Flawless//Broken Read Online Free Page A

headlights of a car pull up. My head lolls back and I fight to stand, to crawl - something, anything to get away. I have to find someplace to hide, someplace small and dark where no one can find me, like I used to when I was a kid. Strong arms lift me beneath my knees and back, and I try to dig my nails into their skin, but my fingers go weak. I’m good at fighting back. I have years of experience fighting back - but the drug is so strong.
    I hate feeling weak. My hate burns a hole in my heart. Hate for these mysterious people, hate for myself. I couldn’t save Ellie. I can’t even save myself. What good am I? The past bleeds out from between my exhaustion and rage.
    What good are you, you useless slut? I’ll teach you a fucking lesson. Don’t you hide from me! I’m your father! I’m your father ! I can do whatever I want! I’m your father, you stupid bitch!
    The world goes black.
     

     
     

     
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    PART THREE
    THREE
     
    Chapter 3
    THREE
    My head throbs, and morning sunlight stabs into my eyes. I sit up, my blankets falling off me. The white, bare walls and giant window with a view of the bay tell me I’m back in my room, in the new apartment. I groggily get off the air mattress, and notice I’m wearing the sparkly black dress Mom gave me. Where did I go last night?
    I rummage through my backpack for fresh, more comfortable clothes. I put on a shirt and my oldest pair of torn jean shorts. One backpack of clothes, one box of shoes. That’s all I brought with me from Idaho.
    Idaho. Dad. The club.
    Suddenly it all comes rushing back to me - Ellie. I jump to my feet and swing myself around the doorway, throwing the door to her room open.
    “Ellie!” She’s sleeping peacefully in her hardwood bed. I run over and shake her gently, checking her face for any signs of a wound. “Ellie! Ellie, are you okay?”
    Her long lashes flutter as her eyes open, emerald irises focusing blearily on me.
    “Mia? W-What’s wrong?”
    “The club, the frat-guy! Remember? He grabbed you, and he got stabbed by that blonde guy, and then that woman drugged us!”
    Ellie sits up, a confused look on her face. She laughs a little.
    “What are you talking about? Did you have a nightmare?”
    “We left the club, and the guy with the blonde hair killed the frat-guy! And that gorgeous woman was with him. She drugged us! Don’t you remember?”
    Ellie puts her hand over mine. “Mia, we walked home from the club and watched Netflix until we fell asleep, okay? None of that stuff happened. Nobody got killed. You’re okay.”
    “But…what about your bruise?” I point at her cheek. “That’s where you got hit! Don’t you remember?”
    “I tripped on the stairs on the way up to our door, Mia. Nobody hit me.”
    I stare at my hands, trying to piece the puzzle together. She inhales slowly, and exhales slower.
    “I know sometimes…people who go through what you did, they - they have bad nightmares. It’s okay. This is the real world. You’re in San Francisco, with me, in a new apartment, okay? You’re not back there anymore. Nobody’s going to hurt me, or you. I promise.”
    I knit my eyebrows and study her face. She looks down at her dress, the same one she wore to the club, and giggles.
    “Oops. Forgot to change into pajamas. I must’ve been seriously wasted. You can have the shower first. I’ll make waffles!”
    She bounces out of bed and into the kitchen, leaving me to question my own sanity. It happened. I saw it happen. I saw Ellie crying, felt her tears on my arm, felt her shaking against me. I saw the violence in the frat-boy’s eyes, heard his voice taunting me, asking for my blood, begging for it. I saw Darius kill him. I saw the frat-guy turned into nothing more than a pile of dust in seconds. I remember Genevieve’s entrancing smile, and Darius’ intoxicating golden gaze locked onto mine like it all just happened, fresh and vivid. Did they drug us and bring us back here? No, that’s