Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“Aww, poor girl,” Mya says in a mocking tone. “Her family’s dark, dirty secrets are coming out.”
Sadie, even though she’s friends with dumbass Wild, is actually cool. She comes to stand beside me, arms crossing over her chest, in a show of solidarity. Emboldened by having a partner against this bitch, I narrow my eyes and sneer at Mya.
“Go back to whatever hole you crawled out of.” I wriggle my fingers at her. “You’re a family full of snakes and we don’t want your kind here.”
Mya sits up in the hammock and cocks her head to the side as she studies me. I don’t back down, holding my ground with a hateful expression on my face that does wonders to make my baby brothers wither anytime I flash it their way.
Unbothered, her reptilian-looking lips curl into a sinister grin. I’m surprised she doesn’t grow venomous fangs and try to bite me. “It’s true, you know. It’s why our family is always looking for fresh blood. Well, fresh bloodline anyway.”
My blood runs icy cold in my veins. I don’t like the fact she overheard what we were all discussing and is now trying to punish me with it.
“Wild’s a liar,” Sadie offers weakly. “He just likes getting people riled up. You’ll be smart to learn that now.”
Mya completely ignores Sadie as though she’s an unimportant gnat buzzing around her prey. I’m not some little mouse she can swallow, though. I will tear Mya to pieces with my fingernails, my words, and my knife if I have to.
“It explains the birth defects,” Mya continues, her smile widening.
“There’s nothing wrong with me,” I snarl, lip curling up in disgust. “Nice try.”
Mya scoffs, shaking her head. “Oh, there’s plenty wrong with you, starting with your face, but I wasn’t talking about you. I was talking about your little sister.”
The cabin door creaks open and Ryder crowds in behind me, his body heat and smell enveloping me like a warm hug. I’m so pissed at him, but I’m thankful he’s here to help me deal with this lying witch.
“What about Destiny?” Ryder demands.
Mya climbs out of the hammock and shoots Ryder a saucy grin that boils my blood. “Oh, hey, Ryder.”
“Mya.” Ryder’s hand settles on my shoulder. “Spit it out.”
She eyes the way his fingers curl around me, keeping me in his possessive hold. Or maybe he’s trying to hold me back from clawing her eyeballs out. Either way, I like the way it feels, even if I am still mad. That no matter what, we’re still on the same side. Family sticks together.
“Destiny is blind because what Wild said was true. She has a birth defect. It’s obvious as to how that came to be. Why do you think you people have lived out here in the wilderness for so long away from civilization?” Mya lifts a brow and motions at the forest beyond our fence. “Have you not noticed your parents’ significant age gap?”
Ryder’s grip tightens nearly to the point of pain, but I let the sensation ground me. If not for his hold, I’d have lost myself to blind fury and given her a black eye that looks like Wild’s. It still might be in her future.
I will not rise to her bait.
But she’s right, right?
Dad is much older than Mom.
Still, despite their obvious age gap, Mya is wrong. What she’s saying is ridiculous and impossible.
“Oh, come on,” she says with a cackle of laughter. “Devon could be your sister.” Another giggle, this one cruel. “Wait. That’s right. She technically is.”
Another person sidles up beside me and slips their hand into mine. Ronan. With my brothers at my side and at my back, I can almost ignore this vicious viper. Almost.
“When you go to sleep, I will find you in your bed,” I whisper, baring my teeth at her. “And I’ll cut your hair off. Maybe I’ll blind you while I’m at it!”
Mya laughs as she sashays off the porch and disappears into the darkness.
Sadie sighs heavily and says, “What a psychopath. I’m going to bed.”
The three of us remain frozen long after the cabin door closes next door. I can hear Wild and Chet murmuring from inside Ryder’s cabin. Finally, the three of us are alone after the bombs that’ve been dropped.
“It makes sense now why Dad is making me…” Ryder trails off, not bothering to finish his sentence. He snatches his hand back as though my shoulder is drenched in poison. “Fuck.”
Ronan’s hand is cold in mine. Stiff and unmoving. His head is bowed, eyes squeezed shut. He releases my hand and shifts slightly away from me.
“It’s all lies, obviously,” I say shakily, hating the sudden loneliness hollowing out my chest. “We can’t believe what they say.”
Emotion clogs my throat when neither of my brothers agrees with me.
Ryder begins pacing the porch, fingers tugging at his dark hair. He’s growing it out at the moment, so it’s thick enough to grab onto. I like it best when he buzzes it. The prickly hair feels good on my fingertips.