Page 14 of Touch of Hate

Only once the helicopter lifts from the pad can I release a sigh, sinking against the seat while I watch Corium grow smaller. I feel no sentiment toward the school itself, I realize. It’s the sense of closing the door on a chapter of my life that leaves me craning my neck to catch one last glimpse.

Something inside me flares white hot when I consider this. I’m turning my back on everyone, but there’s one person I can’t imagine turning away from. She’s too much a part of what’s left of my soul.

I won’t give up on Scarlet. I’ll have to watch from afar, but it isn’t as if that’s anything new. She just can’t ever know.

I promised to protect her. After breaking every unspoken promise by nearly killing her brother, the least I can do is make good on my word this time.

As if I could stay away from her for the rest of my life.

No matter what happens, Scar, I’m going to watch over you.

I’ll keep you safe. Whatever it takes.

4

SCARLET

Something is off.

Different.

I can feel it in my stomach, churning, the tension tightening in my chest. My emotions have hopped on a never-ending roller coaster.

I stare at the five text messages I’ve sent to Ren over the past two days. There’s not a single reply or even confirmation that he received the message. It’s unlike him to go so long without messaging me back.

It’s disheartening and pathetic. I drop my phone onto the vanity desk and close my eyes, letting out a deep breath.

Everything will be okay.

He’s probably busy, or my father has him doing some intel work at Corium. I try to rationalize it all and push the negative thoughts to the back of my mind, but it’s hard to ignore the elephant in the room.

A ping fills the air, and I grab my phone. It’s him. It has to be.

Disappointment makes me sag back into the seat when I see my brother’s name flash on the screen and not Ren’s. I navigate to the text he sent, but before I can view it or reply, my phone rings.

What the fuck?

Of course, I hit the answer key because it’s my brother.

A second later, his face fills the screen. I force my pink lips into an upward smile and try to appear happier than I’m really feeling.

My brother, on the other hand, makes no effort to appear happy and has a permanent scowl etched into his features. Except something is different this time. There’s a fear in his dark eyes, something that I’ve only seen a few times. A fear reserved for Aspen, Adela—our deceased sister—our mother, and me.

“What’s wrong?” My voice cracks, releasing some of the tension from me.

“I… fuck, I don’t know if I can do this.”

The way he looks away from the camera as he speaks tells me whatever is going on is huge. My brother isn’t shy about anything, but this, this is the warning, the calm before the storm.

With trembling fingers, I pick up the phone and bring it closer.

“What’s going on? Are you okay? Did something happen?”

All I can think about is something bad happening to all the people I love and care about and not being able to help in any way.

“It’s Ren.”

I can’t even stop myself from gasping. I knew something was wrong.