Page 67 of Sunshine & Ink

Anyone who made her look like that was in trouble

“They’ll pay a lot if we can somehow capture him and bring him in. Enough for us to get a really nice house. Don’t you want to be more than Sunni Twenty-Four? We could be Leo and Sunday Nine or even Ten.”

Oh, this fucker

“I knew I should have killed him,” I grunted to Teacher.

Was Sunni going to agree to turn me in to the Elders? Frankly, I would have fucking deserved it. I had betrayed her trust and, despite what I had said, I knew there was a very real possibility I could keep her with me for life but she would never forgive me.

I would never stop trying, though.

But my little Sunni was tapping her toes impatiently.

“How can you even contemplate doing that? His actions have weakened the Elders! That’s what wewant.”

“Grow up, Sunni. This is how the world works. You are not a child anymore, and if you want me to stick around and be a father toyourchild, you will cut this goddamn ridiculous fantasy about undermining the Elders.”

Shit

Leo was a fucking low-down skunk. I might personally think Willow and Elise were annoying with all their woo-woo shit, but they’ve been good to Sunni.

Besides, if anyone is going to tell her what to do, it’ll beme.

“I thought you believed in the same things as I did,” she said. “I thought we agreed that the system is screwed up. I thought we both wanted better.”

“I do want better. For you and me. Not all of your friends. I’ve been offered a new position with the Elders, and it’ll mean a huge increase in our water allowance. You can move in immediately and we can get started with our new life together.”

Sunni started backing away.

“No. No! How can you even suggest such a thing? Have you forgotten I’m married to Raker! Willow and Elise could get in trouble, too! Maybe even go to jail?”

“I can protect them.”

“You can’t be sure. You can’t possibly know that. And what about Raker?”

“What about him? You seem pretty fucking concerned about him for someone who is supposed to hate him!”

My fingers tightened on the tracker, outside noises fading until all I heard was the rushing of air in my ears, everything compressing my lungs.

“Just shut up. I’m not delivering him to the Elders.”

“Him or me, Sunni?”

She started backing away from him then.

“I refuse to play your games. We are through.”

Shit, I’ll take it

“Reject me?” Leo snarled. “I’ll make sure you regret that, Sunni. Both you and your bastard child. I’ll make sure the Elders know about your disobedience. You’ll be dropped down to the lowest water restrictions possible after they know what’s been going on here.”

He left in a little bitch fit, slamming the door of his little sporty car and riding off.

Where the fuck was he going? Nowhere good. Now I wanted her to call me and ask for help.

Come on, Sunni

I watched her on the screen, my eyes narrowed.

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