Chapter 42 Heath
HEATH
Instead of having the party in the living room, we organize it in my room to have privacy. Any interaction with my parents is to be avoided at all costs. I don’t want them to upset Rose and ruin her day. My mother might not say something rude, but I can’t trust my father.
Marie and Sebastian decorate my room while I drive around with my girlfriend to kill time.
“Why aren’t we going home?” she asks for the third time. I’m sensing she is picking up that we’re up to something.
Marie and Sebastian better hurry the fuck up.
“I have to buy a few things,” I lie.
“What things?”
“Protein powder.”
“Didn’t you buy it a few days ago?”
I sure as fuck did. “I spilled the entire bottle the other day.”
“What?” She sounds worried.
I nod as I pull up into the parking lot of the department store.
Hope hesitantly unbuckles her seatbelt. She doesn’t believe me.
I get out of the car and come around to open the door for her. She steps out and wraps her arms around herself and stares at me with those innocent eyes.
“What is going on? I feel like something is wrong.” Panic rings in her voice.
I grab her hand. “Nothing is wrong, I promise.”
“But I have this strange feeling that something bad is going to happen.”
I frown, seeing her troubled eyes and trembling bottom lip.
“Nothing is going to happen, Rose.” I study her closely.
She stares at me for a long moment then nods.
Taking her hand, I let us in.
Hope is on edge the entire time and I try to calm her down but the wheels in her head keep rolling. I know something is bothering her but even she can’t figure out what it is.
We walk out five minutes later with a protein power bottle that I don’t even need. Because of Dad, I’ve stopped fighting at the underground. But turns out he already knew about it. It’s strange how he never brought it up on phone calls. Not that I’d have sttopped if he’d ask me to.
These days, I only go to the gym. It’s my only outlet for frustration.
And sexual energy.
Having Rose so close to me all the time has given me permanent blue balls. It’s a miracle that I’m functioning properly and not dying from pain.
Sebastian likes to tease me about it.
Asshole.
The sky gets dark and it’s only five. Streetlights lit up and people start walking towards their home.
My phone pings with a message. It’s from Blondie.
Blondie: All set.
I let out a sigh of relief and drive us home as fast as I can.
When we get home I take Rose to my room. She looks relaxed now which is exactly how I want her to be. I don’t want anything to ruin her day.
“Go on,” I gesture her to open the door.
She gives me a questioning look but pushes it open.
“Happy birthday!” Marie and Sebastian shout, wearing party hats and holding confetti cannons.
My room is minimally decorated with white and blue balloons and a few other simple touches.
Marie sets aside the confetti cannon and lifts the chocolate cake from the table. Sebastian lights the candles, and together, they bring it over with wide grins.
I close the door behind us and lock it.
Rose laughs as she sees the cake.
“Blow the candles and make a wish,” I say to Rose as I wrap my arm around her waist to hold her steady.
Rose glances at me, then closes her eyes and blows out the candles.
The Sebastian and I clap the loudest. He hands her the knife, and she carefully cuts the cake.
“Thank you,” she whispers, her eyes shinning with tears.
“You’re welcome,” Marie says looking like she’s ready to cry.
Later, the four of us sit on the floor around the coffee table, enjoying the cake. I have a small piece, mostly because of Rose, who’s busy devouring a huge slice I can’t even imagine finishing.
“Okay present time,” Marie announces and reaches behind her to grab a bag. “I’m first.”
“Why?” I ask her.
“Because I said so first. If you wanted to be first, you should’ve spoken up.”
I roll my eyes.
Rose takes the with a soft expression on her face. “You didn’t have to, Marie. This party was enough.”
“I wanted to. Besides, I’ve had this for so long. I especially made this for you.”
With a curious face, Rose puts her hand into the bag and pulls out a pink hoodie. She opens it and there’s a quote on the front that makes her smile.
“You wrote my favorite line, and there are sparkles and stars too. They match the book perfectly.”
Marie wears a smug expression. “I know.”
Rose hugs Marie and thanks her.
Next up is Sebastian who gets her a lot of reading supplies like bookmarks, tabs, highlighters and pens. Rose gushes over them and thanks him with a hug.
I’m the last.
“What did you get, Hope?” Marie asks.
I ignore her and slip my hand into my jacket pocket, where her present is tucked away. Taking it out, I hand it to Rose who gasps.
“You made me a bracelet on my birthday so I thought I should do the same.”
“But how did you make it?”
I shrug. “I was always watching you when you made them.”
She examines the bracelet, its blue and white beads and star charms that I added because they remind me of her.
