Hardcore Volume 3 Read Online Free PDF Page B

now I can really get in your business.”
    She laughed. “I’m in. I’ve wanted this forever, ever since you moved out.” She glanced toward her bedroom door. “Do you think they’ll let me leave?”
    “I wouldn’t expect them to put up a fight. They didn’t for me. We don’t really exist in their universe.”
    “How soon can I leave?”
    I smiled and pushed her hair over her shoulder. “Just give me a couple of days to figure out what to do about Jade, okay? I don’t want to move you until I’ve decided how to deal with her.”
    Jill nodded. “Whatever you do, please, be careful.”
    “Promise.” I hugged her again. “The girls are waiting for me on the roof, so I’ve got to go, if you’re okay.”
    “I’m okay. Just call me later so I don’t worry.”
    “I’m not going to go over there tonight, as much as I want to.”
    “Probably smart. Want me to walk you out?”
    I stood and looked down at her. “No, I’ll be all right. Call me if you need me.”
    “‘Kay.”
    The need to get the fuck out of there was overwhelming. I wanted to plan Jade’s takedown. I wanted to get away from the memories that the apartment held. I marched out of her room under the apathetic stares of my parents. Everything we wanted to say, wouldn’t say, hung between us, waiting for a trigger like a room with a gas leak waits for a spark.
    I closed the door harder than I meant to, ran up the stairs and opened the door to the roof with trembling hands to find my friends waiting for me.
    “She’s fine,” I said as the door swung closed behind me. I scrubbed my hands over my face. “I’m sorry for being an asshole, guys. This … this is all just way too much for me right now.”  
    “Don’t worry about it, seriously. You earned a freak-out pass.” Erin hung her hands on her hips. “What do you want to do?”
    “What I want to do and what I should do are two different things.”
    Morgan shook her head. “I definitely don’t think you should go over there right now.”
    I paced away a couple of steps with angry energy pumping through me. “Agreed.”
    Morgan jerked her chin. “Let’s run. We’ll burn you down and go home, try to sleep. Call her tomorrow. Find out what she wants. If she wants us back, let’s take a job and fuck her over the way she did you.”
    I slipped my hands into my hair and paced away. “Goddammit,” I said under my breath. “Fine. Let’s run. Fuck everything else.”
    I didn’t wait for an answer, just took off, vaulted over the wall and ran across the next roof over, then took three steps up the far wall and climbed. The brick was worn down, we’d scaled it so many times. I didn’t trick as we ran, didn’t take my time, just ran until I was a sweaty mess, ran until my knees and shins ached and my throat burned. Ran until the moon was high and bright, until I was so exhausted that there was no room to think before I fell into bed and fast asleep.

I PACED THE KITCHEN the next morning as the phone rang in my ear. Three sets of eyes tracked me.  
    One.
    I didn’t know what Jade was going to say. I didn’t even know if I could keep my shit together for this conversation.
    Two.
    Erin, Cher, and Morgan watched me with baited breath. The room was completely silent.
    Three.
    “Hello?” Jade answered.
    I took a heavy breath. “It’s Cory.”
    She was stunned silent for a beat before picking up right where we’d left off. “I thought that might get your attention.”
    I seethed, grinding my teeth together. “What do you want?”
    “Gee, Cory. I just wanted to check up on you. Make sure you’re all settled in.”
    “Right. I’m sure. Tell me what you want.”
    “Listen, I know everybody’s pissed—”
    A laugh burst out of me.
    “—but I’ve got to keep taking jobs or I’m going to lose my contacts. I’m just saying, while you guys get on your feet, we could just do a few more jobs to keep everyone’s pockets full until I can get a new crew and you all can … well,