in-trouble

Mako looks back at me, a sinful smirk on his face The way he looks at me can only be described as dirty—with his salacious s the interaction very intently, it makes me want to wipe the look off his face with a Clorox wipe and then spray hiood measure

I clear my throat and look back at Amelia with theabout me has ever been innocent

“Mako here has enlisted hi aron,” I explain Amelia cocks an eyebrow

“Yeah? And how long as he been trying and failing to save you?” she asks, her tone al Amelia knows as well as I do that I’ve never been one to accept help Doesn’t matter if you’re a six-foot-five beast with bear paws for hands, I will drop kick you in the balls if itto saveto fondle his, but the e has at least been said

“Too long,” I mutter I’ve yelled in Mako’s face, and even slapped the damn sexy work of art, and alas, he still persists So, it looks like I’ to have to drop kick him in the balls next… and then maybe fondle them

“River has made it perfectly clear she can take care of herself Despite her badass abilities, what I’veanywhere until I know she’s safe And if you take a look at Exhibit A”—he points to my bruised face— “that hasn’t happened yet”

I open my mouth to show him the exhibit my foot is about to disappear into when A on for a while” She shoots h situation and it’s not always easy to leave right away, no matter how much ant her to”

My shoulders relax with Aet Areith an alcoholic, abusive father Even after she turned eighteen, she stuck around to try and take care of hiles with her love for him

The biggesta choice to stay Anyone in our situation would leave if it was that easy But when so your life on a daily basis, so seems like the safer choice Even if you know it’ll kill you one day

The unpredictable abuse is still predictable, and that can be a little less scary than trying to rebuild a life on your oith the constant fear that this person is going to coone And sometimes your life, too

“I’ to leave you two to work out whatever tension you have going on here River, I expect a phone call later,” Aabout anotherbag is beyond both of us But it’s happening And I’m not really sure how the hell to stop it

Or if I want to

Aives Mako one last onceover and walks towards her car I pivot towards theman I’ve ever met

“What do you want now?” I whine, taking up A my hands on my hips It takes several ss to shove the lump back down my throat when I remember that I could look like Amelia in a few months too A rounded belly to look down on and haunt me