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"Was that all you needed?" The bored-looking teller behind the counter sounded as if he was really hoping I was finished.

After another week of avoiding everyone, especially T4, and a few self-pity-fueled trips to the bottom of a pint of Ben and Jerry's Half Baked, I had come to a decision.

Originally I had decided to stay at home and collect enough money to get out of my mother's grasp. She had total control over pretty much everything. Which was why I secretly opened up an account of my own at the bank across town and have been slowly siphoning money into it for the last year.

"Yes. Thank you." I tucked the envelope with a small chunk of my savings securely into my purse and quickly left the bank.

Just one more stop for today…

I parked the jeep a few stores down from my target: Hayley's Comics. After the T4 date disaster, Ava filled me in on where she procured our fake IDs.

A portly, middle-aged man greeted me as I walked in. Just who I wanted to see. Mr. Alvin Hayley. Comic store owner by day, creator of top-quality forged legal documents by night.

I stopped in front of the register, giving the man my best smile. "I am here for something specific, of the 'special' variety."

I really should've thought about what I would say before getting to the store…

He furrowed his brow in confusion. "We have several comics I would classify as special, but I'm not entirely sure what you're meaning."

I sighed softly, reached into my purse and pulled out the fake ID. His eyes darted around the store, making sure no one else saw me. Which was ridiculous; we were the only ones in the store.

"I need to talk to you about getting some documents."

"Will you keep it down?"

I stared at him, cocking my head to the side. "There's literally no one here. I could dance around here with fake IDs advertised on my tatas and no one would care."

Of course, the word 'tatas' pulled his attention to me cleavage for a tad longer than was comfortable. So I clapped my hands together right in front of his face.

"Eyes are up here, buddy…"

His cheeks seemed to almost catch fire as he cleared his throat and handed me a blank piece of paper and a pen. "Write down what exactly you need."

So I did. He looked it over when I was done and wrote something else on it. The price. Which was a bit more than I was expecting, however I had withdrawn extra just in case. So I reached into my purse for the envelope and counted out half of the asking price.

"The rest will be yours upon delivery."

Mr. Hayley seemed to hesitate before grudgingly holding out his hand for me to shake. Which I did. Unfortunately. That man had some perspiration issues.

"I'll have them for you by tomorrow at closing time."

I perked a dainty waxed eyebrow at him.

"Lady, if I say I'll have it, I'll have it."

I just nodded and walked out of the store. And right into a wall of muscle.

I closed my eyes tightly, praying silently that it wasn't who I thought it was. Maybe it was Dookey wanting to apologize for being a kidnapping, abusive, rotting piece of bovine testicle. Maybe it was a random stranger trying to contact me about my car's extended warranty.

I opened just one eye, peering at none other than G.I. Joe himself. I would've rather had a chat about my warranty. Heck, I'd rather have bamboo shoots shoved up every fingernail.

I didn't say a word. Just stared at him and waited.

I had the ability to be quiet. Shut it.

I didn't have to wait long. "Harper."

"Dildo-shaped vagina fairy."

Tripp's disappointed dad face intensified. But I really didn't care.

"Where have you been? We've been trying to talk to you for a week."

"Where I have been is of no consequence to you. How much of your own time you waste on me is of no consequence to me."

Tripp furrowed his brows and let out a huffed sigh before trapping my gaze with his. "Harper, I'm sorry. There are things at play here that you don't understand. And all the pack responsibility lands on me. My brothers' lives depend on me. I take that seriously.

"That doesn't excuse the things that I've said. You didn't deserve it. Any of it. But, Harper," Tripp gently but firmly gripped my upper arm. "I didn't lie when I said you were a weakness. My brothers would die for you."

I didn't miss how he kept himself out of that statement.

"I get it, Tripp. I appreciate the apology. As for your brothers, I don't believe a word of it. No one would die for me.

"But here's the thing you're not getting. I've been trying to remove myself from your brothers' crosshairs for a while now. Good news for you; the problem will be resolved shortly." I turned toward my jeep and started walking.

He didn't stop me or follow. "What does that even mean, Harper?"

"Go home, G.I. Joe." I shouted over my shoulder as I opened the driver's side door and slid inside.

I didn't even buckle my seatbelt before I hurried out of there, heading for home.

Unfortunately, which seemed to be my middle name, I failed at being a responsible vagina owner and checking my car before driving off.

"Miss me?"

I shrieked, veering toward the curb before gaining control back. Which was pointless, because that was when I looked at my rear view mirror and found Philip's smug face smiling at me just as cold steel pressed against the back of my neck.

Where in the holy hyena crack did he get a gun?!

"Drive, Harper. Your house. You so much as sneeze and I'll blow the back of your head off."

I wasn't stupid enough to try anything as I drove home and parked in front of the garage. Philip exited the back seat, threw my door open and dragged me to the front door by my bicep. His fingers dug into the sensitive skin.

Phillip rang the doorbell, and a moment later my mother opened the door. Astonishingly, she didn't appear surprised at my current predicament, or concerned for how I was being treated.

"As promised. Here she is."

… what?

We all entered the house, Philip still dragging me around. If I got the chance I was kneeing him in the shriveled babymaker.

"All you had to do was call and tell me to come home. You don't need to have douche drag me here like a-"

A blinding pain rippled through the back of my head as said douche slammed the butt of the pistol against my dome. If Philip wasn't holding me up by the arm I would've toppled over. My free arm covered my head, hoping to prevent another strike.

"That was unnecessary. Bring her." We started moving but I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes. It hurt way too much.

"Don't forget our agreement."

"I have not forgotten, Philip. You have her for the night. However, if she is broken beyond repair I have staff that are equipped to handle the burying of useless dead men."

My eyes flew open, sending stabbing pain into my head. We were standing in front of the open basement door, a place I'd never venture into.

"Wait! What do you mean by 'have her for the night'?" My voice came out in a panicky squeak.

Mother looked at me with no emotion at all. "Just what I said. He gets to use you for the night. As agreed."

Phillip leered at me before dragging me down the stairs. I turned back to scream at the woman at the top.

"How could you do this?! You're my mother!!"

She actually smirked at that. "Oh, you stupid child. I'm not your mother."

Then the door slammed shut, taking away any hope I had as I descended into the dark.