Page 5 of Beautiful Dark Temptation

“Nothing,” I said. “I had meant to eatdirt.”

He growled again. Mad Dog growling was ascary thing too. “You’re going to graduate in the summer, thenattend Arcadia University in the fall. Get a real education.”

I snorted. Stupid name for a stupid school.“I ain’t gonna pass no test to get in.”

“There is no test to get in. You’re in.”

A school with no test made no sense. “I’mnot smart.”

“Well, you’re not stupid,” he snapped. “Igot your transcripts. You did well in math.”

“I don’t read good.” Daniel helped me withthat, but I didn’t say that out loud. “I’m not smart like Nick.Nick was the smart one. Why don’t you go help Nick?” My brotherNick was younger than me by two months and we were the only Moyaboys alive now. Well, he was because I was a fucking Brennan. Iclenched my hands until they hurt.

“Nick doesn’t need the help. He’s going tobe fine. You’re going to spend the summer catching up, graduatehigh school, and enter the university in the fall.”

I never thought of going to college. Thathad been Nick’s dream, not mine. “Your brothers are going to killme for what I did.”

He sighed. “They’re not going to findout.”

“But the guards—”

“Are lucky to still have jobs. They shot me.Not you.”

I snorted a laugh. “That’s fucked up.”

After a moment, Mad Dog chuckled too.“Fucked up that a punk ass got the drop on me.”

“I could’ve killed you.”

“Yes, you could’ve.”

“Bullets cost more than fifty cent now,” Isaid laughing like an idiot. “You lucky I didn’t have enough moneyfor ‘em bullets or we both be dead.”

We both started to laugh. It was the type ofnervous laugh you do when you find out someone you care about gotshot while cleaning his gun but will survive. Sort of relieved andconfused at the same time.

I had told Mad Dog that I couldn’t affordthe bullets, but that had been a lie. I hated him, wanted him dead,but I knew I’d never be able to pull that trigger. I don’t knowwhy. I’d never killed anyone before. Maybe I had thought himknowing he killed another unarmed kid would keep him up at night. Ihadn’t expected him to take a bullet for me. No one done thatbefore.

The laughing died down. Coldplay on theradio became the only sound in the car. The winding road seemed togo on forever. Nothing but mountains and trees. I’d never been outof Chicago. Indiana didn’t count. “Where are we?”

“New York. This area is part of theAdirondack Mountains. The university is a private institution inthese mountains.”

I scratched my nose. “They’re going to throwme out. I’m not smart. I don’t learn like other kids.”

“They have a small medical facility whereyou can get your meds. And they won’t throw you out.”

“How do you know?”

“Because no one gets thrown out.”

“That’s stupid. So if I punch a kid in theface for no damn reason, they won’t throw me out?”

“No. But don’t go starting troubleeither.”

“So it’s like a prison.”

Mad Dog got all silent. The way he got whenhe was pissedandthinking. “Listen,” he finally said. “Thisis your only option right now unless you want to go back to yourmom.”

“As a fuckingBrennan?” I spat out.“You made it impossible for me to go back, you asshole.”

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