Chapter 22
Chapter
Twenty-Two
brONWYN
“Someone looks like they had a fun night.” Nate smirks as he slides up next to me while I’m cleaning shelves.
Ugh, fuck my life.
I swear to god, when I see Gio again, I’m knocking his ass out for not telling me he was planning on having us spend the night at his place.
By the time we woke up this morning, I only had an hour before I was due to open the store.
That barely left enough time for him to drive me home and get ready.
I don’t think I’ve ever showered so fast in my life.
Hence the reason I have zero makeup on and my hair is up in a messy bun.
Thank god the clientele that comes in here doesn’t care what you look like.
I should have known Nate would call me on it. I swear nothing slips past him.
“It was…something,” I answer as I concentrate harder than I need to on cleaning.
“It looks like it was more than something.”
I give him my best nonchalant shrug. “It was alright.”
Nate scuffs. “Come on! I’m dying here. Throw me a bone! I tell you everything.”
Yeah, not because I ask. I don’t think Nate is capable of keeping anything to himself. And it’s not in a shit-talking way. He needs to get it out or he’ll explode.
“I had dinner at Gio’s mom’s house and then spent the night at his,” I say, throwing him his bone. There’s no sense in keeping it from him. He’s just going to pester me the rest of the shift until I give in, and for my sanity, I’d rather not have to listen to it.
Nate gapes at me. “Holy shit, Bron. That’s huge.”
“I know.” I sigh. “I told him I thought it was way too soon but, well, he didn’t exactly take no for an answer.”
Nate nods as if he understands. “He’s a guy. We’re alphas. You can’t tell us no.”
I stare at him, blinking before I burst out laughing in full belly-roll laughs. “Holy shit, it hurts,” I gasp between breaths as I double over, clenching my stomach.
“I don’t know what you think is so funny.” Nate’s eyes narrow.
“You calling yourself an alpha,” I say once I get it under control, wiping the tears away from my eyes.
“I am!”
“Nate, I love you, but you’re a teddy bear. And that’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with that. We love soft and cuddly too.”
Nate’s shoulders sag. “Yeah, you’re right. Maybe I need to try asserting dominance. That might get me a baddie instead of all these chicks who want to have my babies two seconds after meeting me. It really cramps my style.”
“Goodbye.” I laugh in his face as I move to the next shelf.
Sometimes I just can’t with him.
“Don’t hate the player, hate the game.” Nate shrugs with a grin on his face.
The day passes in a blur. Nate put on some music and we just vibed the rest of the shift.
The store is usually pretty slow on Monday’s because most people get whatever new game they want towards the end of the week so they have it for the weekend.
We also close early on Monday’s so staying open to close isn’t that bad.
“Are you sure there isn’t anything you want me to do before I head out?” Nate asks before he clocks out.
“No.” I shake my head as I swipe a Tootsie Pop out of the candy bowl Nate and I keep for ourselves behind the counter and pop it into my mouth.
It seemed meant to be when I found one lying around in the break room, thoughts of Gio’s cock in my mouth entering my head.
“Get on out of here with your bad self.”
Nate snickers. “My bad self and I have a date.”
“With a baddie?” I laugh. He couldn’t handle one even if he tried. They would walk all over him.
“No.” Nate playfully frowns as he winks. “Maybe the next one.”
The man is a serial dater.
“Or maybe this one could be the one you date for a while.”
“Nah,” Nate says as he punches his employee number into the register to clock out. “I’m not getting that vibe.”
“Then why are you going out with her?”
“Because it’s Monday?”
I playfully roll my eyes. “Goodbye, Nate. I can’t wait to hear all about your date tomorrow.”
“You know I’ll come with the tea. Later, girl.” Nate waves as he pushes the front door open and strolls out.
I shake my head. He’s something else.
Two more hours of this and then I can go home. Gio didn’t mention anything about picking me up, but that doesn’t mean he won’t show up unannounced. I’ve come to learn never to assume things with him. Gio wouldn’t know what a routine was if it smacked him in the face.
By the time there’s thirty minutes left until closing, I’ve already done everything I needed to do except count down the register. I could do it now, but last time I did that someone came in last minute and I had to do it all over again. It was like karma giving me the finger.
The bell on the front door chimes while I’m in the back room. “Welcome to AFK,” I call out as I walk out of the back room to greet them. “Is there anything you’re… Dad?”
