“I’ve ruined everything for you,” Abbey whispers, looking out the back window even as I watch Smitty in the rearview mirror, still glaring our way as we drive off.
“This wasn’t you, Angel. This is Smitty not liking when people don’t give in to his every order. That fucker thinks he’s a king, not aleader that is meant to represent his men, and make sure morals are upheld.”
As I turn out onto the road, I can feel her eyes on me, and I glance her way to see those big eyes glassy in the glow of the dash as she speaks.
“I should have just killed Daniel.”
My lips thin, and I shake my head. “His death will come after we get Bobbi back.”
As she glances back to where her rapist cousin shivers in a ball, I pick up my phone and hit the Angels’ number, speaking as soon as the call connects.
“We can’t wait until the morning to get over the border. We are twenty minutes away and need clearance now.”
18
My fingers dig into the seat at my sides as I watch Ringo through the windscreen, talking to the border cops. The headlights of the Landy are shining on them like they are on stage under a spotlight.
There’s a lot of hand gestures from Ringo and one of the cops, like they are arguing, before the other cop takes out his phone and makes a call.
“W-what’s happening?” Daniel croaks from the back of the car, and I jerk at the sound of his voice, having forgotten he was even there.
“Don’t talk to me,” I snap, feeling way too emotional right now, because fuck him, I hate that I felt bad for him.
Bloodybad.
Badbecause he was being raped. Because someone was showing him exactly what it’s like to be brutally used like that.
I should be revelling in his misery, but instead, I feelbad.
And queasy.
Just thinking about it makes me want to puke.
“I-I’m s-sorry, A-Abbey.” He coughs. “F-for what I d-did.”
I clench my teeth so tightly that I fear they are about to crumble any second, because fuck him. Fuck him foronlyfeeling bad after it’s happened to him.
He should have felt bad back when it was happening. Or, better yet, not even considered doing it.
But he did.
And he did it so easily.
But Ringo is right. We can’t change the past. It’s happened, and we need to focus on what’s coming.
“Your apology is too late. I don’t need it anymore. I just need this to be over.”
My voice is lifeless as I speak, the part of me tied to the trauma he caused already shutting down.
She’s done. She’s checking out. She’s ready to move on.
It’s a little hard though when the instigator of your gang rape is bleeding from his butt in the back of the car.
Shit… why did Smitty do that?
My lids fall closed as I fight for control over the tears that want to fall again.
So much pain. So much loss. So much blood.
