The Devil Inside Read Online Free PDF Page B

himself. He’s drunk. He’ll be sorry in the morning.”
    “He’s always sorry in the morning, mom.” I can’t help sounding bitter.
    My mom, bless her, has a forgiving streak a mile wide. She’ll endure and make excuses for him and the violence will keep happening until she ends up in the hospital.
    For all his faults, she loves my father deeply.
    I sigh, knowing she can be as stubborn as me. Sometimes I don’t understand what goes on inside her head. “What happened, Mina?”
    My sister reminds me of a wide-eyed doe. She’s sixteen and gorgeous, in a gamine, too-thin kind of way. She’s slender, with graceful long arms and legs, yet to fill out with womanly curves. Where my hair is dark brown, she inherited mom’s lustrous golden locks. She’s a good kid. She looks after mom and tries to do well at school.  
    That’s not easy when there’s chaos at home.
    “I think dad’s in some kind of trouble.” Mina looks vulnerable, but the way she’s got her arm around mom is protective. “Some weird people showed up at the house earlier tonight. Dad got into an argument. After they left, he asked mom for grandma’s diamond necklace. He wanted to pawn it.”
    “I told him no.” Somehow, mom’s able to smile. It’s a smile full of pain and sorrow. “That’s the only thing of your granny’s that I have left. I’ve hidden it. He’s not going to find it.”
    I remember that necklace. It’s an exquisite, vintage thing with a huge, elaborate diamond pendant. Made of real gold and real diamonds, it’s a throwback to days of wealth and decadence. I don’t know the full story, but according to mom, it was a gift to grandma from some silver screen Hollywood actress.  
    It’s got to be worth a fortune.  
    And it’s the one thing mom’s not going to give up.
    Even when she’s battered and bruised, mom has a bit of a stubborn streak. It runs in the family.
    Footsteps echo from the hall, and my father appears in the doorway. His face is flushed and he’s sloshing whiskey around in a lowball glass.
    “Marilyn?” He glares at mum, but freezes when he sees me. “What are you doing here, Adele?” As he walks forward, I step in front of mom and Mina. “Trying to interfere again?”
    “Nice to see you too, Gavin.” I’ve long since stopped calling him dad. I know it annoys the hell out of him. “I just dropped by, you know, to see how my family were. I’d hardly call that interfering.”
    He turns to Mina. “Did you call her? Do you have to go crying to your big sister every goddamn time?”
    “Leave her out of this,” I snap. “And stop harassing mom. How could you try and force her to sell that thing? You know how much it means to her.”
    My father stops in front of me, so close I can smell the alcohol on his breath. “You don’t understand anything, Adele. I’m trying to keep my family safe.”
    He moves his arm and I almost flinch, but he’s only putting the glass on the dining table. I force myself to glare at him. I’m not scared of him anymore. “How much this time, Gavin?” My voice is quiet. “How much do you owe them?”
    “I don’t need your help, Adele.” He’s turned defensive. “Stay out of our business. I’ve got it under control.”
    “Clearly, you don’t.”  
    “Don’t you come in here acting like you’re better than us, Adele. Got your college degree in what? Fine fucking art? All that money, wasted. Fat lot of good it did you, you’re still working as a goddamn waitress.”
    “How wise of you to point out my insecurities, Gavin. Get off high horse, you miserable drunk.” He’s hit a nerve with that last statement. None of my family have any idea what I went through to get that degree. I worked all the way through college, applying for every grant and scholarship under the sun. I paid for my own education. And if that wasn’t hard enough, there was the lecturer who made my life a living hell, nearly destroying my career before it started. I’m not going to