I stop in my tracks, taking in my dad standing in front of me.
I’ve seen him after coming off a two-week bender.
I’ve seen him after a month of living at a slot machine.
And I’ve seen him after living on the streets for months.
But this? None of those times compared to this.
The area around his eyes is sunken in, as if he hasn’t eaten since the last time I saw him in my apartment.
Deep dark purple and blue circles surround his eyes.
They look past the point of being tired and more like someone gave him two black eyes.
I stand there gaping at him. I’m at a loss for words.
“There’s my girl,” he croaks out through a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.
Something is wrong here. Very fucking wrong.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, not moving from my spot.
“What? I can’t come by and see my favorite girl?”
My heart aches and my gut clenches as I internally flinch. It feels like he’s slapped me. I’ve never been his favorite girl no matter how hard I tried, and I know now that it will never happen. He’s here because he wants something. That’s all he sees me as, his personal ATM.
“How did you find me?” I ask as I move to tuck my hands into my back pockets and roll on the pads of my feet.
My hand hits my phone, making me think of Gio.
Dad moves his head back in disbelief, the smile still in place. “What kind of dad would I be if I didn’t know where my girl is working?”
You see, that’s the thing…he doesn’t know where I’m working or where I’ve ever worked because he’s never asked.
“I mean, you’ve never asked or shown any interest in what I’m doing with my life,” I answer his question. I know it’s rhetorical, and he’s trying to win an Oscar for his role of caring father, but I’m so fucking over the bullshit.
“I-I don’t remember when I asked,” Dad stumbles over what to say as I take the time to really study him.
It’s then I notice that he’s shaking. They’re not massive, visible shakes like he’s cold.
It’s a small, barely noticeable continuous shake.
“But I know you’ve brought it up in conversation before. ”
But I haven’t, though.
I’ve said I’ve had to work, but he’s never asked and I never offered the information. He knows there’s a job that he thinks gives him access to money when he needs it. Well, that stops today.
I wish Gio were here. He would be so proud of me for finally standing up for myself.
“Are you okay?”
Dad’s smile falters slightly, his focus on anything but me. “Yeah, yeah,” he rushes out. “I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be fine?”
Okay…this is fucking weird.
My internal danger alarm has bells going off in my head.
He doesn’t know where I work, and he came in knowing I would be here.
He didn’t know where I moved to, but somehow found that too.
I don’t buy that he got my address from the girl’s couch I was sleeping on anymore because now that I think about it, I don’t think he ever came to that place.
I always met him somewhere in public because he needed dinner.
“I don’t know…” I say slowly as I watch his every move. “You seem off. Are you on something?”
There’s no sense in beating around the bush anymore. I’m so over all of this; it isn’t even funny.
“No!” he harshly bites out, his manic gaze darting around the room.
I take a step back as my eyes widen from his outburst.
My hand brushes my phone again as I move it out of my pocket in case I need to defend myself, making me think of what I pinky promised Gio.
If anyone shows up and you feel threatened in any sort of way, doesn’t matter where you are, I want you to call or text me immediately.
I’m past feeling uncomfortable. Now I’m freaking the fuck out.
I’d give anything to have his pinky wrapped around mine right now.
I’ve seen this side of dad when I was a kid, but I was never on the receiving end and, to be honest, he forgot I was there, giving me the option to hide out somewhere.
He has me on edge, waiting for the shoe to drop.
I take my phone out of my back pocket and fire off a text to Gio.
Me: dad’s at afk. shit is weird. help.
“Who you talkin’ to?” Dad asks as he takes a step toward me, swaying slightly.
I take another step back as my heart begins to pound in my chest.
God, please let Gio remember our pinky promise.
“No one.”
“Bullshit!” Dad’s voice is rising, becoming more belligerent as he takes another step toward me. “I saw you with my own two eyes. You tellin’ someone I’m here?”
“No.” My voice shakes as I retreat again. My back hits a wall.
I squeeze my eyes shut. I’ve backed myself into a corner.
He’s advancing and I have nowhere to go but forward.
Dad’s eyes are manic as he tries to focus on me.
The closer he gets, the more I realize he’s high.
Fucking liar.
“You should have told your little boyfriend to mind his own damn business,” he yells, sounding deranged.
How would he know about Gio?
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I tell him as I try to swallow my panic.
My eyes dance around the room, trying to come up with the best plan that will get me out of here alive.
