Chapter 41 Haven #2
People are staring again, some with phones out, no doubt recording. My cheeks burn with shame as I crouch to scoop up what’s left of my phone, but the rest of me feels numb, disconnected.
“Think you’re safe here, you fucking cunt?” Dad calls out, his voice carrying clearly over the distance. Not directed at Kai, or Bastian, but me.
“I know what you did! I know what you fucking did!”
I sway on my feet, nausea rising in my throat.
Fuck.
He didn’t just say that.
I’m hallucinating again.
Or this is a nightmare.
Dear God, let this all be a nightmare.
The men disappear behind a wall, but I can still hear Dad’s angry yells. Then there’s a dull thud, a pained yell.
My heart stutters.
What the fuck?
I take a wobbly step after them, then another. Moving like a sleepwalker.
Before I reach the wall, Kai emerges, flexing his hand, knuckles red. Bastian follows a moment later, calmly adjusting his scarf as if he’s just wrapped up a faculty meeting.
My father is nowhere in sight.
“What did you do?” My voice sounds far away, like it belongs to someone else. A desperate, angry accusation.
…what did you do, bitch…?
…wha’ the fuck did you do…?
Bobby Lee knows what I did.
I don’t know how, but he fucking knows.
Kai’s face is hard. “What we had to.”
“Your father decided to leave,” Bastian says.
“That wad of cash you threw at him had nothing to do with it,” Kai says, lips curling. I can’t tell if he’s sneering or smirking.
“You gave him money?” I can’t keep the bitterness out of my voice. All he’ll do is spend it on meth. And then come back for more, because he’ll keep milking them till the udder’s dry.
“Would you rather he stayed?” Bastian asks with a quirked eyebrow.
Fuck no. And for the second time in minutes, Bastian the Monster becomes Bastian the Savior.
I shudder, stepping back like he’s going to lunge at me and shove me to my knees to express my gratitude.
Because I don’t know if I’d stop him.
I feel so fragile, a single breath could shatter me.
“Haven!”
Melissa’s voice cuts through the ugly thoughts racing through my mind. I turn to see her rushing toward me, her lips tight. “What’s the hell’s happening? I heard some tweaker attacked you.”
“He’s not—“ I swallow hard, forcing the words out. “He’s my dad.”
“What?” Melissa’s eyes widen a fraction. “Oh. Oh. Jesus, I’m—“
She cuts off, but I can see it in her face—the pity, the shock, the sudden realization that I’m polar opposite to pretty much every kid in this place.
“Not now, Parker,” Kai says, grabbing my arm.
I rip myself free. “Let go,” I croak, my voice threatening to break when I latch eyes with Melissa.
She didn’t have to step up. I fully expected her to walk away and wash her hands of me. I wouldn’t even have blamed her.
It’ll take an acid bath and a fucking lobotomy to put this day behind me.
But Melissa wraps an arm around my shoulders, turning me away from Bastian and Kai. “Ugh, it fucking reeks of testosterone. Come on, let’s go eat. Teagan grabbed you a burger.”
I let her guide me away, my legs shaking so badly I’m not sure they’ll hold me much longer.
“Haven, wait,” Kai calls, hurrying after us.
Melissa whirls around, stepping between me and Kai as her hand dives into her purse. She pulls out a small canister of pepper spray and aims it at his face.
“Back off, psycho!”
“Jesus, Parker,” Kai raises his hands, frowning as he hurriedly steps back. “I just want to talk.”
“She doesn’t,” Melissa snaps, turning me away and handing me her pink Stanley cup.
I take a big sip as I glance back at Kai, reading the frustration etched into his features. Even something that might be concern, or guilt.
Hilarious.
Except…something Dad said is repeating like bad chili.
…wanna try your luck again? You’ll eat dirt just like you did last time…
What the hell was that about?
Kai turns on his heel and stalks for the stadium exit, hands tugging through his hair like he wants to rip it out.
Which is when I spot Bastian following us, his dark eyes fixed on me with that predatory intensity that makes my skin prickle…and my goddamn clit starts tingling.
Not today, Satan.
With my father gone, I don’t need him anymore.
I snatch the pepper spray from Melissa’s hand and point it at Bastian as he gets closer.
“Stay the fuck away from me.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Melissa whispers, aghast. “That’s Professor Rooke.”
“I know who he is.” I’m shocked at how steady my voice is.
Bastian stops, regarding me with mild concern. “You seem distraught, Miss Lee.”
I laugh, the sound verging on hysteria. “Fucking distraught?”
“Come on,” Melissa murmurs, tugging at my arm.
I reluctantly let her take the pepper spray out of my hand and lead me away. The thought of hitting Bastian’s charming fucking face with pepper spray is making me feel all kinds of giddy.
But it won’t change what he did to me.
Won’t change what just happened with my father.
I knew changing the past was never an option.
So I ran, thinking if I ran far enough, it couldn’t follow.
I’ve just been proved wrong in the worst way.