Read The Liberator (A Dante Walker Novel) (Entangled Teen) for Free Online Page B

yourself, you’re doing more damage by being nearby.”
    I squeeze my eyes shut and pull in a deep breath through my nose. She’s right. I know she’s right. But it doesn’t sting any less to leave. “You’ll watch after her,” I say to Valery, more as a statement than a question.
    “With my life.”
    I yank Red into a hug. I didn’t consciously think to do it, and Valery immediately stiffens in my arms, but eventually she relaxes and pats me awkwardly on the back.
    “Get off me, fungus,” she says into my shoulder, but her words hold no venom.
    Releasing her, I look back at Charlie. Valery heads toward the benches, and Charlie moves toward me. When she gets closer, she wraps her arms around my neck and pulls my face to hers. As her mouth touches mine, she says, “I have a surprise for you.”
    “I hate surprises,” I say.
    “Even surprises that could kick your ass all over a court?” someone says from behind me.
    I grin against Charlie’s mouth, then turn and see Annabelle standing nearby. Her short black hair and straight-as-Hugh-Hefner bangs make her look like that chick from Pulp Fiction . But her body is far from Uma Thurman’s. No, Annabelle’s built like a brick house…if a brick house married an Amazonian warrior. “I see you broke out,” I say.
    “Nah, I burned the whole damn place to the ground.” Annabelle holds her fist into the air like she just led several thousand prisoners out of Alcatraz. Then she pulls me into a hug that nearly severs my spine.
    “What were you in for again?” I ask when she releases me.
    “First degree meets B and E, holmes,” she answers in her best street voice.
    Charlie laughs. “Yeah, that or sneaking out to meet Bobby.”
    I raise my eyebrows at Annabelle. She bites down on her bottom lip and sways side to side like a schoolgirl. “Very naughty, Annabelle,” I say. “I do approve.”
    Annabelle places a hand on her hip. “What can I say? I’m a desirable woman,” she purrs. “Anyway, came to see you off. Char tells me you’re going to save a damsel in distress, but you’ll be back in a few days.”
    “That’s the story.”
    “Then I’ll leave you two to suck face.” Annabelle waves over her shoulder.
    Watching her go, my shoulders tense. Because I know what comes next: the part where I tell Charlie good-bye. I’m trying to think of the right thing to say when Charlie lays her hand on my arm and looks at me with the most perfect smile. “Want to see something?”
    I nod, but I can’t get over how happy she seems. It’s like my leaving doesn’t even bother her. I hear a man calling something else over the speakers as Charlie reaches down the front of her shirt and pulls out the ivory horn. It’s attached to an old-looking silver chain.
    “My grandma gave me this chain when I showed her the charm.” Charlie grips the horn in her palm. “She was the one who found the small hole at the top.”
    Narrowing my eyes, I pull my own horn out of my pocket and look it over. Sure enough, there’s a tiny hole drilled into mine as well. “Cool,” I say.
    Charlie’s smile falters. “I’m going to miss you.”
    “Are you?” I ask, my voice raspier than I intended.
    Her face falls. “Of course I am,” she says. “Why would you ask me that?”
    I shrug. “You seem pretty cheerful about this assignment.”
    Charlie’s face brightens again, her blue eyes shining. “That’s because I know you’re going to do great.” She tilts her head, grinning. “Because I know you’re a good person, and you can do good.”
    Something in me snaps. I know it’s probably the fear that she won’t be truly safe while I’m gone, but it’s also that I’m afraid what she’s saying isn’t true. “Maybe I don’t want to be good, Charlie. Maybe I want to be me.” I lean down and get in her face, beat my chest with a closed fist. “Maybe I’m bad to my core. And maybe I wish you were a little more like me.”
    She’s going to flip me off. I just know