Chapter 6 #2
It was only adding to the smoldering rage I felt, because in the midst of it she begged him to stop.
A broken, ragged sob that was pulled from her lips like a prayer.
Over and over the unnamed devil that was torturing her while she was safe in my bed.
My father had worked fast, sedating her before she could hurt herself.
He had taken one look at me after that and instructed me to leave the room.
Pacing the floor outside the room I wait, impatiently, for him to emerge.
Outside of the rain still falling, the house was silent.
The wind had died down finally leaving behind a soft breeze that would hopefully mean the storm was over.
For the millionth time I am debating on calling Ace and Law, telling them exactly what’s going on.
They need to know, and honestly I need the grounding.
Because right now I feel like I’m about to lose my god damn mind.
But without knowing who the enemy is or how the fuck they managed to block all our texts and calls I can’t risk an open line.
Still, I open my phone and glance at the last text.
Law: Roads are a shit show right now Logan. Tell me you got home safe.
Law: Lo I mean it… you answer me right now!
Me: Home.
Law: Thank fuck.
Law: I’m stuck here for now, I can’t make it home. Please be safe. I love you. I’ll try again in the morning.
My father finally steps from the room, halting my downward spiral and forcing me to put my phone back in my pocket.
His expression is grave, eyes dark storm clouds as he heads towards the kitchen.
It takes a lot to shake Reed Everheart, in fact, the only time I’ve seen him with a similar expression was when Marie died.
The silence builds between us as I watch him grab whiskey, pulling straight from the bottle.
“Need you to tell me what the fuck is going on.” I try to keep the growl from my voice, try to stay level headed.
My dad continues to stare out the kitchen window, hand clutched to the bottle of alcohol. “Dad!”
“She was withdrawing. That's why she had the seizure.” He says the words while still looking out the window.
“She was high as a kite when I found her on the road, so that makes sense I guess.” I respond, arms crossed over my chest. I know my father well, know all his tells and right now he’s holding back. “What aren’t you telling me?”
He lets out a long, defeated sigh. “They were the same drugs that Marie had in her system.”
The world goes blank for a moment as the words register in my mind.
I can’t bring myself to respond to my father, the two of us holding onto our own guilt and processing the magnitude of the fuck up that has occurred.
The only sound, the ticking of the clock above the front door.
An ominous one that seems to build and build and build.
“Is she going to be okay?” I manage to ask.
My voice shakes. He looks towards me finally, a haunted expression painted across his face.
“I’ve seen a lot of terrible things in my life son but that girl…
I’m shocked she’s alive. He’ll want her back.
Whoever she’s been with, he’ll want her back.
The only type of man who brands someone is the kind that looks at them as property. ”
The words don’t seem to register in my mind. “Say again?”
He shakes his head, setting the bottle down and dragging his hand down his face. “She’ll survive the drugs, she’s stable now.” He stumbles over his words before he catches the look on my face. “But emotionally, she’s got a long road ahead of her.”
Everything goes quiet in my mind. A dark calm washes over me as I process the words flowing from his mouth.
It’s the kind of calm that has me two steps ahead of the world around me.
It’s like playing chess and already knowing not only the moves you’ll make before your opponent steps up to the board but how you’ll win.
For all my chaos that results in destruction this place, this dark, calm, collective place, is far more deadly.
“Logan?” My father grips my shoulder dragging me from the solace of planning. He frowns, his eyes, a dark muddy brown compared to my hazel, full of suspicion and concern. “Do not do something stupid.”
No words come from my mouth to placate his statement.
Only silence building and building and building before he finally huffs out a defeated sigh and a shake of his head.
My father is where this place comes from, he knows how my mind works because it’s so similar to his.
Aside from the ADHD that enjoys living in my brain, we are a carbon copy of one another when someone we love is threatened or hurt.
“I need to get home, I’ll come back tomorrow if the weather permits and check on everything again.
” Dragging me in for a hug he squeezes tight before I’m returning it.
My father has never been one to avoid affection and I adore him for that.
He had no issue pulling up on his Harley and dragging me in for a hug in front of anyone.
He also knocked a townie's teeth out when they made a homophobic remark about my relationships. From the moment I was born I knew my father loved me and I’ll be forever grateful for that.
When he finally releases me I walk him to the door, opening up to the deluge of rain still coming down. “You going to make it back okay?” Guilt assaults me at the risk he even took getting up the small mountain road to our place.
“Boy, who taught you how to drive on these roads?” He grumbles with an arched eyebrow.
“Yeah, yeah but you weren’t the old man you are now.” I bump him with my shoulder in a gesture which earns me a huffed laugh.
“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me.” He clasps me on the back before stepping off and rushing to his truck. I watch as he backs out of our drive and don’t go back in until I see his tail lights disappear.