It was tough making it without her noticing—I'd skip gym hours to work on it. A few times, I’d slip the string, and the beads would scatter everywhere, forcing me to start over.
But when I was done with it, I knew she’d love it.
Rose slips it on and grins. “It looks pretty,” she whispers.
Looking up, she cups my cheek and pulls me in for a kiss. “Thank you so much.”
Gratitude shines in her eyes because she knows how much time and effort it takes for one to make it.
“You don’t — ”
A loud noise comes from downstairs, grabbing my attention. Moments later, shouting follows.
“What’s going on?” Marie whispers.
I know for a fact that it isn’t my parents. They’ve never raised their voices at each other.
“Wait here.” I get up to check.
“I’ll come.” Sebastian gets up too.
We both step outside my room and hurry downstairs.
As we both turn, we see a familiar face in the foyer, standing toe to toe with my father.
Alex Hanson.
“Call my daughter down. I know she is here!” Alex shouts at my with a sharp look.
Dad looks down at him with a cold stare that sends a chill down my spine. Seeing it, Alex backs up a little. “I assume you’re the asshole who made my son spend a night in cell.”
“He shouldn’t have interfered in my family mattters.”
“You mean, protect your daughter from you,” Dad retorts calmly.
“She’s my daughter. I can do whatever I want with her.”
Sebastian puts his hand on my chest to keep me from going over and pummeling his face.
“Stay put,” he warns me.
Dad narrows his eyes on him as if he is the dirt beneath his shoes. “Do what exactly?”
Alex glares at him. “I know she is here. You’ve kept here for far too long.”
“She’s staying here because you and your wife kicked her out,” Dad explains to him, not one bit affected by the evil look he’s giving him.
“Well, now we want her back.”
Dad straighens up. “Why?”
Alex steps closer. “You listen to me, rich prick! Give me back my daughter or else I’ll have the police at your door in a minute.”
Dad studies him. “I don’t think you know who you’re dealing with.” He moves forward making Alex step back in fear as he is taller and musclar than him. “I can have you in jail in less than a second for disrespecting me.”
“Xavier — ” Mom speaks from around the corner and Dad looks over at her and that’s when he sees me.
Alex does too.
“You asshole!” He takes one step and Dad grabs the back of his neck and slams his face in the nearest wall.
“Don’t even think about raising a hand on my son. I will break your hand,” Dad warns him in a menacing tone.
“What do you think — ” Alex croaks out but stops when he sees someone behind me.
I swivel my head and there is Rose standing with Marie. She resembles a statue with how still she is standing. Color drains from her face and eyes fill with fear.
“It’s time to go,” Alex tells her.
Rose nods, her hands fisting by her sides and they shake.
Walking past me, she near him and looks at my father. He lets go of Alex and steps back.
The second he does, Alex raises his hand and hits her across the face right in front of us.
My feet move and even Sebastian can’t hold me back.
I make it close enough to reach him but Dad steps in my way and blocks me like a wall.
I’m shaking with so much anger, it gets to my head. I can’t think fucking straight.
“Move,” I hiss to him.
He shakes his head, knowing fucking well that I can’t get past him because he is equally strong as me.
Then, that asshole’s fucking voice enters my ears. “You were staying here all this time while your mother and I were worried for you.”
He’s fucking lying.
They were not worried for you.
For fuck’s sake. They didn’t even care, least of all him.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry…” Rose weeps and her entire body shakes.
Grabbing her arm, he yanks her out with such force, and they start walking outside.
“Move,” I grit out to Dad.
“No.”
“I said fucking move.” I snarl.
“No.”
“I said move, Dad!” My voice echoes in all the corners of the mansion with how loudly I yell those words.
My chest is heaving and my breaths are fast and short. I resemble a wild animal that is being prisoned for life.
They must be still outside. I can get to them. I can save her.
Those words keep echoing in my head.
In desperation, I push against my father to reach for her, but he endures my attempts, unyielding.
“I said move!” I snap through clenched teeth.
“Heath, you need to calm down,” he tells me in a placid tone.
I give him a shove and stare at him with so much hatred. “Calm down?! You want me to fucking calm down after what you just saw. Did you not see how he hurt her? Are you fucking blind?”
Every word bounces off the wall and echoes.
I can hear Sebastian standing behind me to reach for him. But I fucking hope he doesn’t.
I’m too livid right now to talk to someone.
“I saw what happened, but if you go after him right now you’ll spend another night in the cell,” he tells me, studying me with those gray eyes. “And I can’t let you do that.”