“I don’t care what you want!” Tammy screeched, and I flinched, my arm going around Matty when he grabbed the back of my dress and leaned around me to peer at her. I felt his unease and worry and tried to send silent reassurance that I wouldn’t let anything happen to either of us. I glanced down, giving him a smile which he tried to copy, but his bottom lip wobbled. “If you don’t take him away from here, I’ll take him from you,” Tammy snarled. For several moments my heart beat coldly in my chest, spreading ice through my veins until I shivered. How could she say something so cold? “This is no place for a boy. Leave now or so help me, I will do everything I can to take Matty to safety. He should be your priority, not yourself, nor the leeches. Stop behaving like a selfish child.”
My breath left my lungs as a gasp while I tried to recover from her verbal slap. Was I acting like a selfish child? Was she right? Did I fall for a pretty lie because I wanted to feel special? I mentally shook myself to dispel the fog of doubt her words created. What I felt with Arctic was too poignant, too profound, to be anything other than real. Ryker didn’t ask for my blood tonight, because he said I was too tired, scared, and heartbroken. No, I wasn’t wrong that we could be safe here. I’ve never made a decision that was reckless for Matty. I wouldn’t risk him. I couldn’t. I tried to stop the pain gripping my heart due to the harsh words Tammy threw at me, but I couldn’t. Instead, I gasped and placed my hand over my heart while fighting the tears burning my eyes.
“Leave, Angel, or I’ll kill you myself,” Tammy threatened in a cold, cruel voice, and I glanced at her in surprise.
“Do you really think you’ll survive long enough for us to come back for you?” I asked quietly, pain muting my voice.
“I don’t care. I’m not thinking about me. I’m trying to protect Matty, the boy I’ve raised like a son. I don’t care about you or me, I just want my boy safe,” Tammy scoffed. Her boy? He’s my brother! She only traveled with him when he came to visit me. Otherwise, he was at his boarding school. It was an all-year school, so he didn’t get summer vacation, which was part of why I picked it. That way, he wouldn’t have months to miss me or be without a safe home. And, while knowing Tammy would adopt him were anything to happen to me made me happy, that didn’t mean I wanted her to take him from me.
“You are not my mother,” Matty growled while his hand on my dress clenched tighter, and he wrapped his other arm around my waist to hug me. “If you loved me, you never would have hurt Angel! She’s the reason I know what love looks like! She sacrifices everything for me so I am safe and happy. I miss her, but I understand what she’s doing and why. I don’t like it. I hate that because of me, Angel is constantly hurt and threatened. That she starves, so I can eat. Wears clothes with holes, so I have new clothes that way no one makes fun of me at school. She gets bullied, but because of everything she gives up, I have more friends than I know what to do with. Sure, some would leave me if they learned how poor I am, that I’m an orphan. But it makes Angel happy when I tell her about what I do with my friends, how we hang out, and do typical kid stuff, so I keep our secret. Angel is my guardian angel, and I won’t let you tear her down like this. She loves me. You love yourself.”
My eyes closed at my little brother’s words, and the harshness hatred lent his voice. Had he always hated Tammy? Or was this a new, sudden development inspired by Ryker? Or did he encourage the flames of hatred that already burned deep within Matty’s heart? I suppose once this tense situation was through, I’d have to ask Matty. A long talk between us was overdue. “Matty! How can you say that?” Tammy cried, and I gave her a sidelong glance.
“Because you are a stupid bitch who hurt my most important person,” he snarled in reply. “You heard Angel say they want her here and took it to mean she’s thinking of herself. I know the truth. Angel believes that since they want her here, that means she can keep me safe. Why risk upsetting Angel if they value her? She isn’t thinking of herself at all. What she took into consideration is she can offer herself in exchange for my safety if we stay. The only reason I’m willing to allow it without kicking up a fuss is from what I saw earlier, I know she can be happy here. And, before you argue, already Angel offers her blood as rent. She said so herself. But it isn’t to