“Don’t play dumb with me!” He takes another step toward me. “You were always the smartest one. Always too fucking good for us.”
“Too good for you and Mom? Are you fucking kidding me?” I scream, finally losing it. “You should want what’s best for me!”
I’ve tried so hard to make sure I had a better life than I did growing up. He’s acting as if I didn’t share any of that with him. Never in my life have I denied him anything he’s asked for.
“I should have let your mom kill you when she begged me to let her have an abortion,” he sneers. “But nooooooo. I made her keep you. A lot of good that did me. Look at you? You disgust me.”
I flinch from what he just hurled my way. I’ve always known they never wanted me around as a kid, but to hear it is completely different. The hard truth always strikes you where it hurts the most.
“Why are you here?” I croak out. My hands are shaking; I’m so upset. Tears are threatening to fall, but I refuse to let him see me cry over him. “Do you need more money?”
“I’m here because you fucked up. You should have just left everything well alone, but you didn’t. You sent your guard dog sniffing around shit you have no business knowing.”
“Were you ever going to pay me back?” I ask. I know now is the worst possible time to ask, but I need to know the answer. I need him to verbally tell me what I think I’ve known all along.
Dad throws his head back and laughs. “Fuck no. Consider it your payment for letting you live.”
I swallow the emotion that’s threatening to spill out of me. A small part of me was hoping he would prove me wrong. I’m stupid to think otherwise.
“I never want to see you again,” I whisper.
“What?” Dad leans in and cups his hand behind his ear.
“I said I never want to see you again!” I scream as I run toward him, shoving him as hard as I can.
Dad loses his balance and flies backward into the shelves. The shelves rattle as games go flying every which way.
“You fucking bitch!” Dad yells as I run past him, making a beeline for the front door.
My hands slap against the glass as I reach it, breaking me. I yank on the handle, but it doesn’t budge. What the fuck? Who locked this? I quickly flip the deadbolt as I try to control my panic, but it’s not working. I have this pounding sense of dread in my chest that I’m going to die.
I yank the door again. This time it opens. Just as I’m about to run through, I’m yanked back by my hair. Hard. A cry leaves my lips as I fly backwards and land on my ass. My head feels like it’s on fire as a throbbing pain takes its place.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Dad sneers. “You got me into this fucking mess. You’re going to get me out.”
“What mess?” I cry. The tears I was refusing to let him see are pouring down my face in waves. “I didn’t do anything!”
His hand tightens on my hair, pulling until it feels like the strands are ripping out of my head. “You should have let Brian take you. You shouldn’t have asked any questions. None of this would have had to happen,” he rants.
Let Brian take me?
Ice runs through my veins as it all clicks.
The guy from The Drip who was following me. The same guy that Gio found waiting for me outside my apartment.
“You sent someone to kidnap me?” I ask, my own voice unrecognizable.
I feel dead inside. My own flesh and blood, who I’ve helped when I could barely help myself, set me up for god knows what.
“Don’t make it sound like I’m doing something bad. Your daddy racked up a huge debt. Thought the money I got from you would give me some time, but I was wrong. The man I owe money to offered me a deal. Give him you and the debt is cleared.”
My heart is shattered into a million tiny pieces that I don’t think will ever get put back together. “That’s all I’ve ever been to you, isn’t it?” I whisper. I can taste salt on my tongue from the tears pouring down my face.
“What else are kids good for?”
My jaw clenches as I wipe my tears.
Fuck him.
Without a second thought, my hand darts out, grabbing his ankle. I give it a hard tug, pulling his feet out from under him. Dad sways, slamming into the counter near the register. I swallow a cry as the hold he has on my hair tightens and he takes me with him.
“God, I should fucking kill you for that!” Dad yells. “I’m done fucking around. He said he needed you alive, but he didn’t say you needed to be awake.”
I thrash around, desperate to get out of his hold.
I grunt through the pain as I feel chunks of hair getting ripped out of my head.
I’m not strong enough. Dad lets go of my hair long enough to wrap his arm around my neck, putting me in a headlock.
I gag as the smell of musty sweat fills my nose.
God, he fucking stinks. I claw and scratch at his arm that’s tightening around my neck, digging my nails in deep until I feel blood on my fingertips.
“Fuck,” Dad hisses but doesn’t let up. “I’ve had just about enough of you.” He covers the bottom area of my face with a cloth. Before I can figure out what’s happening, the world goes black.