I expect her to tell me they’re in some hospital in the burn unit or something but nope.

Magic: Dead.

I stare at the one word. I don’t care that they’re dead. They are lower than scum as far as I’m concerned. Not only do they prey on women, they make sure they drug them so that they have no chance to fight back when they do it. The only thing that surprised me was how easily Magic gave the information.

Me: You okay?

Magic: No, the coroner just put in the report. Cause of death for both was a bullet to the head. Also, not one hospital in a hundred miles of that location treated anyone for two gunshot wounds last night.

Ocean: Mystery man is in the wind.

Me: Find him.

That is not good. He saw my face, and I saw his. There was something familiar about him that still pulls at the back of my mind, but I can’t place it.

Magic: I’m trying.

A knock sounds at my door. I message the girls that I’ll check back in later.

“Come in,” I shout, knowing it could only be a handful of people that would knock on my door. Angelica pokes her head in.

“You ever coming out of your bedroom?” I see her sister Bianca behind her. Bianca is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met in my life.

Is that what I’m lacking? Angelica has an inner sweetness too. Is that why I’m not so appealing? Gilly’s words from last night run through my mind. Am I just a brat who's gotten everything she wanted handed to her in life? Well, everything besides Gilly, that is.

“Yeah.” I slip my phone under my pillow, getting up from my bed. I can only hide out for so long. It’s already afternoon, and I’m starving. “I need to talk to my brother.”

“He’s in his office with the boys.” Angelica steps back, opening my door more.

“Boys.” Bianca giggles.

Yeah, thinking of Antonio or the Butcher as boys is laughable. As for Gilly, I don’t know what I think he is anymore. I swear for a moment I saw need in his eyes for me, but I’m sure it was just a normal male reaction. Probably went out and had someone else handle it for him while I had to lay in bed and ache alone.

I can’t stay here. Those are the kinds of thoughts that will start to eat me alive. I’ll become bitter. Watching Angelica and Bianca be so madly in love only makes that bitterness grow, and I refuse to let them know that because they’d have guilt, and it’s not a guilt they need to carry. They’ve been through enough in their lives. They don’t need me to add to it.