His Pretty Little Burden (Kids of The District, #4)

by Nicci Harris

"How do you feel?"

"Comfortable."

"You're my number one,"

“He’s coming for you.”

Bad things come in three: Her suicide: number one. His murder. The incident: number two. My miscarriage: number three.

For her. Don't fuck with me. Don't fuck with my little deer. Don't fuck with my business.

"She has been through hell. So, believe me when I say, fear her when she looks in the fire and smiles." -E.Corona.

"I wanted to protect you from this. And I will. From your father who gifted you this trauma, who saw to it that he broke you. That is what he does, Fawn. He did it to Cassidy. He did it to Konnor. I don't regret keeping this from you. Somethings you don't need to know. Whether you fight me on this or not. Whether you despise me for what I do. What I have done. I will still do it. I can't help the way I am. But if the choice is between your understanding, your affections for me, or protecting you—Christ. I will always choose to protect you. I will⁠—"

"I want someone to love her."

"I want someone to love her!"

"No one loves her."

"No one has ever loved her, Clay. I pretended for so long that Benji did. That my mum might have. That maybe if my dad just saw me, just spoke to me, I mean. I can be funny, right? I can be interesting? I'm⁠—"

"I love her."

"I love you,"

"And I want to love you so fucking hard there is no room for the past. Or the pain. And I will, sweet girl. I won't stand by and allow you not to like yourself when what I see is... spectacular."

"You love her?"

"I love you."

"No."

"No. You can't."

"You're just saying it. You have seen the absolute worst of me! You have seen all the flaws. You can't. I don't believe it. I'm just your burden. Your pretty little burden. I'm⁠—"

"I didn't see any flaws, little deer. I saw you tearing down the middle. I saw you being mauled by life. I can't rip those fuckers from your mind, but I will rip them from this world. All of them."

"I did. I will be your thorns, sweet girl. Your future is with me. You're Cosa Nostra royalty. D...

"It means you aren't ordinary, sweet girl."

"You're powerful."

"You're not my pretty little burden, Fawn."

"You're my pretty little queen."