Knox

The muscles in my chest draw tight as the driver pulls up to the brown brick building.

This is it.

After pulling my wallet out of my pocket, I hand the driver some cash.

“Thanks.” Smiling, he shakes my hand. “Although I should probably be thanking you, huh?”

Not yet.

Hiking my bag over my shoulder, I step out of the car.

You’ll never amount to anything, you dumb piece of shit.

My father’s voice echoes throughout my head as take in the block letters above the building that read,

Military Entrance Processing Station.

Maybe my father was right…

But there’s only one way to find out.

Chapter 56

Knox

Past…

“I don’t want to,” I grumbled as my uncle Leo took hold of my arm and led me toward the playground.

“Tough shit,” he bit out. “Your dad asked me to watch you while he and your mom ran a few errands. And since my buddy Miles has a kid the same age as you, I figured you two could play.”

I planted my feet, repeating the same thing I said before. “I don’t want to.”

Everything still hurt from last night’s beating, and the last thing I wanted to do was make nice with some stupid girl.

My uncle gripped my arm harder. He either chose to ignore the way I flinched…or he didn’t care.

My guess was both…since he and my dad weren’t just brothers, but friends, there was no doubt he knew what really went on behind closed doors.

“Let’s go.”

Reaching into my pocket, I fingered the scissors I stole from the kitchen earlier that day.

No one wanted to help me, but I knew a way to make the pain stop.

For good.

Leo pushed me forward. “Come on.”

Reluctantly, I stomped toward the swing set.

The first thing I noticed was the way her long red hair blew in the wind and how she giggled. Like she didn’t have a single care in the world.

Her ponytail was so long it seemed to go on forever, and my gaze fell to the yellow ribbon secured around it.

It matched the yellow dress she wore.

“Uncle Leo’s here,” the man pushing her on the swings declared.

“Uncle Leo,” the girl squeaked before rushing over and wrapping her arms around him.

I wasn’t sure why she was referring to him as uncle when she sure as heck wasn’t my cousin, but she looked awfully excited to see him.

After their hug ended, he kneeled so he was eye-level with her. “Hey, honey. This is my nephew Trenton.”

“Say hi, Kiddo,” the man pushing her on the swings earlier urged with a smile.

Despite looking like she wanted to protest, the girl gave me a timid wave. I couldn’t help but notice the freckles dotting her nose and cheeks. There were so many of them they covered her skin like a sundae with way too many sprinkles. Or too many ants on a log.

It was weird.

She was weird.

“Hi.” Freckles shuffled her feet nervously. “I’m Aspen.”

I said the first thing that popped into my head. “That’s a stupid name.”

“Trenton,” Leo barked as he glared at me.

“It is,” I defended.

Aspen’s hands found her hips and she scowled. “My daddy named me.”

“Well, your daddy is dumb.”

The man standing behind her cleared his throat. For a moment I thought he was going to yell at me because almost every adult did, but Leo snagged his attention with his next statement.

“Why don’t we let these two play so we can talk business?”

With that, they both walked over to the bench on the other side of the playground.

“My daddy isn’t dumb,” Aspen hissed. “Take it back.”

I shrugged, secretly enjoying how irritated she was. “I’m sorry.”

She started to smile, and I noticed her tiny teeth were crooked. “Thank—”

“I’m sorry your dad is dumb.”

Her mouth fell open, and she looked like she wanted to rip my head off.

But for some strange reason, her anger actually made her pretty.

Frustrated, she stomped her foot in the sand. “Stop being mean.”

“Make me.”

I could tell she wanted to yell again, but to my surprise her expression softened, and she took a step closer.

Without warning, her hand found my cheek, her bright green eyes lingering on my face. “Are you okay?”

Before I could stop her, her thumb brushed over the bruise.

Bile rushed up my throat, but she held my stare…

Almost like she could detect the demons inside me.

Everyone ignored my bruises. Teachers, other kids, school nurses. No one wanted to get involved.

But not her.

This weird girl actually saw me.

Her free hand found my other cheek, almost like she was afraid I’d run away. “What happened?”

I couldn’t tell her.

I couldn’t tell anyone.

But I wanted to…so much it physically hurt.

“I—”

The words were on the tip of my tongue, fighting to be released.

But I knew if I did, he would hurt us.

Heck, maybe he’d even hurt Aspen for uncovering our family’s secret.

I’d waited my whole life to be seen by someone and it finally happened.

I couldn’t let him ruin that.

I was poison.

And maybe Aspen was the antidote, but neither of us would know for sure until it was too late.

I wouldn’t take that chance.

So, I did what he did to me.

After breaking away from her touch, I pushed her. So hard she stumbled back.

But I wasn’t done. I needed to make sure she stayed away.

That she no longer saw me.

That she feared me.

When she turned to walk away, I shoved her again. Harder this time.

So hard her face hit the metal pole of the swing set and she started to cry.

But it wasn’t enough, so I crawled on top of her and pulled the scissors out of my pocket. I was planning on using them to kill myself later, but maybe I could hold on for a little longer now.

Maybe other people would see me.

Maybe eventually…someone would finally help me.