Crash and Burn (1)

he's your family?

**I HOPE YOU LOVE THIS. ❤️ This has been building up for a long, long time. Try to think from Lacey's point of view, guys. While her relationship may have been tainted by manipulation and coercion and aggression, she did love him.

HERES TO ALL THE BOMBS THAT DROP IN THIS CHAPTER. 💣💣

♚ ♛

"DON'T FUCKING CALL ME THAT."

His grin didn't dim one bit. It never did.

My eyes narrowed as he pinned me with some sadistic amusement — as if this was all a game to him. Seth shifted on the balls of his feet, shoving his hands into his pockets. It lead my gaze to the left sleeve of his jacket, rolled up to display his gang affiliation.

But when I caught the long, jagged burn that scarred his entire forearm, I felt a smile creep onto my face. I did that to him.

"You look as beautiful as ever, princess."

My heart still skipped with the compliment. But that sinister smirk on his face brought me to the edge of insanity. All I wanted to do was slap it off of his face.

Sparkling with appreciation, his dark eyes tore away from mine to trail down my body. Every inch of exposed skin burned under the weight of his heavy leer. I didn't want him looking at me.

"You should lose the sweatshirt," he quipped lowly, licking his lips. "And I do have to say, blonde looked good on you."

He'd always told me what to wear. What to do. Who to be.

He was the reason that I had no idea who I was anymore.

A savage hatred surged through me, bringing a sharp scowl to my face. Drilling him with a hard look, I snapped, "You are a real piece of fucking work."

The corners of his lips twitched. "You always were too."

That wild anger flooded through me with a vengeance. It consumed me. I couldn't feel fear when all I felt was rage.

"Fuck you."

He merely chuckled.

The low sound drove a knife through my lungs and a harsh burn pricked at the corner of my eyes. I used to love his laugh.

Breathe.

As I exhaled, he seemed to blur in my watery vision. I could not cry in front of him. I wouldn't.

"So endearing," Seth teased, still rocking on his heels. "I married a much sweeter woman."

Sweeter.

No, weaker. He'd married a much weaker woman. A woman that had listened to everything he said and done anything for him.

I was stronger than I was three years ago. I was stronger than I was nine months ago.

Hell, I was stronger than I was two weeks ago.

"You just keep coming back stronger. Better."

Soren's words attacked me viciously, but my spine straightened with the reminder. I was stronger. And I would just keep getting stronger. That had to start with this. Facing him.

I wasn't afraid.

Breathe.

"What a beautiful marriage we had," I commented dryly, wishing that grin would falter even an ounce.

It didn't. If it was possible, it widened.

In one quick movement, his hand ripped out of his pocket and he reached for me. Flinching back, I blinked against the sudden glint of metal that could've blinded me.