Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Dave drops me off at my house with much less chatter than usual. I suspect he’s beginning to think I’m crazy.
“Take care of yourself, yeah?” he says uncertainly.
“Sure.” I wave him off. I’m not crazy. I’m just… unbalanced.
The hum of the car gets quieter as he drives off.
I was stupid to go to Gage. I’m not sure why I did.
We used to be inseparable, but ever since we were teens and that night at the party, things have been different between Gage and me.
Before, it was like we were a team, and then after?
I’m not sure what happened after. After is when the rage started having nowhere to go.
Where it started building and building until I couldn’t stop it.
I push my blunt fingernails into my palms, wishing they were sharper. Wishing they would draw blood.
I’ll just do this by myself because letting Raven go is no longer an option.
That went out the window as soon as I saw Max’s letter.
I put it so close to my face I could almost taste the cologne he must have sprayed on it.
Fucking nasty. His handwriting was so sloppy I almost couldn’t read it, even with it at my face.
Max seems like someone who can’t use a pair of scissors. He writes like he’d yell at food service employees. Like he’s never lived a day where he’s afraid because of the actions of another.
He acts like Rich.
My stomach twists in unease. Max doesn’t get to make Raven afraid.
This won’t be easy. I’m going to have to sweep up someone’s mess because some goddamn stupid motherfucker made Raven afraid without also making her obsessed.
Fear is so much better. They gravitate toward you like a moth to the flame.
So much better when they’re just out of reach but not far enough that they’re unattainable. Makes the chase fun.
So now I have to get Celeste Raven to trust me.
Just enough that I can draw her back into my flame again and again and again.
I’ll burn the tips of those broken wings if I have to, so that even if they heal, she’ll never be able to fly far from me.
Because my wings are broken too, and I need her to stay close. Once I have her, she can never leave.
My pretty, broken obsession.