Razor Sharp | ✓

Five

♡♡♡

When Ridge brings me food in the morning, I don't even bother looking up. I've thought of a plan, finally. It might be really foolish, but it's all I have.

If I starve myself, staging a hunger strike, then maybe, just maybe, they'd be forced to take me to a hospital.

Ridge sits down near me and I scoot away. He scoffs. "Eat," he orders, shoving the food closer to me.

"No, thanks. I'm not hungry."

"Sure you're not," he says, sarcastically.

"Can you just go away?" I say, picking up the food and dropping it all over the floor in front of me. I will regret it later when it starts to smell, but I don't care.

"Seriously? Why are you making things more difficult?"

"I'm making things more difficult? I'm not the one who is holding someone hostage!"

He stands up, sending a frustrated hand through his unruly brown hair. He's shaking with anger. At first, I think it's directed at me. "You think that I want this? Fuck you," he spits.

"Well, it's not like you're helping me," I mumble, bringing my legs up to my chest.

I look down at the finished book Hunter had given me, wondering what the hell I'm going to do now to stop myself from going absolutely crazy.

"Well, maybe if The Skulls hadn't been in our territory, then we wouldn't have had to—"

"Are you saying this is my fault?"

"No, I'm saying—"

"Don't even try it. You think it's my fault I got kidnapped by you when I didn't even want to be there that day. You think I wanted to be spending my Saturday doing some random job for The Skulls?"

"You think it was just some random job?" he scoffs. "Don't pretend like you don't know."

I look at him, confused. What the hell is he talking about?

He looks at me then, really looks at me. He cocks his head to the side, whistling slowly. "Wow, you actually don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" I snap. He isn't making any sense. I can tell by the look on his face that he likes the fact he knows more about The Skulls than I do.

I stare at him in disgust. I seriously keep forgetting who these people are. They aren't nice, they will hurt me if they have too. They already are, after all.

"They stole that from us."

I roll my eyes. "Wow, they stole one job, that's—"

"You don't get it," he snaps. He furrows his eyebrows, walking closer to me again. "How involved are you with The Skulls?"

Do I tell him the truth, or do I lie? Is this piece of information important for him? If it's going to benefit The Razors, I don't want to give it away.

"It's none of your business," I say, looking down at the spilled food.

"That's an answer in its self, Ellie. You need to learn to lie better."

I feel the heat rise up my neck. I quickly brush my hair forward, over my shoulders to try and hide the blush that covers my cheeks.

"So, we've been wrong all along then."

"About what?" I almost curse at myself for asking. Why do I have to sound so curious? This will only make things worse.

"Well, we all know you keep to yourself. You don't associate with The Skulls at school, but we all thought that it was because you didn't want to draw attention to yourself. Being the daughter of Damon Cartwright and all."

He sits back down on the hay, covered with the sheet Hunter had given me. "We didn't realise that extended out of school, too."

He's right. I don't like being associated with The Skulls, at all. The only reason I ever help them is when I have to, or when I'm helping my brother. I don't just do random jobs for no reason.

Yes, they are my family, but that doesn't mean I have to be one of them. The Skulls way of life isn't for me, it never has been. It's clear to me that I'm exactly like my mother, and not just because of our similar appearances. It's also clear to my dad, who avoids me more often than not. I'm a clear reminder for him.

"So, you really don't involve yourself with The Skulls? You just—live with them because they're your family?" he whispers.

I'm no fool. I know he's trying to sound nice so he can get as much information out of me as possible. But I'm not going to be that stupid.

I ignore his question, moving back to our earlier conversation. "What do you know that I don't?" I say, grinding my teeth together. It physically hurts to ask a question like that. What little ego I have dies. I sound even more pathetic than usual.

"I don't know if I should tell you, it's not really my place."

"You can't do that. You can't bring something up and then decide not to tell me!"

"Says who? I can do whatever the hell I want," Ridge stands up again and for the first time, I see the exact person that Stacey broke up with. The cocky, arrogant, douche bag who thinks he's better than everyone else.

"Then piss off. I don't want to see your face."

"Fine. Have fun starving to death," he's about to walk out the old door, when he spins on his heel, turning back to me. "Actually, you know what? Maybe I should just tell you, so you can feel like shit."

"What do you think The Skulls do for work, hmm?" he asks, tapping his foot.

My tongue glues to the roof of my mouth. I have some idea, but nothing concrete. Nothing that I hope is true, either

He rakes a hand over his face, laughing. "God, you really are clueless. Do you at least know what we sell?"

I roll my eyes. "I have a pretty good idea, yeah."

He puts his hands up, in mock surrender. "Well, don't hate on us when The Skulls do exactly the same thing."

My blood runs cold. No. Just as I'd thought. Just as I've tried to suppress for years, even though it has been staring me right in the face.

He watches my expression, grinning. "You really had no idea?"

"Shut up," I growl. I want to get up and slap him. He's purposely torturing me.

Drugs. The Skulls really do sell drugs.

Despite never wanting to be involved, this feels like the most type of betrayal. My own family lying to my face for seventeen years.

The Skulls have never been perfect, but I'd always hoped they'd be better than this. Noah had never told me. My own brother. I get that my dad didn't tell me, but my brother? I thought we were closer than that.

Bile rises up my throat, the sense of dishonesty sitting heavy in the humid air. Maybe they'd wanted to protect me, to stop me from thinking about it all the time, but a small part of me knows that isn't true.

Maybe I'm not apart of my own family at all.

I glare at Ridge as he stands above me. "Get out before I make you."

"You aren't in any position to be making threats, Ellie."

"Why are you acting like this?" I whisper.

His expression changes and I see a glimpse of regret in his eyes, surprisingly. It's probably fake, though. "Look, I just..."

He doesn't finish. Instead, he walks back to the door. "I'm bringing you more breakfast."

"Don't bother," I yell back.

This is the only thing I can control. They can't force me to eat.

One way or another, I'll be deciding my own fate here. Even if it's the last thing I do.