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HE BROUGHT HER HERE

I got shit done That was s I excelled at Each person in ood at ood at pretending no one knew her husband was cheating Her other skill was drinking to help her keep pretending My little brother, Logan’s, was doing everything possible to get attention from me Like now, as I looked for one

I needed my science book

My brother was so hilarious, so hilarious that he’d be crying frohed I didn’t have the hour it would take to get the book back from him We lived in ato be called a mansion He could’ve hidden the book anywhere, but he wouldn’t tell h when I pretended to look for it Every time

“LOGAN!”

He laughed and bolted past

I yelled after hio to Nate’s” Then I waited I had said the secret words He kneas leaving forto come with, but I couldn’t blame him Who the hell would want to stick around in this fucked-up home we had?

My phone buzzed at that ht bball? Fischer said he could get us beer if ent to his place Parents gone

I cursed, but typed back Trying I need to do my homework before I can come

K How long?

How long? I was tean do my homework I typed back instead, I will let you knohen I find out Logan hid ain

Haha

Haha, my ass

We’ll get him back Don’t worry

Daht ould I typed back, Be over as soon as I can Gotta kill the punk first Then I tossed my phone on the bed and shoved back from my desk “LOGAN! You punk-ass bitch Where’s my book?”

He sprinted past rin I knew he had come back I shookdown the east stairs That’d take hi and past Dad’s library I went to the north stairs to cut hih the second pantry The back wall swung open to another room

Hearing hirabbed the handrail and launched over it, skipping over an entire section of stairs I hit the ground in a s and pushed forward The pantry was the second door I went through it, pushed the back wall open, and paused on the other side Logan’s feet were pressed against the door fro for me

He was hunched down Then he moved His feet disappeared from the door and his little pinkie slipped under the door as he waited for me

I grinned The little fucker I started to reach for the doorknob I was planning on shoving it open, hitting hi on him when he’d try to run away I started to turn the handle when I heard Logan gasp from the other side I froze My head lifted I had left the back wall open so I could hear what Logan was hearing

Our

Letting go of the handle, I went back through the wall and out through the second pantry Trailing down the hallway, all the lights were off in the north hallway A lone light was on in the dining roo had turned to a soft weeping It was co from the kitchen

I caught an His eyes were big as he ca in there”

I pushed hihtly “Go upstairs”

“No”

“Logan,” I hissed, frowning He was just a kid, he didn’t need to deal with this crap “Go upstairs and findbook I still have to do my homework”

He rolled his eyes, wearing his own frown His hair was sticking up all over “I already did your homework Don’t worry about it”

“You did?”

“Yeah, it’s why I took your book” Then the tiny frown turned into a smirk “And to use as collateral so you’d take ht”

I laughed I had to “You’re such a pain in the ass”

“Yeah, but I’m a smart pain in the ass”