Page 43 of Filthy Savage

“I will.” Dragging a breath, I start out of the car.

Once the door closes, I head up the stairs while she waits for me to get inside. The neighborhood isn’t the best. It’s great for Mom, though. She can easily buy crack on the corner.

A pang hits my chest as I enter through the door, waving at Emily before I face her.

Will I always live here? Never having anything better?

Shaking my head, I steel my spine and head past the foyer with its yellow paint peeling. The landlord was supposed to fix it months ago, and he still hasn’t come around. Guess I’ll have to call him again.

“Max!” I glance around for him.

He usually runs right up to me. Wonder if he’s sleeping upstairs.

“Max!”

“Stop yelling.”

Mom shuffles in, her white shirt stained with spots of brown, her dark hair a disheveled mess, like she hasn’t brushed it for weeks—which she probably hasn’t. Her red-streaked eyes are glassy and spaced out as she tries to maintain her attention on me. She scratches the side of her dark hair, and I hate that I look like her.

“Where’s Max? Have you fed him while I was away?”

It was only three days, but knowing her, I have to ask.

She snickers. “He ain’t here.”

All the blood rushes out of my body. “Wh-what? Where is he?”

She shrugs.

“Max!” Moisture forms in my eyes. “What did you do to him? Max!” A sob escapes.

Her laugh only enrages me.

“You think if you yell, he’ll magically appear or something?” She rolls her eyes. “He ran out of the gate. You know there’s a hole there. It’s your problem you never got it fixed.”

When she starts to walk away, I grab her arm, my heart shattering into pieces. “You’re the parent! I’m the child!” Tears stream down my face and my body trembles. “You were supposed to watch him when he went out! That’s what I told you to do.”

I never should’ve gone away, but Xander insisted I go to the engagement party, and now Max is gone!

She flings my hand away. “Don’t fucking touch me, you ungrateful little bitch! Next time, get your mutt a sitter. I ain’t his keeper.”

“When did he run away?” I holler, my blood pumping faster in my ears.

He can’t be gone! Not Max!

I let out another sob. Maybe there’s a chance he’s still close. If he hears me calling for him, he’ll come.

“I don’t know. Sometime during the first day you left.”

“Oh my God,” I whisper, my vision blurring, my throat going dry.

He could be anywhere. Someone could’ve taken him. There are people here who use dogs for dog fighting.

“No!” I break down, while she struts away as though she didn’t just send him to a death sentence.

Wish it was her instead.

“Don’t cry.” Emily grips me tight, though she’s crying too. She loved Max. “I can’t believe she didn’t look for him or anything. My God, what an evil bitch.”

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