Page 103 of A Hurt So Good

“No, you won’t.”

“Why not?” Now, she pulls away from me, looking at me like I’m crazy.

“No one is coming to visit me while I’m there,” I tell her. She looks to the others, but we’ve already discussed this. I don’t want them to see me like that. I don’t want them to come.

“Why the hell not?” she snaps, climbing off the lounge chair.

“Because I said no, little bird.”

“I’ll show up anyway.”

“And I’ll deny the visit.”

“Why would you do that to me?”

“I’m doing it for you,” I tell her.

“How is denying me the right to see you for me? That makes no fucking sense, War!”

“Listen, when I first go in, I can’t go straight to killing your dad. It’s going to take time, and until he’s dead, no one can see you there, little bird. It’s not safe.”

“And what about after?”

“No. I’ve made my decision, and it’s no. No one is coming to visit. Not you, not my brothers, not my dad.”

“This is fucked up, War! We’re your family!”

“Goddamn right, you are! And that is never going to change,” I growl at her.

“And you two are what? Just letting this go?” She turns her attention to the other two now, anger and fire dancing in her pretty blue eyes.

“He’s a grown-ass man, Arya. If he says no, then the answer is no,” Denz tells her before she looks at Harlon.

“And you?”

“I’ve tried to talk some sense into him. I told him it was a bad idea, but like Denz said, he’s a grown man and makes his own choices.”

“I can’t believe you three. Have you once thought about what this is going to do Sasha and me? Or does it even matter to you?” Fuck, she’s angry as hell, and I’d love nothing more than to bend her over and fuck the anger out of her, but now isn’t the time.

“I have thought about it. And I think it’s best if you two don’t see me. Shit’s going to happen in there, little bird, and I don’t want you to see me that way.”

“What shit?”

“Come on, Arya! You know how prison works,” Denz snaps at her. She lowers her gaze because she does know. She’s not a stupid girl.

“And you think I care what you look like? No. I just need to see you, War! I need to know that you’re okay.”

“I get it, I do, but we’re not going to do that. Don’t argue with me on this. You’re not going to like the outcome.” Arya huffs out a breath and walks off toward the pool house. We all keep an eye on her as she sits with her back to it and slides down, pulling her knees up to her chest.

“I didn’t think it would be this bad,” Harlon says.

“Me either. You know I fucking hate it, right?” I ask them. They have to know I hate the idea of leaving them.

“We know, War. And if you want to back out and come up with something else, we’re all for it,” Denz tells me.

“No. There is no backing out now. I’m doing this for her. She fucking deserves peace after everything that’s happened to her,” I tell them. They nod, agreeing with me, but I know they don’t agree with me doing what I’m going to do.

“We just need you back in one piece, War,” Harlon states.

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