Page 73 of Pretty Broken Things

“What have they done?” I gasp.

Tracy’s eyes well with tears. “They keep her drugged most of the time. I tried to get away when I couldn’t talk her into leaving Kyle, and to punish me he did this.” She waves her hand in Lydia’s direction. “Sometimes I think she’s the lucky one. She has no idea what is going on. Even when she’s awake, she’s not really there.”

“I don’t feel comfortable handing Raven over to these assholes,” I admit. “That would be like choosing a different person to die, and there’s no guarantee they’ll let us leave.”

Tracy bites her lip. “I don’t think they will. They—”

I grab her arms, and hold her steady. I don’t think she even realizes she’s shaking. “What do they do, Trace?”

The tears that have been filling her eyes spill over. “They share us like we’re party favors. Even Lydia isn’t safe from it. Some of these sick fuckers like the fact she’s practically comatose. I just hope we can manage to get out of here. I want them to die. I’ve never wished anyone dead before. Not even my piece of shit father.”

I thought I was afraid when Poppy pulled a gun on me, but knowing what is in front of me sends pure terror through my system.

“Why did they need me, Trace? If all they want is someone to talk to Ford, you could have done that. Hell, he’d probably listen to you. He’s blocked my phone number.”

“Jesse has class with Raven and Sin. He has overheard bits and pieces, and put together that there’s some kind of tension between you and them. He’s hoping to use you to lure Sin, whoever that is, away from Raven long enough for his cousin Kyle to get her alone. It all sounds so stupid to me, but Kyle is fucking delusional. He’s convinced that Sin is keeping her from him, and that if he can get her alone they’ll be able to run off together.”

I snort. “Good luck. Those two are obsessed with each other.”

“So you didn’t hook up with him then?”

My eyes open wide, and I bite my lip. “How do you know any of that? I highly doubt any of them have said anything about it where someone could overhear.”

“It was an educated guess,” Jesse says from the doorway.

I look at Tracy accusingly, but she shakes her head. Silently she’s telling me she’d never betray me like that. I hope I read her right, because I need an ally here.

He strolls casually into the room. “I’ve been watching all of you for a while. I thought about fucking with you when Ford first took my position on the football team.”

“You mean when you lost it because you raped a cheerleader?” I snap.

Jesse backhands me, and I fall to the floor. The metallic tang of blood fills my mouth. I should be more careful, but I won’t let this douchebag break me. I’m already in pieces, and they are jagged. If he wants to play with me, he’s going to get cut on the shards.

“Like I was saying,” he continues as if he hadn’t just assaulted me, “I saw how obsessed with you Ford was when you first got back. I was going to play with that pretty little blonde, but he cast her aside pretty quickly when you showed up. Then, color me surprised when Raven and Sin show up. Suddenly Ford’s following her around like a trained dog, and you are history. I figured either he’s bored with you and smitten with Mrs. Sinclair, or you hooked up with the newly shackled Sin.”

I scoot back, trying to put some space between us. “What exactly do you expect me to do? I’m not exactly Sin and Raven’s favorite person. Ford’s either for that matter. I can’t get you close to them.”

“In a few days Kyle and I are going to throw a party. I already know how to get Raven there. I’m not stupid enough to think she won’t bring her entourage. You and Poppy will distract Sin while Kyle and I separate Raven from her guard dogs.”

“Oh, and another thing. Try to warn them, and the next dose of sedatives Lydia gets will be lethal. Poppy isn’t just there to distract Sin. She’s going to be watching you. Play your part, or people are going to get hurt.”

He bends down and grabs my arm roughly. Fear floods my body as he starts to pull me out of the room. “Until then, I’m going to amuse myself with you.”

I really start to struggle now. I know it’s useless, I can’t see a single way I’m getting out of this, but my instincts have taken over.

He smiles wider the more I fight. “I love it when they fight. I might not even drug you this time.”

I scream for help, knowing none will come, but my mind refuses to give in yet. He laughs as he drags me down the stairs and into a bedroom I assume is his.

I start to understand why Tracy says that Lydia is lucky for not knowing what is happening. Those pieces I didn’t think could break anymore—they’re nothing more than powder now. After this, I’ll never put myself together again.

ChapterThirty-Two

Tessa

I survivethree days of pure hell, or shit maybe it’s been a week. It’s not like I’m keeping track anymore. I’m bruised everywhere, except a small fading bruise on my cheek from when he backhanded me. My lip is still split, but it’s starting to heal. The door opens, and I don’t even bother to cover myself.

I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve been violated. It hasn’t just been Jesse either. After a while their faces all blurred together. My tears have long since dried up. I’ve stopped trying to think of ways to get out of here, and instead I’ve been thinking of other ways to escape. I think he’s noticed where my thoughts have gone, because anything I could use to hurt myself has been removed from my reach.

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