Chapter 17
“ P eace Addison Jinkins!” I wake abruptly to the sound of War’s bellow.
Fuck. Shit. It’s morning. The sun is peeking over the lake and we’re still outside.
“Wake up,” I hiss at Peace, throwing the blanket off us just as her dad and my own step into view.
“What’s going on?” Peace blinks open her eyes. Her rose scent is strong at first like she seems to be but fades fast encountering the chilled air. Seeing her dad, she starts to tremble.
“Get inside the house now!” War points.
“Okay, Daddy,” Peace mumbles. With her chin tucked to her chest, she scrambles off the bed.
I scoot to the edge and put my feet on the ground.
“Stay right there.” War moves in front of me, blocking me from standing. His anger is a shock wave, and his eyes are flames.
“I’ll handle Bo.” My dad steps closer to War. His expression is as cold as the snow-packed earth. So be it. I don’t give a shit what he thinks.
“We weren’t doing anything wrong.” I jerk up my head and notice Peace lingering by the door. I get why her dad is pissed, and it’s not because we broke the terms of his daughter’s punishment.
“Go inside now, Peace.” War notices her too, but he doesn’t break eye contact with me.
“Don’t be mad at Bo.” Peace shakes her head.
“I’m okay,” I tell her. “Don’t worry about me.” But it fills me with warmth that she’s worried. “It’s cold. Go inside, PJ. I’ll come say goodbye to you later.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” War declares.
Returning my attention to him, I watch his hands forming fists.
“I’d never do anything to hurt Peace,” I tell him firmly.
“And yet you have.” He tosses that accusation back.
“How?” I ask.
“Whose idea was it to go inside the studio?” he snaps. “To play your dad’s guitar? To come outside in the middle of the fucking night?”
“Mine.” I swallow hard.
“She’s only thirteen.” His knuckles turn white from the tightness of his grip.
“Nothing happened,” I mumble. “We were just talking, and we fell asleep.”
He studies me for a long moment and his fists loosen a bit. I think he believes me. “Peace is a good kid.” He keeps hammering me with his truth mallet, every blow hitting the mark. “Or she was until you came along.”
“She’s not a kid.” I pop off. Being contrary is all I have, and it fans his ire.
“Yes, she so the fuck is.” He grabs me by my shirt. Lifting me from the bed, he shakes me.
“Get your hands off me.” I break his hold. Getting my feet on the ground, I come at him, but he shoves me backward. His chest heaves as he glares at me, baring his teeth.
“Whoa. Hey. War. Calm down.” Dad inserts himself between us. “Listen. Bo is just a kid. My kid. And he says nothing happened.”
“You believe him?” War swivels his head to look at my dad.
“In this case, yeah.” He nods tightly. “I think you believe him too.”
My eyes and my nose sting; I have nothing to say, completely knocked on my ass by my dad defending me.
“But you’re right about him being a bad influence on Peace.” He pulls the pin and lobs his low opinion at me like a grenade.
And there he is. The asshole who hates me. Well, the feeling is mutual.
“Peace is just a friend.” I swipe my nose and blink away the burning in my eyes.
“You don’t have a fucking clue what it means to be a friend.” My dad looks down his nose at me.
“You don’t know jack,” I disagree.
“You’re wrong. Got that guy there.” He gestures at War. “I have four other guys in the band who would take a bullet for me, and I’d do the same for them.”
I’d die for Peace too if it came to that. He doesn’t know. But I’m beyond done trying to explain or defend myself.
“Believe whatever you want to, old man,” I sneer at him.
Looking at me, his jaw clenches so hard the muscle in it spasms. Knowing that he’s likely wishing for the umpteenth time that I’d never been born, I glance away.
“We’re leaving,” he says softly. “Your mother’s waiting in the car. Go inside. Get your things.”
“Right.” I could walk around him, but I make a point to bump his shoulder on my way toward the house.
“Bo,” he calls.
I stop and shift my head, but I don’t turn around. I can’t stomach any more of his disapproval.
“Stay away from Peace,” he orders. “Get your shit and come back downstairs.”
Hell fucking no. I get myself in motion again, but I don’t acknowledge him. I’m going to say goodbye to Peace.
“Leave Peace alone.” War’s hand slams over mine as I reach for the handle on the door. The hard silver around his fingers digs into my skin. “You’re no good for her, son.”
“How could you possibly know?” I ask.
“Because I was a little shit like you once,” he replies. “I lashed out at everyone around me. I was full of anger, and I spewed that toxic shit everywhere. Didn’t care who it destroyed. My Peace is sweet. She’ll take it. She cares about you, that much is obvious. But is taking her with you down your path of destruction what you really want for her?”