Page 69 of Ravaged
CHAPTER 21
Teagen
One of my pet peeves was when people tip-toed around my feelings, walking on eggshells, as if the wrong word might set me off into a pit of despair. Sometimes, club members did this at the Dahlia District. My optimism was intimidating; they never thought I could handle anything negative.
Despite our situation, Ethan tip-toed around me. Acted as if he pitied me. As if there was ever a question about what my ultimate fate was. I was a debt being collected. I was meant to die. So why couldn’t he face the truth? He needed to stop pretending like he could save me, like he could change the world.
The bathroom door opened and he skimmed over me before he shifted away. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t wearing any panties—just a large shirt—because he wouldn’t let himself indulge. Not with me. Not anymore.
Because Ethan didn’t need me. He never had.
“Say it,” I said. He cocked a brow at me, playing dumb. “You’ve been acting weird since you got those text messages last night.”
“Weird?”
“Yes.” I didn’t have it in me to make jokes anymore. “What’s going on?”
He studied me, his charcoal eyes searching deep within to figure out what I knew. I may have seemed naive, but I wasn’t stupid. I knew what was going on.
“I’m going to die soon,” I said. “Aren’t I?” He gritted his teeth together, then looked away. “Just say it. I’m not going to break.” I took in a harsh breath, then forced out the next words: “I’m not as weak as you think I am.”
He shot a look back at me. “I never once thought you were weak.”
“Then stop trying to save my feelings.”
He held his breath, his dark eyes locked on mine. “Tomorrow morning, we’ll deliver you to the Midnight Miles Corporation.”
“Where’s that?”
“Brackston.”
In Brackston? That was hours away by car. I didn’t know anything about the corporation, only that Dad had stolen the Pink Diamond from them. If that was even true.
“They’re in the mob too, aren’t they?” I asked.
“A different one.” His eyes flashed away, darkening for a moment, then he returned to me. “I’m not sure what they’re planning to do, but I won’t be able to protect you anymore.”
But the meaning was clear. “You think they’re going to kill me, then.”
“Muro wants to punish your father. What better way than to kill his daughter?”
The words sunk into my chest, carving a hole inside of me. I leaned back into the bed, and Ethan put his hand on mine. I left it there.
“This is who I am,” Ethan said. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. “I have to do this. It’s part of being an Adler, showing them that I’m capable of taking over the family business. That I won’t let my—” he paused, “—my personal life get in the way of doing what’s right for the family.”
My heart was sinking, but I knew better. I had always known that my life was different from others. Once we started moving around and I couldn’t stay in school, and then when Dad had sold me to the Dahlia District, intuition told me that I was going to die young. Someone like me doesn’t get to outlive anyone. I knew that I had to make the most of every moment that I had, because I never knew when it might be my last.
And now that moment was finally here.
“I can’t give you a life of freedom,” he said, a pained expression on his face. “If I kept you, you would be stuck as my captive. That’s no way to live.”
“I understand,” I said.
Ethan grimaced, visibly unnerved by my words. “You what?”
The image of Dad popped into my head, right after Mom left us. We’ll be okay, Tea, he said, with tears in his eyes. We’ll look out for each other. She’s not family anymore. But we’re family. You and me. And family always comes first. He ingrained those words into my soul. So I knew where Ethan was coming from. Sometimes you had to make hard decisions to protect those you loved, and family always came first.
“Don’t worry,” I said, forcing a sad smile. “I get it. You’re doing what’s right for your family. No one will judge you for that. Not even me.”
