Page 217 of Anger

“Plus, she’s also got a hell of a right hook,” I add, rubbing my jaw where the bruise had been after I broke into her apartment.

“I taught her that,” Kane says, grinning at his sister.

We grow quiet for a second, but then Kane breaks the silence. “When are you planning on coming home again to see Mom?”

Blue attempts to toss out an excuse, but I speak over her.

“Tomorrow,” I answer, intentionally ignoring Blue’s stare that is burning holes in the side of my face.

It’s just one last secret I haven’t told her.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Kane says.

It’s not that I want to torture Blue by forcing her to do something she doesn’t want, but in the past week that we’ve been telling secrets, I came to a conclusion that is difficult to ignore.

Much like I had to talk about my past in order to heal from it, I decided that the only way to finally stop Blue from running is to help her stand still long enough to face, understand, and accept her past.

Amélie

“Why does the Inferno own Myth?”

Bright sunlight pours into the car from outside the windshield, the light causing Damon’s amber eyes to shimmer like gold.

I’ve spent countless nights gazing into Damon’s eyes as I’ve listened to his whispered confessions of what was done to him and his brother.

Somehow, looking at him makes it easier to hear the horrors of what was done. Touching him and knowing he’s healed and whole drives away the panic and fear.

The twins were used as unwilling participants in a scheme to make money— not only for their father but for the rest of the Inferno fathers as well.

When he told me the secrets that were locked away in the darkest confines of his mind, I cried for him but then told him all the ways I planned on killing each and every one of their dads with dull instruments — slowly and as painfully as possible.

It’s too bad Damon’s father died in a car accident.

That bastard deserved so much worse.

“Granger hasn’t been bothering you, has he? Buying Myth was the way we made that happen. His first meeting with Tanner, Gabe and me made it quite clear what would happen if he bothered another dancer. We’re not actually done with the reckoning owed to Granger, but that’s for another night. That son of a bitch laid a hand on my girl, and for that, I plan to lay hands on him.”

I smile at that but turn my head to hide my reaction.

Besides Kane, I’ve never had anybody else in my life who defended me, much less bought an entire ass club to protect me. Life was always my problem to solve, regardless of the stupid ways I chose to deal with it.

My hustling days are over.

Well…kind of.

Minor hustles are fine when I’m trying to convince Damon to go along with what I want.

“So you all bought the club? Just for that? Why didn’t you tell me? Why did I have to hear it from Kane? It’s just another damn secret—“

“One I apologize for. I should have told you. I was just trying to find the right time. There was a lot going on.”

“And it slipped your mind? That’s kind of a big deal, Damon.”

“I started the process of buying the club the night I showed up, and we agreed to be each other’s home.”

Glancing away from the road, he captures my eyes. “The night we agreed to be each other’s escape when we need it.”

“But how?”

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