Page 235 of Did They Break You

CORTLAND

“He talk to the cops?”I ask Storm as me and Remi come into the house, her tucked against my side.

His eyes go to Remi, giving her a onceover like he’s inspecting her for damages, before they come back to me.

We finally figured out why the hell Chase had been missing so much school. His mom’s cancer was something it seemed the family wanted to keep quiet. A weakness, just like his charges. But all small towns talk, and all we had to do was listen.

The past three weeks, that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.

“No,” Storm answers me, shifting his gaze to mine. “Told ‘em it was a kitchen fire.” He shrugs, a smirk on his lips. “And it was.”

I nod once, glancing at the stairs, eager to get Remi up there.We have some things to discuss.

Storm clears his throat. “Brinklin is in the guest room. He’s staying the weekend.” He looks at Remi a second, then back to me. “Fall break.”

“All right,” I say slowly, thinking of the shit I need to talk to Remi about.

Storm’s light blue gaze comes to her again, and I feel her stiffen at my side. “Glad you’re okay, little wolf,” he says, then he turns his back on us and heads to the kitchen.

When we get upstairs, walking past Brinklin’s closed door to the guest room, I lock my own door as Remi steps into my room, glancing around before she sits on the bed, her arms wrapped tight around her.

I fold my arms and lean back against my door, watching her. She’s in black EU pants and a matching hoodie. It was the only shit they sold at the hospital gift store, and the nurses had cut her clothes off of her because she’d been too fucked up to cooperate last night when they needed to give her stitches.

“What the fuck have you been doing, Rems?” I ask her quietly, and watch her eyes flash to mine, indignant. “Going to parties? Getting all fucked up?” I glance at her arms, covered by the hoodie. “I mean, the only good thing you’ve done is keep those knives away from your wrists.”

Her entire posture changes. She’s rigid, and her chest heaves with anger. Yeah. She thought I didn’t know about the bullshit she’s been up to.

“You left me,” she snarls.“What the fuck did you think I’d do, Cort?”

I shake my head, thinking of Chase’s hands in her hair last night. On her thigh. My blood boils all over again.

“Wait for me, that’s what I thought you’d fucking do.”

She stands, but I can tell she feels a little dizzy as she stumbles back, plopping back on the bed. Despite her fluids from the hospital last night, she must not be feeling quite like herself yet.

I bite back my smirk, but just barely.

“You told me this wouldn’t work.”

I nod. “Yeah, do you know why?”

“Well I do now.” Her fingers are still clenched tight around her phone, and she narrows her eyes. “But if you’dtold meChase’s dad had shot at you, I?—”

“You’d be pissed off, and stick around, and I didn’t want you to fucking get hurt, baby.”

She blinks, some of the anger clearing from her expression.

“He shot a gun at my head,” I continue, thinking about how good it felt to shove my forearm against his fucking throat. “Chase set fire to your dorm. I couldn’t let any of that shit happen anymore.” I rake my hand through my hair, knocking my head back against the door. “Do you have any fucking idea how much I missed you?”

She makes an exasperated sound. “Youleft me.”

“I know,” I tell her, closing my eyes.

“And you didn’t return my calls or my texts.”

I dip my chin, opening my eyes as I stare at the vulnerability in hers. “I know, baby. I’m sorry.” I come closer to her, standing between her thighs, just like I was that first night I took her here to my house.

But this time, she’s not drunk, and I’m not taking advantage of her.

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