Page 76 of Vulnerate

“He’s already fucked you. Do you actually think he’ll come back?”

My tongue doesn’t move.

Why can’t I argue with her? Shout my own foul shit when I can do it with other people easily, as though I’m still seeking some familial tie when it died long before my parents did. Carly doesn’t deem me worthy of her attention as she looks around the space and I can see her calculating my net worth before she even makes her demand.

“I need money.”

“I’ll pay for you to get clean,” I say, projecting false authority, “but I’m not giving you cash.”

All the money I have has been worked for. As soon as I restarted my commissions I never took a cent from tio and paid my way while living with him. He doesn’t need the money and he’s kept it in an account if I ever need it. But I’ll swallow my pride and ask him for the money if it means getting her the help she needs. More than just drugs, she needs therapy to work through whatever has made her such a horrible person. If having our parents affection is what caused her bitterness, I’m glad they neglected me. It was a better parenting plan than the one she got.

She tilts her chin in the air and gestures to her immaculate appearance. “Clean? Do I look dirty to you?”

No. She’s as put together as ever but she’s also high and keeps twitching her nose. Answering her question with one of my own, I stay out of touching distance.

“How could you sell your own child?”

Bile burns the back of my throat when she sighs and gives the wrong answer to a question that would never have a right one.

“I know, I should have said more than fifty grand. I was young and naive thinking it was a lot of money. But he paid more for you than he did the brat. It was fun watching him get angry and he’d just scream the same question.” She moves her hands mimicking a mouth and her voices comes out whiny, “Where’s Dani? Dani this. Dani that.”

Every syllable leaving her mouth is worse than the last.

“He actually thought I was you, he kept saying how much he loved you when he was fucking your sister.”

She laughs and I’m dying. She’s so fucked up it isn’t comprehendible, and anger burns through me at her next question.

“Does it ask about me?”

It. Not he or what’s his name. She called Viktor, the sweetest little boy, anit. I grab the closest thing to me, and the turntable flies through the air. My tone hardens becoming deadly and not matching one I’ve used before.

“Do not fucking speak about him.” My fight appears, promising violence if she tries to call my bluff as I take a step closer with my fists balled. “If you even try to get close to him, I’ll kill you myself.”

She’s toxic, infecting everything around her. Viktor doesn’t deserve to be dragged into her bullshit.

Carly doesn’t even flinch and laughs thinking I’m not serious. Choosing to speak her language, I offer, “I’ll give you all the money I have as long as you stay away.”

She can snort it or shoot it into her veins for all I care, because there’s only one person who deserves protection. Viktor’s innocent and good, too young to have his world ripped apart by her lies.

THIRTY

Valentin

I’m grinning ear to ear as I go back to my girl. I have the sudden urge to whistle. My Dani finally understands that she’s that, mine. It drops hearing her begging, “I’ll give you all the money I have as long as you stay away.”

If those fuckers have got her involved in their shit I’ll pull everything away from them and start a war that’s deadlier than they’ve ever fucking seen.

Keeping my steps silent, I stick to the shadows and listen out for any of their twisted family to join. The Courts don’t do shit alone, they’re all crazy, and it used to be respectable before they involved my girl in their games. A feminine laugh bounces off the walls, it’s erratic and high pitched and lead drops in my stomach recognizing the bitches voice.

“Look at that, I managed to sell the same thing twice.”

Everything dims under my rage. Charging forward, I flick my knife open and grab the bitter cunt by the hair and yank her back. She screeches as the blade presses into her neck and fear sinks through herintoxication causing her to stumble to her knees. My voice is deadly, and I stand on her ankle pressing my full body weight into the joint.

“I told you last time what I’d do if I ever fucking saw you again.”

She’s too high to recall the conversation and looks ahead for help. A red line appears as I press the blade deeper into her skin and her nails scrape against my hands trying to get me away.

Her screeching gets my attention. “Dani, help. I’m your sister.”

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