Chapter Fifty-Six
The damp earth beneath the rusted truck was freezing, the cold seeping through the denim of my jeans until my knees felt entirely numb. I sat there in the quiet fog for what felt like hours, my breath coming in shaky, shallow gasps as the tears slowly dried on my cheeks, leaving my skin feeling tight and raw.
The distant clanking of metal from the main garage and the low, collective rumble of the compound was the only proof that the world hadn't stopped spinning. Inside the clubhouse, they were probably still drinking. They were probably still toast-raising to Vivian, listening to her talk about shipping routes and supply chains while Jake smiled and nodded, completely blind to the snake he had welcomed into his bed.
"You're going to catch pneumonia sitting on the dirt
