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My phone goes off, and I pull it out, my body becoming tense as I read the message. “Trick, can you drop me home? I’ve been summoned.”
The guys all tense, they hate that I go back there and they know how much I hate it, I avoid being there at all costs. Unfortunately, I’m still a minor, and my father has threatened to call the cops on me before when I refused to go home. I don’t want to cause any trouble for any of the other guys and their parents, and I don’t want to risk not being welcome in their houses anymore.
Other than school, they’re my only places to escape.
“Sure,” Trick replies eventually, although he does so somewhat reluctantly.
“Are you going to be okay?” Rafe asks, watching me closely and not even trying to hide the worry in his eyes.
I smile. I’ve got used to faking it now, “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I think he’s heading out of town and just wants to make sure I’m home for mom.”
I’m lying through my teeth right now, and I hate lying to them, but they don’t need to know about my shit. They’ve got too much going on. I can handle this.
“Do you want us to come back for a bit?” Cash asks me.
Usually, I’d accept because he won’t do anything while they’re around, and then by the time they’ve all gone home, I can avoid him completely, at least for a few days, but the way the message was worded says that taking anyone back with me now isn’t going to end well. He’s likely to lose his shit in front of them, and I’m ashamed of the way he talks to me.
The guys know how bad it is, and they know some of the things that he’s said to me, but it’s been a long time since I’ve told them what he’s saying. They’ve asked, but they’ve respected it when I’ve said that I don’t want to talk about it.
“Nah, it’s okay, but thanks, guys,” I reply, keeping my posture relaxed and my smile calm.
I don’t know if I fool anyone, but they don’t push it any further; just as I start to get in Trick’s truck, though, Jensen calls after me.
“If you need us, don’t forget to call. We’ll be there as soon as possible, and you know how quickly we can get somewhere if we need to,” he says.
I swallow thickly, hoping that he doesn’t notice the effect that his words have on me, and then reply with a smile, “I will, don’t worry.”
I don’t wait for another reply as I get in the truck, and Trick says a couple of words before he gets in, and everyone separates into the other vehicles.
We’re quiet as we head to the mausoleum, that is until we pull up to my house.
“Promise that you’ll message if you need backup,” Trick orders.
“I promise,” I reply.
I mean it, or I never would have promised it. If I need help, I will message him, and I know that they’ll be here within minutes; I just hope that I get the chance to message.
“Good,” Trick replies. He then adds, “I’ll check in later.”
“Okay,” I say as I open the door and start to get out.
“If you need to come back, I don’t give a shit what he says; you come back to mine. Mom will cover for you. You know that.”
I nod, “Got it, thanks, man. I’ll see you tomorrow at school. One more day, and then we get to go to the Pit.”
Trick glances at me, “Do you want in? I could probably add another fight if you wanted to?”
I would love to but I don’t need it like Jensen does, and I’m quite happy beating the shit out of a punching bag if I need to, “I’m good, man, thanks though.”
“No problem. Let me know if you change your mind.”
I nod and slam the door, watching as he drives off, before I turn to face the house that has never been a home.
I’m hoping that I can get inside and up to my room before he calls for me, but I have no idea if I’ll get away with it. I quickly walk up the steps and through the front door, ignoring everything as I take the stairs two at a time in a bid to get to my room as quickly as possible.
I don’t get called for, and no one bursts through the door for a few hours, but I don’t dare to relax. I know it's coming. Sure enough, a few hours later, he smashes through the door.
Angry, red-faced, and spewing poison as he usually does, I tune it out and really look at him. He’s pathetic, but then I’ve always thought that about those who pray on people they think are weaker than themselves. No more; I’m not going to let him use me as a punching bag anymore; I’m not going to let him take his anger out on me.
