is a sign of weakness,” I say as I get back onto the bed, but instead of climbing over him, I climb onto him and lean over him. “What can I do to get you to agree to let me sleep on the bed?”
He reaches up, hand running down my side to my ass which he pulls forward, pushing me so I’m on my hands and knees over him. “I will not fuck you because I need to walk away when Tony makes his decision on you.”
My smile falls. “You’re saying when he kills me?”
The grin is also gone from his face. “I didn’t say he was going to kill you. I don’t know what the fuck he’s going to do with you. But I’m not doing this.” He waves to me on top of him. He pushes me off onto the other side of the bed. “You can sleep there tonight, and that’s just because I’m tired of you jerking my arm around all night. I swear it feels like you’re trying to tear it off. Now, go to sleep,” he says before shoving the pillow back between us.
I pull the pillow down so I can look at him. “I don’t want to die over this. Why do I have to die over something my father did?” Do I deserve this?
“Life’s not fair, Killian. Best to learn that now. I know you’re used to your milk in a golden sippy cup but that’s not what it is.”
“You don’t know shit,” I say before crawling under the blankets.
“What’s that mean?”
“It means you’re not as smart and handsome and pretty as you think you are.” My fingers dig into the sheets, tightening around them.
“Aw, you think I’m pretty. Thank you. You kind of look like a plum to me, but I’m sure under all that yellow and purple on your disfigured face you’re not too bad yourself. At least you still have all your teeth.”
For some reason, I can’t help but smile. “Oh, fuck off.”
“Although, I heard that if you don’t have teeth, blow jobs are just epic!”
“You been fucking grandmas again?”
“I just can’t help myself,” he says as he rolls onto his stomach.
“I hope you know if it was your life in danger, I’d risk everything for you,” I say.
He snickers. “Thank god it’s not, then, huh? Do you know how to shoot a gun?”
“No,” I say, trying not to sound amused. “Shut up. I’m trying to get you to like me so you let me go.”
“Doesn’t work that way.”
As I lie on the bed, my mind races. I don’t know what I can do anymore. I don’t know how to get away. I don’t know how I’ll keep from ending up dead at the end of this. When did my life become such a disaster? Or was it always a disaster?
Age Nineteen
“Mom?”
Silence.
“Mom, will you please get up?” I ask as I look down at my mom who’s lying in her bed. I haven’t seen her in days. I feel like if she’d just try harder, she could get up. She could do something. I know staying in this room just makes it worse. I reach down and touch her arm, causing her to jerk it away from me.
“Go,” she says, voice low and sharp. “Fuck off.”
“Mom, please? I don’t even know why I stay here for you. I don’t know why I waste my fucking life for you. You’ve done nothing for me in return!”
She ignores me and that’s when I hear a noise behind me and quickly turn. Father’s standing in the doorway, giving me a smile. “Why don’t we leave her alone for right now, huh? Your friend’s here anyway.”
“What? I… I didn’t know she was coming,” I say, wondering if Father heard what I was saying to her.
I go to rush past him, but he grabs my wrist before I can.
“What did I tell you about bothering her when she doesn’t feel good?” he asks.
I stare at him. “I was just trying to get her to get up. It’s not good for her to sleep all the time.”
“She’s fine, Killian. You’re the only one who thinks she’s not and thinks you have to continually bug her.”
I pull back but his grip on my wrist tightens until pain begins to ignite.
“Go have fun, but not too much fun!” he says as he gives me a shove into the hallway.
“Yeah.” I turn around and quickly rush down the two flights of stairs to the foyer where Rose is