My brows furrowed at her attitude. “You know,youcould always help.”
She laughed. “Pass. I’m already going to have to hire someone to deep clean this place once you leave. It’s going to take hours to get that fucking weed smell out of the carpet.”
I had no fucking patience for this bitch today. “If you’re not going to help me,” I said as I rose to my feet and picked up the burner phone, tucking it in my pocket, “then you should fucking leave.” She made a face. “You hovering is the last thing I need right now.”
Mary-Jane seemed taken aback by my temper. “Jeez. Someone’s grumpy. What’s wrong, Indigo? Wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Although, I guess there is no wrong side when you’re lonely and single, is there?” I froze. “Oh calm down, it’s just a joke.”
“It’s not fucking funny!” I snapped as I spun to face her.
She raised a brow. “Oh no. Don’t tell me you’restillall fucked up from your brother? Indi, it’s been months. The man is gone. Move the fuck on.”
Without any thought, I charged at her and pushed her into the bedroom door. “He’s not fucking gone!” Her eyes widened as she stared back at me, frightened by my aggression. “And I’m so goddamn sick of you running your mouth, saying whatever the fuck you want!” She stared at me with wide eyes. “When will you realize you are no one, Mary-Jane? Every breath you take, every word you speak…it’s all a waste. Just like you.” I leaned in closer. “You think you’re really something, don’t you? Well, news flash, bitch. You’re not.” She flinched at my hissed words. “No one fucking wants you. Carter, Haze, they both used you because they couldn’t have what they really wanted.Me. How does it feel to know you’ll always be second best? To know you’llnever be me, no matter how hard you try. You’re nothing more than a cheap knock-off.” She didn’t speak, just stared at me with her hate-filled eyes. “No wonder you hate me so much. It has nothing to do with what Haze did, but rather, what he didn’t do. And he didn’t choose you.” I smiled. “That must sting. I bet you’re just burning with anger, knowing that after all those years of pretending, he really never wanted you.” Her face hardened at the truth. “Keep your fucking mouth shut about my brother, or I’ll happily silence you myself.”
Mary-Jane trembled at my threats. I roughly released her, daring her to say another word. But what she did say shook me to my core. “You really are twins.”
“What?”
Her head rested against the door as she stared straight at me with malcontent. “You and Haze are more alike than you know, Indi. Just now? I saw him in you. His anger, all that pent-up rage. And for a moment, I wasn’t looking at you, but your brother.”
The unexpected statement reeled me back as I stepped away from her. “No, I’m not like him.”
She nodded. “Yes, you are.” Mary-Jane stepped from the bedroom door, cleared her throat, and adjusted her clothing. “You’re just like him, Indi. That raging anger inside him? That violence and hatred he has? You possess it too. The only difference is Haze isn’t afraid to let it show. But you have it too, it’s just buried deep inside your rotten soul.” She scoffed, returning to her usual demeanor. “And I don’t feel safe with you here. Not after everything you just fucking said. You need to leave.”
I scoffed. “I’ll leave once I finish packing. Then you’ll never see me again.”
She shook her head. “No. You need to get out of my apartment. You can send someone to get your shit—or,truthfully—I don’t fucking care what you do, but you need to leave. Get out of my apartment. Now!”
“Are you fucking serious?” She didn’t answer. She just pointed to the front door and gave me a look. “Fine.” I grabbed what I could and walked past her. Mary-Jane backed away from me as if I were an immediate threat as I scooted by. I scoffed and shook my head as I walked toward the front door of the apartment.
“Your key, Indi.” I stopped and looked back at her, unsure if she was joking or being serious. “I said, leave your key.”
“Mary-Jane.”
She held her hand up. “Leave it. This is my apartment, and you don’t need access to it. I don’t trust you not to try some shit when I’m not here. Leave it or I’m calling the cops. And I’m sure they won’t hesitate to lock your ass up, being an Osvaldo.”
This fucking bitch.
I struggled to hold the boxes as I searched my pocket for the apartment key. “Here.” I threw it down at her feet. “But if you touch my shit, you’ll fucking regret it.”
Mary-Jane kept quiet as I left, slamming the door behind me.
“Fucking bitch!” I walked to the car and threw everything in the trunk before slamming it shut. “Uh!” I opened the driver’s side door and plopped down inside, fuming. “Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck! Now what am I supposed to do?” I had no one to help me move and no way to get my shit.
I screamed and hit the steering wheel, fed up with everything.
Just then, the burner phone chimed. I pulled it from my pocket to see a text from Haze.
I left something for you at the apartment.
“That’s it?” I did a double take, reading his text again. There was no other text, just the one. And there was no way to tell his emotion from it.
Fuck, what if Haze didn’t forgive me? What if it is really over? Then what?
I felt sick.
“Aiden?”I slammed the car door shut to see the silver-haired man leaning against his bike outside my new apartment. He smiled and waved as I walked over to him. “You know, I’m beginning to think you’re stalking me,” I teased.
Aiden blew raspberries. “I’m only here as?—”
