“I am a person, not a thing.”
“And yet you never disagreed.” He opens the passenger door. I climb in as rage fuels my resolve to bring change.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Itake my new paints to the back porch. Bo trails behind me with a brand-new easel in his hands. Seeing him so respectful gives me a sick sort of pleasure. I never could’ve imagined my bully would ever be my errand boy.
I don’t mind the access to money. Life had been tough in college, living on what was allocated from the school for my scholarship.
I’d picked up shifts at a local diner to help make the cash stretch, only touching my inheritance during emergencies.
“You’re going to paint with everything else going on?” Fell blinks at me.
I scowl.
“The Volva said her talent and desire to paint would bring clarity, and she be encouraged,” Bo parrots.
“What else did she say?” Kirk asks. The rest of my mates join us on the back porch.
I open my new supplies and arrange them in glass jars.
“Nothing that made sense, “I mumble.
“That Princess here needs to let go of the past and focus on the future.” Bo’s voice is cheeky as he relays the conversation to the others.
“She didn’t say that.” I scowl, and glare at Cadoc’s who’s lip twitch in a smile, he tries unsuccessfully to hide.
“Close enough,” Bo shrugs.
“She wants us to focus on the now.” Kirk looks over at Fell who runs his hands over his mouth. Are these assholes laughing at us?
Kirk looks at Cadoc and I scowl.
“I already hate that.”
“What?” Kirk asks.
“That silent conversation thing you two have going.” I gesture between Kirk and Cadoc.
Cadoc chuckles. “We’ve all got a patchy history. Coming together as a unit is what matters now.”
“We’re not pack wolves waiting for your commands. This is life, not a battlefield.” I turn and face Fell with my hands on my hips.
“And what about you?”
He raises his hands. “I didn’t even say anything.”
“Like you had to. You were speaking loud enough for us all to hear you loud and clear.”
“I think,” Fell pauses. “You should get your frustrations out by painting.” He pushes a mixing palette toward me like an olive branch. I accept it reluctantly.
Bo chuckles, and I turn to face him. “You treated me like shit on the bottom of your shoe. I won’t just get over that. I don’t even like you most of the time.” I point my paintbrush at Bo.
“And you aren’t off the hook either, Fell.” Unable to stop the deluge of emotions I’ve unlocked, I continue.
“You’re the worst of all of them.” My voice cracks.
“Things didn’t work out for us –”
“You abandoned me, knowing what it would do to me.”
A pained expression twists Fell’s face into an expression of grief.
“You don’t get to do that.” I stomp my foot.
“I can’t feel?” He barks.
“No. Not if it makes you look like the victim.”
Fell bows his head. “I’m sorry—”
“It’s not good enough.”
“I don’t know what you want me to do.” Fell runs a hand down his flushed face.
“From the moment I arrived back here by force, nothing I wanted has mattered.”
He steps forward into my space. “Sooner or later, you’re going to have to get over it.”
