Chapter 21
Chapter
Twenty-One
Dhara
There was one thing my mother wasn’t delusional about, and that was controlling me. She had effectively forced me to quit my job at the arena, stolen Gavin’s chances at a bright future, and kept me under lock and key.
She’d even changed my hours at the diner. Lydia and her pack were powerless to help. They could either fire me and lose the ability to keep an eye on me, or let her have her way.
Lydia said it wasn’t even a choice. She needed to know that Gavin and I were okay. But it was just another way my mother won.
I worked evenings now. Most of the shifts were the exact same time the guys had games or practice. Anything to make sure I couldn’t contact them.
Now I walked around with a constant ache in my chest. The pain of having my pack ripped away, all the hope I’d finally had dwindling away into nothing but cold embers, was unbearable.
I could feel my mother’s stare every second I moved around the diner. She sat in the corner to have her dinner, eyes trained on me with a small smile on her face. As much as I preferred her here than home alone with Gavin, I hated every second of this.
She was thriving in my pain. The psycho loved that I was forced to serve her while she watched my every move.
The fact that not one person in town intervened made my blood boil. I knew I shouldn’t blame them. I was a grown woman. There wasn’t much anyone could legally do.
But it would only take one person embarrassing her and blowing everything wide open to change our lives.
No such luck.
She still drove me home after every shift and watched my every move. The pile of tips I’d earned was taken straight from my apron and pockets before we even left the parking lot.
There was no hiding anything from her now.
Gavin had retreated into himself. He barely smiled now, not even at me. That hurt more than anything else.
Well… almost anything.
August was still outside my window every single night. I heard him the first night. I’d had to close the window before I ran out to him.
Every night he was there, leaving me money and little notes. Then when the sun started to come up, just before he walked away, he’d quietly whisper, “I love you.”
It was soft enough that only I could hear. I wrote my response in a journal every single morning, too. I couldn’t risk saying it out loud.
My control was failing me a little more every day. I was terrified I’d run to him.
And for now, things were tense, but calm. Mom hadn’t touched me once since that night.
Maybe because I’d become exactly as she wanted. There wasn’t any fight left in me. She’d won for now.
“Order up!” Max called from the kitchen, ringing the bell. I jolted at the sudden noise but hurried back to grab my mother’s plate.
He gave me a long, loaded look. Anger built up more each day he was forced to watch this. They were the only people left who truly saw the hell I was living in.
“Thanks, Max.”
I carried the plate over to my mother’s booth. She greeted me with a smug smile as I set it down in front of her alongside a handful of extra napkins.
Her drink was empty and she shook it, the ice clinking against the glass mockingly.
Like a robot, I picked it up, refilled it, and returned it.
As I turned to leave, icy fingers wrapped around my wrist.
“What kind of service is this?” she demanded. She was smiling, but every word dripped in venom. It was quiet enough the words were just for me, anyone watching would see the smile.
“I apologize, ma’am. Can I get you anything else?” I sounded like a damn robot. But that’s what she wanted.
The satisfaction in her eyes was unmistakable as she studied my empty expression. “That’ll be all.”
She finally released me. Not before dragging her nails across my skin. The sting was enough motivation to keep walking.
“Hey.” Lydia caught my attention. “Can you grab some more napkins from the back?”
I nodded and headed for the storage room. She followed right behind me.
“What?” I asked quietly once we were alone.
“I needed straws.” She looked around for a second before grabbing a handful off the shelf.
“I’m okay, Lydia.” The lie slipped out far too easily these days.
“Can we pretend you’re not lying to me for just one minute?
” I sighed. What else could I say to that?
She must have seen the defeat and held up her hands in defense.
“I just wanted to tell you something. Gavin’s teacher came in for breakfast this morning.
I would’ve told you earlier, but that witch was glued to your side the second you walked in. ”
“How do you know she’s Gavin’s teacher?” I whispered, worry slamming into me and bringing my emotions back online.
“She was talking with another teacher. They were discussing students like they always do. They usually don’t use names, but I happened to hear Gavin’s.” She shrugged. “You know I live for gossip, so I was already listening.”
