Page 19 of Consume Me

“I am mad at you, but I still care.”

“Bringing a peace offering? Don’t bother, Abi.”

She tilts her head while I snatch the hook of the heavy bag to keep it from rocking.

“You decided to show your true self?”

“I’m not in the fucking mood. Go to your boyfriend or friends.”

“Wow. So it’s going to be like that?”

I hit the bag again, but she yanks at my elbow, turning me to her.

“I’m talking to you.”

“We’re done talking.”

She throws her arms in the air, huffing. “That’s it, asshole?”

“Yes, simple as that. I told you not to make promises you couldn’t keep.”

“You’re holding that against me? Fine, what about me needing a bit of time to process things?”

“You ready now?”

“Yes.”

“I will never reveal my reason. And I don’t care what either of you think of me. I don’t have a family.”

She hugs herself, avoiding my glance for a moment. “I expected more from you.”

“Don’t expect things from people you know. It would be stupid to expect them from those you don’t.”

Tears glisten in her eyes and she pushes at my chest. It’s better this way. I can take their hate.

“I deserve to know.”

“You deserve? Well, I deserved to be trusted by the people I would die for, yet here we fucking are.”

A small smile grazes her lips. “Thank you. Now I know you’re not a lost cause.”

She takes my hands in hers. All those years of friendship pass before my eyes. When Felix and Caleb tortured Kaden during the initiation, I told my friends I’d do whatever was needed to escape, but when those assholes hurt Abi, I couldn’t stand on the sidelines and wait. I don’t regret it.

“I blame myself for it… for telling you…”

“Stop. I did it because I wanted to.”

“You told me I broke my promise. Here’s one I never could: I love you, Blake, and always will. Come home for good, just…”

I pull her to my chest, and she sobs quietly. “Abi, you’re better off without me.”

“No, I’m not. Tell me, and I promise it will stay between us. I swear to you.”

“I would never taint your soul like that. It has to be like this. Don’t worry about me.”

“I will always worry about you.”

With that, she slips out of the gym. I brace my arm on the punching bag, leaning my forehead against it. Abigail is stubborn as hell. She won’t stop until she finds out. Fuck. If they want to fucking know, I will tell them, but not now. I have a mission first: to find the rats in the Family and eliminate them.

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