Page 35 of Treacherous

"Screw you, Carter," Jason snarled, jerking out of his seat, red-faced and fuming.

"No thanks, dude, I like pussy," Colt shot back with a teaspoon in his mouth as he tore the cover off his yoghurt.

"Ugh. Christ, Colt, I'm trying to eat here," Cameron groaned before tossing a French fry at his brother. Colt caught it mid-air with his mouth and chewed with relish.

"What's up with him?" Ash, who'd just joined our table, asked, pointing at Jason as he stalked out of the cafeteria.

"It's his time of the month," Colt mumbled before putting a spoonful of yoghurt into his mouth and groaning in pleasure. "Mmm," he purred. "This is the first half-decent thing I've eaten since yesterday."

"Are you dieting, Colton?" Ash teased.

"More like protecting the lining of his stomach," Cam scoffed before explaining. "Mom cooked us a casserole before she and dad left for Vegas – and she put four more in the freezer."

All three Carter siblings shuddered.

"Poor Logan," Hope mused. "He needs to learn…"

"Excuse me."

A tall, curvaceous red-head stood at our table looking obnoxiously smug. I immediately recognized her from Ellie's gaggle of geese. I think her name was Rice or Reese or something like that.

"Yes?" I responded in a tone as equally condescending as she'd used.

"You own the red car in the parking lot, right?"

"I'm sure there's more than just one red car parked outside, but yes," I replied drolly, knowing full well she knew exactly what car I drove.

"You may want to lookonyour car." She narrowed her eyes and smirked spitefully at me. "Looks like someone really did a number on it."

Dropping the spoon I was using to stir my coffee with, I shoved my chair back and stood up.

"And you wouldn’t happen to know who that someone is, would you?" I snarled as I stormed past her towards the door, not waiting to hear her answer.Goddammit, I'd only replaced the tires. What the hell had they done now?

I knew the Carters and Ash were following me – I could hear them calling my name – and probably half the school, but I didn’t care. A really bad feeling had settled in the pit of my stomach and I broke into a run when I reached the front door of the school, stumbling down the steps in my rush to get to the parking lot.

When I reached the back of my car I was out of breath and panting. My car looked fine, the same as it usually did. I checked the back tires before walking around to check on the front ones.

Something on the hood of my car caught my eye and I glanced upwards. When I realized what was lying on top of my car, strings burst, wooden body smashed to pieces, a scream ripped from my throat.

"Shit," I heard someone say from behind me.

"Teagan," Hope said as she slipped her arm around me. I shrugged her off. I did not want to be touched or consoled right now.

Martin…my guitar, the last thing my mother had ever given me…all I had left of my mother…destroyed, smashed into pieces.

Anger fused through my body. I swear I could feel my heart cracking into pieces. This was so unfair.

All I had left of her…

I didn’t need Rice or Reese or whatever the hell her name was to tell me who did this. I already knew.

I left Martin on the porch this morning…

I forgot to bring him inside…

"Son of a bitch," I screamed before grabbing what was left of my broken guitar and turning around, glaring at the crowd of students who were standing around watching me. I didn’t care about any of their faces. I only cared about finding one face and when I found it my lip curled up menacingly.

"Are you proud of yourself?" I demanded as I stalked towards where Noah was leaning against a car with his arms folded.

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