The Fortunates (Unfortunate #2) - Skyla Madi Page 0,27

reckoned with, not a juicy gossip story that fades into nothing. Every time a Fortunate sees me, I want them to be reminded of how I rose from the ashes and changed the world. I want Unfortunates to see me as a girl who turned nothing into everything. I’ve always said I had a purpose and it was bigger than being a whore to some spoiled Fortunate.

This could be it.

This could be my chance to do some good, to heal a sick world.

I amble from the front doors and climb the staircase. Unease shakes up my empty stomach, but I ignore it. Staying here…staying in my home is what’s best for me. It’s time to stand on my own two feet and fight for my second chance at life. I need to prove to whoever is listening that I am worth it. I’ve come this far. I can’t stop now.

I grip the door handle to my room and turn it. The door creaks open and bright light spills out.

“Don’t be ashamed to feel afraid,” Oliver’s voice whispers beside me, making me jump. “Fear keeps us from making stupid decisions.”

I don’t bother turning my head to face him. What will I do with it all?

“Entering this room…accepting this life…is that a stupid decision?” I ask, swallowing hard.

“What other choice do you have?”

My heart constricts in my chest as tears well in my eyes. “Being a Fortunate means I have to hurt people.”

“You can’t win your war without shedding a little blood.”

Flinching, I turn my head to look at him. “My war?”

“People like us don’t go down without a fight, Nine. A war is inevitable. I advise you to choose your soldiers wisely.”

People like us? What does that mean?

“Are you saying that, if there was a war, you’d fight on my side?”

Oliver shakes his head. “I’d fight on humanity’s side.”

Then it clicks. The love bite, the need for war, the not so subtle push to make me his scapegoat in a battle to save humanity. Oliver is in love with someone he shouldn’t be.

“She’s an Unfortunate. Isn’t she?”

He leans against the wall and looks away from me. “You think you and Kaden Sario are the only ones who have to face such prejudicial trials?” He shakes his head. “At your party tomorrow, take a look around. You’re bound to see others who are being suffocated by this society’s laws.”

I frown. “At my party tomorrow?”

Oliver pushes off the wall. “Vincent Sario is throwing you a welcome home party here tomorrow evening.”

I grimace. Why would Vince throw me a party? I don’t trust it. Something is wrong.

“I don’t want one—especially one thrown by the likes of him.”

“You don’t get a choice,” he states, walking away and leaving me alone for the third time.

I slip inside my room and close my door. I locate the light switch on the wall to the right of the door and switch out the lights. I don’t want to waste any more time looking at the furniture and the objects. They’ll only depress me further.

I walk slowly, sliding one foot in front of the other with my arms outstretched, searching the far left of the room for the bed. Unexpectedly, a hard thump sends pain shooting through my toe as it slams into a small, tile step. I stumble forward with a squeak and squeeze my eyes shut, expecting to eat the floor at my feet, but I manage to latch on to the bed quilt and save myself. With my heart thrumming in my ears, I pull myself up and onto the huge bed. Exhaling, I crawl to the top and pull back the sheets. As I push myself underneath the blankets, the weight of the problems on my shoulders are almost too dense to carry. It’s as though I haven’t slept in weeks when in reality, I slept all day today. I rest my head against my pillow.

Parties.

Wars.

Surviving.

What am I going to do?

Chapter Ten

Kade

Kade spent the night without her…another night he slept with empty arms to mark on the calendar. Like all the other nights, he couldn’t sleep. At one point, he managed to talk himself into climbing out of bed and walking the long distance to the Milano house, only to pull out at the last second and stroll empty-handed and heavy hearted the whole way home.

Twice.

He hated feeling so needy. He detested it to the very core of his being, but he couldn’t shake it. Kade half expected to wake up midway through the night