Page 63 of Mastered By Lust

I want to punch Layton for touching my sister, but he’s actually keeping her out of trouble right now, so I let it go.

Patrick laughs. The fucker actually laughs. “A few sprinkles of pixie dust isn’t going to hurt her.”

“That’s what you gave her?” Danica asks.

Why is she still talking to him? I heft Leah in my arms, hoping she’s as comfortable as she can be. “Danica, call the police.”

Ignoring me, Danica says, “Tell me, Patrick, or I swear I’m calling your moms right the hell now. Pixie dust? That’s what you gave her?”

“Yeah, but it isn’t a big deal. Half the people here take it for fun, recreationally?—”

Danica holds up a hand. “I got what I need. Shut up. We’ve been on a 9-1-1 call this entire time. Ambulance and police are on their way.”

That’s why she was talking. She was trying to get him to admit everything.

Sirens wail outside. Flashing lights fill the building. The few remaining bystanders pack up their shit and go. Edmund Layton and his buddy remain next to Danica. They look way too proprietary about her safety. I need to talk to her, soon. Tell her how they’re bad news for her and our family. I’ll need to tell her why, but that’s all coming out tonight, anyway.

“I’m calling Granddad.” Patrick sounds exactly like the whining tween who used to get me in trouble.

I want to get Leah to an ambulance as soon as possible. “You fucking do that, I don’t care.”

“I just texted him,” Danica says. “And your moms, too. They’re on their way.”

Patrick’s face goes pale. He lurches toward Danica, reaching for her phone.

But Layton’s friend steps in front of her. His arms are loose at his side, deceptively at ease. He’s ready to throw fists. “Don’t even think about it unless you want a repeat of the last time we met.”

Patrick told me Edmond Layton was responsible for his black eye. Sounds like this guy was there, too.

Police enter the building and begin escorting us out. I refuse to let go of Leah until EMTs arrive with a stretcher.

The next hour and a half is filled with strobe lights, questions, and accusations. My entire family shows up—my parents, Patrick’s parents. My cousin Rachel. And Granddad, his usually pale face dark with anger.

EMTs have Leah at the back of an ambulance to check her out. I answer police questions without taking my eyes off her. The good sign is that her eyes are open and she seems to be sitting up on her own.

Patrick’s moms hold each other and cry as an officer cuffs him and leads him to a patrol car.

Layton and his friend disappeared as soon as the police and ambulance arrived. Before they left, they made sure Danica was standing close to me and nowhere near Patrick.

The chaos winds down, the emergency vehicles slowly disperse. Leah’s with the EMTs, answering an officer’s questions.

Granddad stalks toward Danica and me. His bushy eyebrows are narrowed, his blue eyes flashing with fury. “Your own family. You called the policeon your own family.”

“He assaulted Leah!” Danica doesn’t point at Leah in the ambulance, but Granddad glares over at her, anyway.

“I don’t care what he did,” Granddad says.

Danica stares at him in shock.

My spitfire of a sister is the one out of all of us who would be most likely to explode in anger. She’s the most likely to tell anyone and everyone exactly what sharp object they can shove in their ass and what direction they should spin it. She teases Granddad constantly, always putting a toe into the territory of disrespect. And she’s the one he forgives before she does it.

“He’s family. You betrayed your family, Danica.” Granddad cuts his gaze to me. “Youbothdid.”

Danica’s eyes fill with tears. She scrubs at her cheeks with the back of her hand, smearing her mascara.

“Howcouldyou?” Aunt Milana hisses, pointing at Danica, then at me.

Aunt Sylvia pulls her into her shoulder.

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