Page 48 of Shattered
“Fine.” I crossed my arms. “Take care of yourself.”
I had thought we were the same size, but she was an inch or two taller, at least in heels. She sneered down at me, using that height to her advantage.
“You think you’ve got talent because you can paint some clothes? My friend’s kindergartener has more talent than you.”
Do not mess with my fragile ego. Not when it comes to my art. I clenched my fists.
“I doubt you have any friends,” I muttered.
“Oh, because you think Iris likes you?” She laughed. “Go to hell, slut. She’s not your friend. She’ll backstab you just like everyone else.”
My heart swelled, constricting in my chest. Haley flashed in my mind. I had thought we were friends. Sisters, like how it was with Iris and Teagen. And yet I hadn’t heard from her since Aldrich’s death. She was gone.
There was a chance that Dahlia had forbidden her from speaking to me, but it still hurt.
“You think because you have clientele and connections that you’ll do better than me?” Kendall said, lowering her shoulders and getting into my face. I took a step backward. “Don’t worry, slut. I’m new but I will stake my claim. I’ll start by taking that money bag that’s staring at me, admiring my figure.”
I didn’t see who it was. I didn’t care.
“Get out of my face,” I hissed.
“What? You won’t do anything. You’re just a scared little bitch like Iris. I’ll fuck her up, and I’ll fuck you up, and I’ll—” Saliva landed on my cheek. I blinked slowly. Holding it in. The anger filled me to the brim.
And when Kendall saw my restraint, she hawked back and spit on me. On purpose.
Everything flashed white.
The next thing I knew, my hand hurt like I had broken through a brick wall. I held my crumpled fist in my other hand, staring at it. Kendall grasped the side of her red face, blinking at me.
Then she lurched forward, grabbing my shoulders.
I didn’t hold back after that. I didn’t think. I simply existed, letting the actions roll out from my body. The pain in my knuckles. In my cheek. The way my chest palpitated and my whole body cringed as I ripped out her hair.
Right as I lifted a palm full of blond crimpy strings, Jake yanked me off of Kendall, and I took one last thrash, pulling more out. I looked around wildly, realizing for the first time that there was a group hovering around us, but the only one I noticed was Garrett. He was staring at me. Watching me without any emotion.
No disgust. No contempt. No hatred. I was a specimen behind glass. A subject to observe.
Fights like this sometimes happen at the Dahlia District, usually over a club member’s lack of loyalty. I knew that once we cooled down, Dahlia would make us apologize to each other, with the threat of increased interest to our debts looming over us. And until then, neither of us would be allowed in the same room together.
I went to find Garrett, but he was talking to Kendall, his eyes gleaming like she was telling him a juicy secret. The damn traitor.
In the Greenhouse, I washed my face, the paint coming down in streaky blotches. I didn’t care about saving my appearance. What was the point? I had tried to warn Kendall. I had tried to treat her with respect, and it had blown up in my face. I pulled a pair of cheeky booty shorts and a matching bikini top over the smeared paint on my skin. Maybe itwasbetter to eliminate threats like Rourke did. I didn’t want Jake to die, but I could see why Rourke resorted to violence. Kendall wasn’t going to listen to the warnings. How else could any of us protect her? How would she protect herself?
Dahlia found me in the dressing room and shook her head in long waves.
“I expect better than this from you, Mel,” she said. “We knew Kendall had a bit of a problem, but you?” She lifted a brow. “You’re better than this.”
But was I really? I had thrown the first punch. I was the one who couldn’t take the verbal battle. I was the one who had uncontrollable rage when my parents kicked me out.
Maybe it was my fault.
“I’m going to bump up your total debt,” she said as she turned to leave.
“I’d rather be on penalty, cleaning bathrooms,” I snarked.
She shook her head. “It’ll be more of a punishment to force you two to work together.”
And more profitable for Dahlia. I held my forehead, closing my eyes, begging this to be a dream and not my living nightmare. I needed today to be over so I could start over again. Start fresh.
