AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Would you wait with me?” I said, still holding onto his phone.
“Sure,” he said, moving forward to open the door through which I’d entered. “Let’s go wait at the front of the restaurant.”
“What’s your name?” he asked as he led me through the back alley to an open street.
“Kyla,” I lied.
“Sexy,” he said with a grin. “I’m Morgan. Which school do you go to? I can’t tell whether you’re a senior or a freshman at college.”
I was already too old to be either of those but I played along. “I’m a senior at Knightswood Academy.”
“I could tell just by looking at you,” he said, scratching the back of his head. “You’re all classy and shit.”
I smiled at him, pretending to agree with him.
A car came to a stop beside us.
“That’s my ride,” I said after glancing at Morgan’s phone. “Thanks so much for your help.”
“No problem,” he said as I handed him back his phone and climbed into the car.
“Let’s go,” I told the driver.
Within seconds, I was being driven away from the restaurant’s front gate. My heart still beat hard and my senses remained hyper alert.
I could barely believe this was all happening, that I’d successfully escaped Volkov Manor without a hitch. Thoughts of Yakim, Leon and Mikhail probed me from time to time but I suppressed them.
Dad needed me right now. I could think of a way to return to them after he was okay.
They’ll never trust you again, my mind whispered.
The thought sent a cold shiver through me. Was I going to lose them over this?
You didn’t have a choice, I told myself.You wouldn’t been happy if you sacrificed your father to be with them.
Within half an hour, the car dropped me at my requested location.
I felt a tiny glimmer of guilt for fooling Morgan. The young man paid for my ride and would receive nothing in return for his kindness.
You’ve got far more important things to worry about right now, I reminded myself.
The straps of my stilettos cut into my skin. Ignoring the pain, I hurried toward home.
A different kind of emotion came over me when I saw Baldwin Mansion. Absolute calm stole through me at the sight.
I was home.
Approaching the mansion cautiously, I made sure Laura hadn’t lied to me. If any of the guards saw me, they’d inform Callum immediately. No matter what, I couldn’t allow myself to get caught by him.
There were no signs of any guards. Reaching out, I pushed the tall, heavy gate aside. It swung free, surprising me.
Laura hadn’t lied.
I looked up at the dark windows of the mansion. My searching gaze roved all over the shadowy grounds. It truly looked like Callum had abandoned the place. Even though it was dark, I noticed the overgrown bushes and untrimmed grass that rustled against the hem of my dress.
Calm stole through me. It’d be much easier to shift Dad somewhere safe without having to dodge my brother. Once Dad was well enough, I’d try to go back to Yakim and his brothers.
I tried not to think of their reaction when I saw them again. My only focus at the moment was to get Dad to a hospital and then sneak him away somewhere safe where we could both be free from Callum’s oppression.