“What did they say?” I was almost terrified to hear her answer.
“His grades have dropped. Bad. And they’ve noticed a huge change in his behavior. Let’s just say, they’re officially concerned. They’ve already started talking to the school counselor, but she can’t get anything out of him.”
My heart clenched. Someone else outside of my pack was fighting for him. This was huge.
“I’m not stupid, Dhara.” Lydia crossed her arms and stared me down. “I know that pack is building a case against your mother. They still come in every morning looking for you. Do you want me to tell them about this so they can add it to their case?”
“Yes.” The word barely escaped me before I was fighting off tears. Just thinking about them hurt.
Far too much.
“Good.” She smiled. “Because I was going to anyway.”
A strangled laugh bubbled out of me and her expression softened.
“Is there anything I can do for you? It’s killing all of us seeing you like this.”
“I just have to tough it out, Lydia. It’ll get easier with time. You know she won’t be able to hover like this for long.”
“Your pack is making sure she won’t.” She reached over and cupped my cheek.
My eyes fluttered closed as I leaned into the warmth of her hand. I was so touch-starved that even this tiny bit of affection eased something inside me.
My omega had all but disappeared. I’d never felt so isolated. So alone.
Exactly what my mother had wanted all along.
“Alright.” Lydia grabbed the bundle of straws she’d pretended to need. “We should get back out there before the diner implodes without us.”
I laughed softly. The sound surprised me. To keep up appearances I grabbed an armful of napkins and followed her out.
My mother’s eyes narrowed the second we stepped back into the dining room. If she could’ve barged into the storage room to listen, she would have. But Lydia and her pack would have thrown her out no matter who she was.
She started to raise her hand to call me over, likely to interrogate me, when an obnoxious ringtone suddenly blared through the diner. The other customers grumbled at the shrill interruption. My mother rolled her eyes at the onlookers before walking outside to answer it. She had no shame.
Whenever she got those calls, she always walked away. At least it bought me a few minutes to breathe. I just wished I knew who she was talking to.
Hopefully, someone calling her away for a few days. Because the moment she left me alone in that house I was searching her room. She had to have something damning in there that I could use against her.
They said we needed one thing. The sooner I found it the sooner I could reclaim my life.
At least now they’d know I was still fighting. Even if most days I felt like I was barely hanging on.
I still wanted Gavin out of that house and away from her. This nightmare needed to end.
My mother didn’t return until the very end of my shift. She swept in and glared at me. “Clean all this up and bring me my check.”
Of course, she always paid down to the exact penny. Not that I’d expected a tip from someone like her. She remained in the booth while we closed the diner around her.
The last few customers drifted out the door with full stomachs and to-go boxes in hand.
She waited. Just to remind me that I couldn’t leave until she allowed it.
The moment we climbed into her car she started talking. Her eyes were as sharp as her tongue, warning me without saying it that I’d better listen.
“I have some business to handle. I’ll be gone for one night. That brat can’t come with me this time.”
I bit my tongue, trying not to look relieved. Gavin still hadn’t told me what had happened the last time she’d taken him. I had a feeling I’d never truly know.
“That doesn’t mean I won’t be watching. I’ve got someone going to the diner in my place. There will also be someone watching Gavin at school. No matter where you go outside this house, they’ll be watching. In fact, my guy will be waiting outside our house, too.”
She was gleeful as she told me, a bright smile taking over her cherry-painted lips.
This was the exact break we needed. She could have someone watch us all she wanted. Inside we’d have free rein.
“When are you leaving?” I asked in a detached voice.
She glared at me anyway like I’d cheered out loud.
“Don’t act so fucking smug about it, bitch.” Her hand twitched like she was about to slap me before she stopped herself. “I’ll be gone tonight. So, make sure the brat gets to school.”
As if she’d ever taken him herself. That had always been my job.
“Okay.” I answered quickly before she could decide I hadn’t acknowledged her fast enough.
When we pulled into the driveway, two unfamiliar cars were already waiting.
My mother nodded her head toward them. “One’s my ride. The other is your keeper.”
