Twisted World: A Broken World Novel by Kate L. Mary Page A

settlement was never completely silent. Not with the shacks crammed so close together and the people living in them determined to do whatever it took to survive. Which meant grunts and moans filling the empty space between Jackson and me, letting us know that nearby some woman was earning a living on her back—or on her knees.
    “You okay?” Jackson asked, just as we made it past the shrine that signaled the center of the pathetic little neighborhood.
    “I’m fine.”
    He nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I just want to make sure. After what almost happened, hearing that…” When he broke off, he looked away and I could practically hear him blushing.
    This was the Jackson I knew and loved, even if his concern was misguided at the moment. When he was around other people or in public, he became his father’s son. Bossy and important. Always throwing his weight around. Like he had at the bar when dealing with Donaghy. Jackson did a nice thing, offering the fighter a room, but he also craved the praise the good deed would bring. That was his father’s influence. When it was just the two of us, though, Jackson was caring. Sensitive.
    “I’m fine,” I said more firmly. “That asshole didn’t even get close. Donaghy made sure of that. Plus, I’m not oblivious to what sex is.”
    The tightening of his lips told me not to push that subject. Jackson never had liked my one and only boyfriend, and the guy I had given my virginity to. In fact, we’d barely spoken during the few months that I had dated Colton. But Jackson had been there to comfort me when my boyfriend had gotten killed on a supply run, and after that we’d fallen back into our easy friendship. Almost as if Colton had never existed to begin with.
    “I should have been the one to take that scumbag down.” Jackson’s tone was cool, and as hard as stone. Something about it made me shiver even more than the memory of what had almost happened in that bathroom.
    “Let’s just forget about it,” I said, wanting to shrink away from him but stopping myself. “Okay?”
    “Yeah. Okay.”
    We reached my building, but I stopped at the door. “I’m good from here. You should get home before your dad gets worried.”
    “Yeah. It is pretty late.” He glanced past me, into the lobby. “The elevator is working? I don’t want you going up that dark stairwell by yourself this late at night.”
    “It’s working.” I didn’t know for sure, but I did know that I needed him to give me some alone time. If he walked me to my apartment, I’d go right from him to Mom, and who knew when I’d get a chance to read the note.
    “Okay.” Jackson shoved his hands back in his pockets. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
    “I’m not sure,” I said elusively, thinking about the meeting I had with Dragon tomorrow evening. “I have some errands to run and I have work. I’m pretty busy now that Dad’s gone.”
    The lump that always formed in my throat when I thought about never seeing Dad again returned, only this time for some crazy reason, so did the image of Donaghy’s scar. Why had that scar left such a big impression on me?
    Jackson and I said our goodbyes and I hurried inside. Thankfully, the lobby was empty and most of the light bulbs were working.
    As soon as I was sure he wasn’t going to follow me in, I pulled the note out of my pocket and unfolded it with shaky hands. The words scrawled on the paper danced across my vision, making it hard to grasp their meaning. Or maybe, just hard to accept the meaning.

    My knees, already unstable, gave out and I slumped to the floor. The note was still in my hands and I couldn’t look away from the words.
    What the hell was going on? Mom had been ranting about the exact same thing for weeks, ever since Dad disappeared, but I’d assumed that she’d lost it. It didn’t make any sense. If Dad were immune, why wouldn’t they have told him? They could have just asked him to donate his blood. Angus had done