Shit.

I might have screwed up the only possible ally I had. He didn’t talk to me again as I cleaned up. By the time I was finished, his mood hadn’t lifted. He wordlessly led me back to my cell and moved to leave once I was inside.

“Wait!” He stopped and lifted his eyebrow but said nothing. “Can I have some clothes?”

“Afraid not.”

“Why not?”

He smiled, but it wasn’t like the others. It was cold and mocking and meant to unnerve me. “Angel wants you like this.”

“Why?” What benefit could Angel possibly get from keeping me like this if he wasn’t even here to see it?

“So you can’t hide.”

“You mean, so he can humiliate me.”

“People hide behind dignity… so, yeah.”

I’d had enough. “Angel’s a creep, Lucas is a creep, andyou’rea creep.” I crossed my arms and waited.

He simply shrugged. “A creep with a nice view.” He jerked the door close in time to save himself from my fist.Chapter Twenty-TwoShe’s a girl you take home to mom.

MIAN

Five Years AgoWhy does hehave to be so hot?

My secret crush turned his shirtless body from the refrigerator with a Gatorade in one hand and a sandwich in the other. His dark eyes glowed with irritation when his gaze met mine. “What do you want?” he snapped.

“I think you meanhello. It’s how peoplepolitelygreet one another.”

“Where’s your father?”

“Why?” I mocked. “Do you need adult supervision?”

He stared at me and then slowly lowered his sandwich and drink to the counter. I thought I heard him mutter, “With you, maybe,” before he took a wide path around me and bellowed for his father.

I don’t know why, but I followed after him and peeked inside. He was pacing Uncle Art’s office with his fists balled and swinging in rhythm with his angry steps. “She can’t stay here anymore.”

“I don’t have time to pacify you. You telling me you can’t handle one girl?”

“You know it’s not safe for her here with me. Why are you trusting me with this?”

What did he mean it wasn’t safe for me here? I pictured the way his jaw would tighten whenever he was close to exploding.

“Because nothing worth having in life is easy. You’ll watch over her.” Art stood and clapped Angel on the shoulder, but he shrugged his hand off and turned around to storm to the door. I sprinted away before I could be caught eavesdropping, but then ran into my father before I could get far. I nearly toppled over, but his strong hands caught me before I could.

“Why are you running, Mian?”

“A spider?”

He frowned in confusion. “Since when are you afraid of spiders?”

“She’s always been afraid of them,” I heard behind me.

Shit. Fuck.

Angel always made it a point to show up my father and prove he knew me better. For some reason, he hated the closeness I clung to with my father. He didn’t seem all that close to his own father, so I chalked it up to jealousy. Art was hard on him, and Angel was eager to prove himself.

Daddy’s eyebrows rose as he stared behind me. I didn’t need to see Angel’s face to know he was challenging Daddy. My dad rubbed the back of his neck, and when his gaze shifted back to me, he looked guilty.

“Look, baby girl.” My body tensed. I knew what came next. It was always the same thing. “I’m sorry I’m not around more.”

He’d gotten into the habit of apologizing for not being around and would then promise to do better. After four years, I knew better than to take him seriously, but I never found the heart to call him out on his shit. My father loved me, and that was all that mattered.

“It’s oka—”

“You seriously think she believes that shit anymore?” Angel growled over my shoulder. I turned to confront my shadow and smacked into his chest. Why did he have to stand so close?

I shot him a look to stay out of it, which he ignored. This wasn’t the first time he toyed with my feelings and heart by implying that my father used excuses to stay away from me. “This isn’t your business.” My heart fluttered from the emotion in his gaze.

The beating, bleeding part of me wondered if he was defending my honor until he said, “Then why are you still here?”

“Angeles!”

I stepped back. Somehow, I felt more betrayed by him than my father’s steady stream of lies. My heart ran away, and the rest of me followed. I ignored our fathers when they shouted my name.

Angel never said a word.

The sunlight blinded me as I took off down the street in flip-flops, shorts, and a tank.

I ended up at the small, neighborhood park. It was still early in the day. Muchof the neighborhood was out enjoying the park. Kids were enjoying the summer sun. Their laughter and screams drowned out my cries.