Page 62 of Broken Pieces

“Did you miss us, little whore?” Mad taunts loudly and she spins around to face us. I thought he was using that word to belittle her, but I'm starting to think it's a term of endearment for her.

“You don’t need to wear the dumb masks. I know it’s you.Maddox,” she looks straight at him, then at me, “Max.”

“Don’t know who you’re talking about,” Mad says as he plays with the bat, tossing it up into the air and catching it again.

I clutch mine tighter with my weaker hand and try to forget about what I can no longer do. All that matters now is her and making her finally pay for all of this.

“What are you doing out here, sweetheart? It’s not safe,” I say with mock sincerity.

She crosses her arms over her chest and I realize she’s wearing one of Mad’s hoodies. Or it’s at least similar to his. It’s huge on her and she’s got the sleeves rolled up so it doesn’t swamp her.

She’s also wearing a backpack. That’s not unusual for her, but I know she would have come straight here from her dorm.

Was she planning on running away with James tonight?

Then why call out for us like that?

“Violet!” I snap when she doesn’t say anything and she flinches. I never used to raise my voice at her, but there are a lot of things that are different now.

“I…I just wanted us to talk. No more games, just please take the masks off and talk to me,” she says quietly. Then her eyes widen as she finally sees what Mad has behind him.

“Is that James? What have you done to him?” She gasps.

Mad sighs before stalking towards her, with the bat dragging along the ground behind him. The sound echoes around the empty grounds.

“You don’t get to talk,” he says. “You listen and you obey.”

“But Maddox—”

He points the bat straight at her face, leaving barely an inch between her and it.

“No, the only begging you’ll do is at our feet. You know that's where you want to be, where you'remeantto be.”

“Max, please, make him listen. I’m sorry, okay! I never meant—”

“Don’t make things worse for yourself, Violet.” Her apology is a punch to the gut and I don’t want to hear it.

“Max?” She sighs in defeat, her brows knitting together as she looks between us.

“Are you going to be good now and do what we say?” Mad asks, softer this time and we wait in tense silence for her answer.

“Tell me what you plan on doing with him first.” She nods towards James’ unconscious body on the ground.

“How about you tell us whatyouwere doing with him?” Mad lifts her chin with the bat so her eyes don’t leave us.

“Nothing! He’s the one that won’t leave me alone.”

I tilt my head as I try to figure out if she’s telling the truth.

It was a slap in the face the first time I saw her talk to him and it’s hurt every time I’ve seen them together since.

I walk up to her and bend down until my masked face is barely an inch from hers, but she doesn’t flinch away.

Liar, my mind screams at me.She's lying.

“Grab him,” I order Mad as I grab hold of her, twisting her arms behind her back and marching her towards the flagpole out the front of the campus. “There’s more rope in the bag, strip him and tie him to it.”

After I toss him the bag, Mad doesn’t hesitate in following my instructions.

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