"No, honey. Don't like him," I pleaded with her, trying to sound like I was still in control. I didn't look over at Fang but I knew he would have an insanely smug smirk on his face right now.
"No," she huffed the word out in one breath and crossed her arms, glaring at me like Angel used to when she wasn't getting her way. "I want to know my daddy."
"He's not your dad," I growled, more at myself. I could never growl at Rose. But I was so angry with myself right then.
"Max," Iggy said, "you're going to have to forgive him sometime."
"No, I am not!" I shouted, outraged. "Nudge just told me you haven't said one word to him since and you expect me to just drop everything and run back into his arms like nothing ever happened? Are you the one that had to live through that?! No. The whitecoats hadn't even done that to me. Yet, here Fang is, someone who I could supposedly trust no matter what, did that. No, Iggy, I will not forgive him," I stated coldly.
"Please, Max?" Angel asked, giving me Bambi eyes. "I forgave him."
"His deed wasn't yours to forgive," I said.
"Max," Fang said quietly.
I whirled on him. "No! You don't get to say anything about this!"
I ran out of the room, leaving Rose in Nudge's arms. I tore through the apartment and tried to escape through the fire escape next to the window in the room where I had woken up. But strong arms wrapped themselves around my waist and held me, not releasing through all of my kicking, screaming, and fighting. Finally, I gave up, and collapsed in a heap of tears.
The tears were the ones I had refused to shed for two years; and they came pouring out. I was drowning in my misery. The memories came back, haunting me. I could feel Fang's hand on my inner thigh, pressing too hard and forming a bruise. I could taste the alcohol residue on my lips, leftover from Fang's harsh kiss.
Someone was rubbing my back in circular pattern between my wings. I knew who it was. If I had had any energy left, I would have fought them tooth and nail to get away from me.
I shuddered as their hands suddenly turned into the clapboard shed wall down by the beach. I felt the sharp shards of shells digging into my bare feet.
The harsh hiss of Fang's words hitting my ears.
I cried and sobbed and bawled for what felt like hours.
I could not forgive him. Just as much as I could not forgive the whitecoats for the wings. Just as I could not forgive Ari for nearly killing half of my family.
More tears leaked down my face.
Someone grabbed my chin and roughly turned it to the side so I was staring directly into the face of the one person I wanted to hurt.
"Max," he said, "I love you."