“Saylor is here,” I murmur, my voice soft but carrying enough weight to make all of them stop in their tracks and turn to look at me in disbelief.
“Go on,” Saylor says, standing resolutely beside me with his arms crossed over his chest.
“He says that you need to stop acting like a thundercunt and—” I begin, but North cuts me off once again when he turns to Hunter, pointing a finger at me.
“I told you she’s fuckinglying! Can you believe that? She came here, slithered her way into our family just to come up with her gold-digging shit the minute we let her in!”
Hunter’s expression morphs from confusion to something akin to disgust, and Nash is visibly distressed, tugging at his hair in frustration.
“I trusted you with the memory of my brother, and you turn it against me?” Hunter asks, hurt in his voice.
“That’s not what this is,” I start, taking a step closer to him, my eyes locked on Hunter, who instinctively takes a step back as I reach out for him.
I’m so focused on Hunter that I don’t notice how North leans into the house to grab my bag and hurls it so forcefully in my direction that the momentum pushes me backward, causing me to tumble off the two steps leading to the porch. I land hard on my butt in the dirt of the driveway, the pain searing through me as my eyes clench shut, and I curse under my breath.
Fuck, that hurt.
When I open my eyes again, they meet Nash’s concerned face. Relief washes over me as he takes a step to come and help me, but North’s grip on his shirt over his shoulder halts him in his tracks.
“Nash…” North warns in a stern tone, “… you’d pick her over your family?”
Nash looks at North, then back at me, torn. His hesitation is palpable before he pushes North away and steps out of his grasp, my heart skipping a beat with hope. But, instead of coming tome, he turns and walks back into the house, muttering a defiant “Fuck you,brother” over his shoulder.
I’m still sitting on the ground with my butt in the mud when Saylor steps up to Hunter, chest to chest, yelling at him, “Are you fucking kidding me? Do something!Saysomething!” Of course, Hunter can’t see him, and when Saylor tries to shove him, his hands pass right through Hunter’s chest.
The sound of car tires crunching on gravel and two car doors slamming shut shatters the tense silence that is only filled with my sobs. Strong arms slide under mine, lifting me to my feet. I clutch my bag tightly, my knuckles white with tension, as Tim positions himself in front of me, crossing his arms over his chest as he faces Hunter and North.
“What the fuck is going on? Why is she on the ground crying?” Tim’s voice cuts through, sharp and hard, betraying his usual calm demeanor.
“Are you okay?” Tally asks from beside me, her voice laced with genuine concern. I meet her gaze, but my emotions have me in a stranglehold, making it nearly impossible to speak. Instead, I simply sob and shake my head, the tears flowing unchecked.
Tally instinctively moves closer, ready to pull me in a hug, when North interjects with a mocking tone, “Tallulah, perfect timing. Blue here just told us she can talk to ghosts. I bet she’d talk to Shannon for you if you’re willing to pay her enough. I’m pretty sure she’s expensive, though. I don’t know if Tim’s income can cover it. That’s why she came to the source, right? To fuck with the Jones? Literally?”
My chest feels like it’s being torn apart. It’s not surprising that North is lashing out, but seeing Hunter just standing there, looking at me with disgust, hurts even more.
“Oh, my God, are you for real right now? You fucking dick,” Saylor seethes from beside Hunter. But then he turns to me, scrunching up his face, “No, no, no!”
When he vanishes, I feel like my only ally is gone, leaving me shattered.
The next second, I glance at Tally again, expecting to see mistrust in her eyes too, prepared to lose the only living friend I’ve ever had. But her gaze isn’t on me. It’s fixed on North, glaring at him. She reaches out to grab my hand and squeezes it tightly.
A sob of relief escapes me, and my knees nearly buckle.
“What are you even—” Tim starts, but North interrupts him once more with a dismissive gesture.
“Do with her what you want. She’s not our fucking problem anymore, that’s for sure. We’re done with the crazy one.”
His words cut through me like a knife.
Crazy.
He thinks I’m crazy.
And Hunter believes him.
Just like Nash.
My breathing becomes ragged, and I start to hyperventilate. Tim turns and places his hands firmly on my shoulders while Tally continues to squeeze my hand. “We’ve got you, okay?” Tim reassures me, rubbing my upper arms soothingly. He takes the bag from my grasp and puts it over his shoulder. “Let’s go. Satan’s right. We’re done here,” he tells me loudly, making sure North has heard him.
