Kings of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #1) - Caroline Peckham ,Susanne Valenti Page 0,191

can look after you for a while. He’s gotta work in dull-ass Fort Wayne for a few months. So you’re gonna be free, bitch! You’re gonna love it, Tatty. The beaches are to die for and I swear you’re made for it already with that golden skin of yours. You know me with my pale-ass Dad complexion. At least Mom left you something when she abandoned us, right? Bitch didn’t leave me anything but her allergies. I can’t wait for you to meet everyone. You’ll never wanna leave, I swear. Maybe we can live there permanently one day? I’ll talk Dad around. Love you little sis. Your new roomie, Jess.”

I fought so hard against Blake that I managed to get free, terror driving my actions as I dove over the coffee table to snatch the letter from Saint’s fingers. My hand was outstretched, just grazing it when Blake caught me around the waist at the last second, pinning me down onto the table and slamming his weight on top of me.

“You shouldn’t have broken the rules,” Blake growled as he held me in place and my heart nearly gave out. Because I hadn’t broken the rules. I’d only done what Kyan had told me to. But saying that seemed worthless. Kyan wasn’t going to protect me from this. He’d had his fun and now I was paying the consequences. He was as heartless as them and I was a fool for ever thinking there was more to him than brutality.

“Make her watch,” Saint commanded and Blake fisted a hand in my hair to turn me to toward the fire.

“Please don’t,” I begged as tears washed over my skin. The other letters were my words, I could let them all go for that single one. I could face anything but losing that piece of my sister. “Not that one, please Saint.” My voice was raspy and dry, my desperation lacing the air around us.

Kyan cleared his throat before Saint made any move toward the fire. “Don’t you think this is going a bit far now, dude? I was the one who took her out.”

Saint glowered at him, a deadly glint in his gaze but a flicker of hope filled me.

Please don’t do this. Please listen to him.

Saint moved out of sight, striding towards Kyan and I writhed against Blake’s firm hold on me, but it was no use.

“I decide when it goes too far,” Saint snarled, then he strode back into view, grabbing the entire pile of letters from the table and throwing them all into the flames. I screamed, but I couldn’t hear it. I was locked inside my head, a haze of hate and grief consuming me, taking everything with it. Jessica’s letters were amongst them, burning up with the rest. Her messages to me lost, devoured.

Blake released me, but I didn’t move. I sobbed, despising that they saw me fall apart as I curled my legs to my chest on the table and buried my face in my arms.

I heard them moving away and I gasped for air as I reached for Jess’s necklace around my throat and clutched it tight in my fist.

I’m so sorry, Jess.

A violent shudder ran through me as my heart broke and the world seemed to darken around me. There was a shadow in my soul now, a brand they’d left there, tainting me. Marking me with this hurt forever.

I needed to get away from this place. These vile boys. I was done. So fucking done.

I lifted my head, drawing in a shaky breath. None of them were close by.

I turned my gaze to the door then pushed myself up and ran straight toward it, determined to get out of this place and never look back.

I yanked the door open just as Saint shouted, “Stop!”

I ignored him, kicking my feet into my sneakers and snatching someone’s trench coat from beside the door before throwing it shut behind me. I started running, hearing them shouting after me. I shot a glance back at them through teary eyes, spotting Kyan getting in their way to stop them.

They didn’t come for me but I upped my pace anyway, wiping my eyes on the sleeve of the coat, the apple scent of Saint hanging on it and making me want to hurl it into the lake. But it was freezing out and still dark; I couldn’t wander around campus in nothing but Kyan’s T-shirt.

I didn’t know where I was gonna go, I just knew I needed to