Page 1 of Breaking Boston

PROLOGUE

BOSTON

The sound of the rain hitting the roof wakes me up from another chaotic nightmare.

I can hear my foster parents yelling again, and as I sit up, I hear Lux yelling back. It's always a fight with them, but usually Donovan joins in.

I grab the only thing I have that reminds me of my parents—a journal—and open it to the last page I was on.

Reading it gives me strength. Knowing some of the things my mom and dad went through makes me feel closer to them. Thirteen is a hard age to master, and I'm finding that out every day. But reading my mom's words helped me through a lot of things my foster parents should've.

If Debbie and Bobby found out I had it, they'd take it and burn it right in front of me. For foster parents, they're evil, not a loving bone in their body.

Hearing something crash, glass shattering to the floor, I quickly hide the journal under my mattress and take a deep breath before standing up.

Lux is still yelling, his voice filled with anger and frustration. I know I should intervene—to try and calm the situation downas much as I can. But Debbie will take her anger out on me like she's done so many times before.

Just thinking about it makes the scars on my body burn, sending a rush of heat and pain all throughout me.

"Where is it, you little thief?"Bobby yells, the sound of a slap echoes all the way up here.

"I didn't take your shit, Bobby!"Lux yells, his voice cracking, dripping with anger.

Despite the fear and uncertainty that clouds my mind, I slowly walk towards the source of the commotion, steeling myself for whatever may come, hiding on the staircase where I can see everything.

After some more yelling and hitting, I hear Bobby storm off, slamming the front door behind him. I run down the stairs in a panic, praying to a God I don't believe in that Lux is alright.

As I enter the room, I catch Lux's freshly bruised eye and see the raw emotions in his expression; the pain in his liquid blue eyes. I can't help but feel a surge of empathy for him.

We may not be related by blood, but we share the same pain of being trapped in this oppressive household, where abuse of all forms is an everyday occurrence for us.

I place a hand on his shoulder and whisper, "Are you alright, Lux?"

His blue eyes shift, turning to ice as they meet mine, and for a moment, I see a glint of darkness within them. His dimples pop as he cracks a small smile, his lip bloody from another one of Bobby's punches.

"I'm fucking golden, Boston," he says in a painful whisper, his eyes welling with tears. But they never fall. He puts on a brave face, trying to stay composed for me.

But I know he's masking something dark, something sinister…andhe'll never tell me.

We may not have much, but in each other, we have a bond that can't be broken—a bond that transcends the harsh reality of our daily lives. And with that realization, a small flame of determination ignites within me, need and desire coursing through my veins.

"Let's go upstairs, Lux," I whisper, trying to block out the sound of Debbie yelling at Donovan, my heart bleeding for him.

He notices the look on my face, so he cups my cheeks and forces my eyes on his. “D will be okay, trust me. Let me take you upstairs, pretty girl,” Lux growls, dark seduction dripping from his voice. I nod, in a trance as he takes my hand, quickly leading me out of the living room and back upstairs.

Shutting my bedroom door, he runs his shaky hands through his tousled, blonde locks, pacing so much his black Jordans are wearing the carpet down.

"What happened?" I sit on my bed and clutch my blanket; a meaningful gift from my last foster family.

"Bobby is drunk again and thought me and Donovan took his beer. But we didn't, Boston." He looks at me, his eyes fixating on mine. Slowly walking over to the bed, he sits down, grabbing my hand in his.

"Donovan and I are thinking about leaving, pretty girl," he admits, his eyes never leaving mine.

My heart begins to ache, knowing that if they leave, I'll be the target of Bobby and Debbie's rage. Ever since I got to this house, Lux and Donovan took me under their wing, protecting me from the violent assaults they go through day after day. They were older than me by four years, but that never stopped them from trying to protect me. I was their little sister, and they were my big brothers.

"You can't leave, Lux. You can't leave me here alone with them." My voice comes out shaky and fear grips my heart, making my chest tight and painful.

As he sits down beside me, tugging me onto his lap, my bedroom door opens and Donovan walks in, his face bruised and swollen like Lux's. He says nothing as he walks over to the bed, cupping my face in his warm hands. He crashes his lips down on mine, kissing me hungrily. His tongue explores my mouth as I swirl mine around in his, trying to keep up with his movements. Pulling away, he smiles, but the corners of his lips don't reach his hypnotic, green eyes; there's so much pain within them, all caused by the people who are supposed to protect us.

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