Wicked Love (Wicked White Series Book 3) Read Free Page B

that fucking stings. I can’t believe they are holding that shit against me. I’m sure not all the sisters feel this way. They have to know that the incident doesn’t represent the kind of person I am.
    I lift my cup toward my lips to put on the act that I’m not fazed in the slightest by Charity and what she says. Before the drink touches my mouth, I feel fingers wrap around my wrist and jerk it, spilling my beer all over my shirt.
    The nerve!
    My nostrils flare as I slam the cup down on the floor. “You bitch!”
    “Oh, I’m sorry.” Charity laughs as she covers her mouth in mock shock with her perfectly manicured hand. “Well, I guess you’ll have to go to the thrift store and get yourself another shirt. I’m sure your family can still afford to shop there.”
    My jaw starts to ache from my clenched teeth. I want to hit her. I want to scream. I’ve tried for the past couple of months to forget—I had to, forgetting is the only way I’ve made it—but Charity rubbing my family’s tragedy in my face is more than I can take.
    My life is crumbling because of the stupid mistake my father made, and I hate that everyone now knows about it.
    I’ll admit when I first learned my dad was a thief, I wanted to crawl in a hole somewhere, shrivel up, and die. What girl wants to learn her dad stole almost a million dollars while he was the chief financial officer at McMullen’s Candy, a major corporation? Not me. Thank God he struck a deal with the cops and his company to stay out of jail. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad he didn’t go to prison, but his whole mess has completely turned my life into a living hell.
    I open my mouth to fire back at Charity, but she’s right. I no longer belong here. I can’t afford it.
    Reality hits me hard, and the emotion I’ve worked so hard to hide comes out in full, embarrassing force.
    Tears stream down my face, and Charity folds her arms across her chest while wearing a smug grin. “Now leave. Kappa Kappa Gamma no longer needs you.”
    A crushing weight slams down on my heart. Being a part of this sorority was the one little piece of normalcy I had left, and now that’s being taken away along with everything else that’s been a constant in my life.
    I spin around and notice most of the eyes in the room are zeroed in on me, and the overwhelming need to get out of here overtakes me. A sob rips through me as I turn and run out of the room. A ruckus behind me ensues as the music stops, but I don’t dare turn back to see what’s going on.
    I have to get out of here.
    I burst through the front doors, and the cool night air kisses the bare skin on my shoulders, causing me to shiver. People milling about in front of the house stare at me like I’ve grown three heads and sprouted a tail, and they quickly move away from me, probably worried I’m about to puke on their shoes.
    I step out onto the grass and shove my hair back off my face while my breath comes out in little white puffs into the darkness. I focus on my breathing and try to calm myself down so I don’t completely lose my head in front of all these strangers.
    “Avery? You okay?” a deep, familiar voice asks from behind me.
    I suck in a breath and swat away the tears that continue to stream down my cheeks. I can’t bear to turn around and look at him. Twice now Tyler has witnessed me in some embarrassing situation. Twice now he’s been the one to make sure I’m all right. How sad is my life that a complete stranger is the one who’s been comforting me? I have no real friends. The only person on the face of this planet who cares about me is my father and he’s now a known criminal.
    “Avery?” The concern in Tyler’s voice is clear. “Talk to me.”
    My heart pounds as I turn to face him. His eyes soften as soon as he spots my face and he takes a tentative step toward me. I open my mouth to speak, but no words will come to me. I’m too overwhelmed, and for the first time in my life I can’t think of one thing