“I’ll be good,” I answered, sounding more like a child than a grown woman.
The irony wasn’t lost on me.
“Get your ass inside. I need to talk to them.”
I didn’t hesitate to scramble out of the vehicle and inside to find Gavin. He peeked out of his bedroom as I walked past.
“She’s leaving tonight,” I whispered. “Stay in your room and play the part. Then we can have a sleepover.”
He managed the tiniest nod before disappearing back into his room.
I hurried into mine, grabbing clean clothes for a shower. If she was leaving in a rush, hopefully she’d be gone by the time I got out.
Anything to minimize the amount of time I had to spend around her.
I showered quickly and braided my damp hair before stepping back into the living room.
A man I’d never seen before stood in the foyer. I froze at the unfamiliar alpha, recognizing danger when it stood in front of me.
His alpha scent was buried beneath stale cigarette smoke and gasoline but it was unmistakable.
He looked dangerous. His gut stretched his shirt thin, but he was a solid alpha. He could hurt me if he wanted to.
A jagged scar carved through one eyebrow before disappearing under his jaw.
Gavin sat stiffly on the couch now, pale as a ghost. Fuck. I hoped she’d leave him out of this. Couldn’t she just run off like she had before?
I sat beside him, hoping my presence would calm him even a little.
“I should be back tomorrow,” my mother said as she walked in wearing a nice dress now. One I probably paid for and didn’t know it. “You two better not step out of line.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Gavin and I answered in unison.
The stranger looked me up and down while she spoke.
“You sure you don’t want to tell Johnny about her?” he asked with a crooked grin. “She’d fetch a high price.”
My mother’s lip curled. She latched onto his arm before dragging him toward the door.
He chuckled darkly. “Relax. I didn’t say I was interested.”
My stomach rolled and I reached over and rested a hand on Gavin’s leg before he could launch himself off the couch. The last thing we needed was for him to mouth off.
We stayed frozen until the front door slammed shut behind them. Then we waited until the rumble of the engines faded into the distance.
He let out a shaky breath and I finally stood. My footsteps were practically silent as I padded over to the window. I carefully pulled back the curtain. Just enough to see out.
There was a dark car out front. A bulky man leaned against it.
He spotted me right away. The creepy man grinned, revealing several missing teeth, before giving me a lazy salute.
With a shudder, I let the curtain fall shut.
“I’m going to look through Mom’s room,” I said as I turned toward Gavin. “I have to see if I can find anything to help the case.”
“Dhara, no.” He looked genuinely horrified. “You know what she’ll do to you if she finds out.”
“She’s not going to find out.”
“What if she has cameras or something?” I had considered that, but sometimes the reward outweighed the risk.
“Then I’ll take the beating, Gavin. All that matters is that we find a way out of here.”
“Fine, but I’m helping.” I could have argued but for once just nodded. Knowing how my mother operated, I doubted she had any sort of camera installed back here.
He followed me down the short hallway toward our mother’s bedroom. Her room was twice the size of mine and included a walk-in closet.
Besides the bed, she had a long dresser and a single nightstand.
“Why don’t you start in the closet?” I suggested. “I’ll check the dresser.”
He nodded once before disappearing into the closet.
I wished I had gloves as I carefully searched beneath stacks of clothes. She wasn’t tidy and it was going to take time to find anything real.
Receipts.
Travel tickets.
An old photograph of a man I didn’t recognize.
Nothing useful.
I moved to the nightstand. My fingers traced beneath the drawer first, checking to see if anything had been taped underneath. When that came back empty, I pulled it open and nearly slammed it shut again.
A bright pink vibrator sat beside an oversized box of condoms. I looked away on instinct but something tucked underneath had me looking back.
A set of leather-bound books. Trying not to vomit, I pulled the first one free and flipped it open. It was full of my mother’s twisted rants. I couldn’t stomach reading it and closed it, switching to the second. This one wasn’t a journal. It was a ledger. My eyes widened as I scanned the pages.
“Gav,” I called quietly. “I found something.”
He stepped out of the closet clutching a small lockbox. His eyes were wide with excitement.
“Me too.”