The Cursed Series, Parts 3 & 4 (Cursed #3-4) - Rebecca Donovan Page 0,76

chest.

Parker puts the car in drive and spins out of the lot, dust flying behind us.

“Don’t speed,” I tell him. “We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves.”

“A little late for that, don’t you think?” he says, shooting a side-glance at me. “What the hell happened back there? Did Tori or Nina do this?”

My hands shake. I’m still reeling with adrenaline.

“I thought you were friends! What the—”

I bang my fist against the seat. “I don’t know! I have no idea what the fuck just went down!” I press a hand to my forehead, flashes of the confrontation hitting me over and over again. “It’s like she couldn’t even hear me. And then Tori was on her side … neither of them would listen. They were convinced I’d wronged them even before they stepped outside.” I turn to face him, my rage boiling over. “All because of you, Parker. All for a fucking guy who played with her head. Made her think she loved him. And for what? To turn on her best friend because I didn’t respect her? Are you fucking kidding me?!”

“What are you talking about?” Parker yanks the wheel and peels into the parking lot of a convenience store, slamming the car into park. “This is not on me! Whatever the fuck just happened is not my fault!”

I close my eyes, clenching my jaw, barely in control. My entire body is trembling with adrenaline and fury.

And as fast as it took over, the rage drains the energy from my body. I blink back the tears.

“You’re bleeding,” Parker notes in shock.

I lift my left arm; blood runs down my arm and drips onto my leg. “Sorry. I didn’t realize … I’m making a mess.”

“Shit, Lana.” Parker reaches into the backseat and hands me a folded beach towel. “Here. I should take you to the hospital.”

“No,” I respond quickly. “It’s not deep. I just need to clean up and bandage it. It’ll be fine.”

The tears have escaped despite my resistance. I turn toward the window, hoping they’ll stop. I can’t lose it now. I can’t.

“She said you’re together,” I say quietly, my body still quivering.

“We’re what?” Parker asks in confusion. “She thinks we’re a couple?”

I swallow. My throat is like sandpaper, burning and coarse. “Yeah.”

“That’s what this is about? She thought you and I …”

I nod. He sighs.

“We’re not,” he says quietly. “Shit. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I think I … I’m sorry, Lana.”

I’m not ready to face him, but I turn my head slightly in his direction. “What are you talking about?”

“She told me … she loved me the last time we were together. That she wanted to give us a try. And … I didn’t know what to say because … I don’t feel the same. So I kissed her. I guess she thought that was a yes.”

“You’re such an idiot,” I groan, leaning my head against the window.

She chose him. That’s what I can’t get over. Nina’s need for respect blinded her. She refused to see that I would never betray her. She was so consumed by jealousy, she wouldn’t hear the truth. And Tori stood by her, the ever-loyal cousin. But we were supposed to be family, right? Such bullshit.

“Can you take me home? I need to get cleaned up before I see my mom.”

“Yeah, sure.” Parker backs out of the parking spot. “Do you have bandages?”

“Uh, I don’t know.”

“Why don’t we go to my house? No one’s there. That way we don’t have to worry about Vic showing up either.”

“I need a change of clothes,” I tell him since mine are covered in blood. My foot touches the backpack. Reminding me that I packed some things before leaving Blackwood. “Forget it. It’s fine. I have something.”

“Okay.” He gently touches my arm, drawing my attention to him. His piercing blue eyes shimmer with unshed tears. “I’m really sorry.”

I nod and look away again.

Parker sets me up in a guest room. He offers to bandage my arm, but I refuse, preferring to shower. He hands me a trash bag for my bloody clothes and leaves me. Lifting my shirt over my head is excruciating torture. The muscles in my stomach and back scream in protest when I raise my arms. I gasp and pant as I drop the sticky shirt to the floor.

Against my better judgment, I look in the mirror. My face is pale, except for the reddened blotch along my jaw and the small blazing streaks on my left cheek, courtesy of