Page 86 of Her Dark Angel

“Go. Now. I won’t ask again.”

It’s taking everything in me not to blow my top. If I’m being honest, the need to fill my nose with so much white powder until I black out for the rest of the night makes my skin itch, desperate for a hit.

You’re stronger than you think.

Axel slides the clear plastic bag into his pocket and holds up his hands in defense, offering me a half-hearted smile. “Okay, Nashie, if you say so. We’re going to the strip club, so if you want to join us, you know where we’ll be.”

The ache in my jaw from how hard my teeth are clenched keeps me from uttering a response. I simply nod my goodbye and wait for them to leave. They cast me one last glance before they turn and walk out of the room.

When the front door closes behind them, I press my palms into my eyes, welcoming the darkness. After everything that has happened today, I feel like I’m losing my goddamn mind.

And it’s all because of the little devil.

You’re stronger than you think.

God, I hope she’s fucking right because as of right now, I have never felt weaker.

29

NASH

1979

16 years old.

“Come on, Nash. Are you sure you can’t hang out for a little longer? Ashley and Nicole said their parents are away this weekend, which means they will have the house to themselves,” Hudson says from beside me, his voice whinier than usual. “I know how into each other you and Ashley are.”

I exhale sharply and jump off my skateboard when my house comes into view. The blue paint on the exterior is starting to chip in spots and the bushes in the front garden are getting so big they almost cover the view of the porch. Thick vines curl up the side of the house like a spiderweb and I’m sure in a few years they’ll reach the roof.

I turn to Hudson. “Hud, you know I can’t stay out too late. What if my parents come home early?”

He jumps off his skateboard, hoists it under his armpit, and flicks the blonde locks hanging from his head over his shoulder. The red paint on the underside of his board is flaking away in some spots, making it appear older when in reality, Hudson’s parents bought it for him three weeks ago. He rides that thing to death. “We both know your parents don’t care either way if you stay out late or not because they don’t care what you do.”

“That’s not the point.” I hate that he’s right. It’s not that I don’t want to go to Ashley and Nicole’s house because believe me, I do. I just don’t want to risk angering my parents if they do catch me out late. “You go and have fun with Luca and Axel, but I want to hear all about it at school on Monday.”

Hudson looks like he wants to say more but he doesn’t. He nods and drops his skateboard on the ground in front of him. “I’m sure Ashley will be disappointed, but I’ll make sure she knows how much you wanted to come but had other plans.”

I smile and walk backward toward the front gate. “And this is why you’re my best friend.”

“Just know that I’ll be thinking about you,” he calls out after me. When I spin around, he shoots me a wink and pretends to kiss the air in front of him. That bastard.

I flip him off, but he just laughs and hops onto his skateboard. I can’t help but laugh too as I watch Hudson ride away on his skateboard down the street and around the corner.

When he disappears out of sight, I turn and unlock the rusted metal gate. It creaks open and slams shut behind me. My eyes watch my sneakers as I walk along the pathway and up the steps to the porch. The front door is unlocked as usual, and when I step inside, I could hear a pin drop with how quiet it is.

Let me guess, Mom is at work and Dad is down at the bar with his friends.

Same old, same old.

With the house all to myself, I can sit in my room and listen to music. Axel gave me a new record from his father since he works in a record store, so I know what I’m doing until I need to go to the kitchen and find something for dinner.

We never have much in the fridge since my parents are never home. My dinners usually consist of white bread and maybe some butter if I’m lucky, or stale chips and cereal. But on really good days, there might be leftovers from a meal Dad cooked the day before. Although, those lucky days are usually rare.

I trudge up the stairs and into my bedroom. Despite being the only one home, I close the door behind me. It’s just a habit at this point.

My backpack lands on the old mattress with a soft thud and I rummage through it to find the record. I smile at the image on the cover of one of my favorite rock bands—Poison. I have been dying to listen to their new record. My dad first introduced me to them when I was eight and would play their songs every chance he got. Rock music is the only thing we have in common.

I waste no time setting up my record player and seconds later, a guitar riff blasts across my room, making me smile. With no one home, I can have the volume as loud as I want.

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