Collateral Love, Cruel Betrayal

r, Declan, gave me everything: an education, a home, a

brother. When my brother rejected her, Declan had h

lieved every word. He had me thrown into an aban

anent lesson," he had his

one of m

savior, carved a piece of me out for a crime I didn't com

by my bed and told me o

had broken me.

ave a plan. He does

never se

pte

nd her sudden interest in my brother was the talk of our soc

, Coleton, was

oise until my phone buzzed. It wa

the screen, a cold feel

ssed

on was on the ground, his face bruised, his musician' s hands bent at unn

k at his pretty little hands. Not much good

. My heart hammer

ng. It was a video call from

tor. The m

to answer. My whole body fe

is leather office chair, the New York skyline glittering behind him. He wasn

Alana. Come to the

ice a choked whisper. "D

sual, like he was discussing the we

face. "He' s my broth

, devoid of the warmth I once cherished. "And Faye is a

ing! He just didn't

Faye doesn' t lie." He gestured off-screen. "Find Faye. Apologize to

one in the alley, moved. A heavy boot stompe

raw and desperate. "Stop! Pl

foster kid with a life-threatening peanut allergy and a talent f

eanuts. He' d hired tutors, bought me the best art supplies, and

oken girl and ma

hing he asked for in return was my hand in marriage. I had

ike she' s the only thing in the room." And he' d just

k from her boardin

a Lamb, adopted into old money, a true princess.

ere cut short. The casual touches disappeared. He was a

s love, or what I though

grown tired of. Fa

my mind a blur of panic and a si

ng, and found her in the living room, loun

gone. Her eyes were hard, he

n?" I begged, m

nails. "Then you know what you have to do. Leave Declan. Tell hi

The times my allergy medication went missing right before a big event. The times

ll her.

ng at Faye for too long. He saw her as fragile, as something to be protected at all co

the words tasting like ash i

sfied smile. She pulled out her phone

s light, almost cheerful. "He' s at the old

on the steering wheel. I found Coleton h

his shirt. "I'm so sorry, C

ed, his body wr

hard resolve forming in my chest. "W

ing his hands would need multiple surgeries, h

ut my phone and called the onl

as

voice was steady, a rock i

r that study abroad progra

ome as me and Coleton. He'd always looked out for us. He' d sugge

ed, not wanting t

have never let me

the courage. The courage born of

d I was taking my