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I bound to the front door as fast as I can, though it doesn’t have the same pop and force that got me to the best hockey league in the world. I’ll hand it to the fucker that attacked me—he did enough damage to impair my movement. Coach is gonna be pissed. Although I guess I’ll still make a pretty good bench ornament in my current state.
As soon as I make my way to the door, I pound my knuckles against its surface. “Olivia! I know you’re in there! Open up!”
I continue banging on the door, knowing I’m making a ruckus. But would I be who I am if I didn’t?
There’s a bit of a shuffle inside before a lock on the door clicks. When it’s opened, it’s only partway, held in place by the thick brass chain.
Lisa peers out at me. She’s apprehensive, but there’s a feisty spark in her eyes that I’ve seen in Olivia’s countless times. I’ll bet every penny I’ve ever earned on Olivia getting it from her.
“Reese… what do you want?”
“Olivia,” I answer simply. “She’s here, isn’t she?”
Her brow raises. “Why do you want to know?”
“I think you know why.” I give her an honest, imploring look. “I know she went to a hospital thinking she was having a miscarriage. Please. Is she here? Is the baby okay?”
A whole storm of emotions ripples over Lisa’s face. She does a good job at taming them quickly. “Olivia is fine,” she tells me. Her voice is even and curt, like we’re just chatting about the weather. Nice day we’re having. Sure is, Ms. Carter. Say, is my baby alive?
“And the baby?” I ask in a tight rasp.
“I think you need to leave, Reese. You’re not welcome here.”
Before I can say another damn thing, she closes the door in my face. I hear the lock click once more.
Gritting my teeth, I ball my fist. I start banging on the door again, this time really shouting. “Olivia! Open the goddamn door! Let me in right this damn minute!”
I make as much noise as possible. If I have to cause a disturbance before they’ll let me see my girl, then screw it, I’ll bring this entire neighborhood down with me. I don’t give a fuck. I can’t. I need to know that Olivia and our baby are okay.
“Open up! For fuck’s sake, don’t do this?—”
The door flies open and, instead of Lisa there at the helm, it’s Olivia herself. She’s pissed. Her hair is a furious mess atop her head, her face red, though whether it’s from crying or anger, I can’t tell. Probably both. I have that effect on people, it seems.
“What the hell is wrong with you, Reese?” she snaps at me.
“You weren’t answering?—”
“You can’t just scream and bang on shit out here! My mother lives here! Why the fuck do you think this is okay behavior?” She folds her arms over her chest. “Oh, I know why. Because you think lying, kidnapping, and abandoning people in the middle of fucking nowhere is all totally okay, too. Go away. I don’t want to see you.”
I shake my head. I won’t leave. It’ll take a team of wild horses and a few bulldozers to get me off this damn stoop. I put my hands on her shoulders and look her in the eyes.
“Are you okay?” I ask—no, plead. “Is our baby?”
Her expression wavers. The wall doesn’t break down, but at least a brick is removed. “The baby is fine,” she whispers. “I needed a way to get out of the cabin.”
My brows furrow. “Wait… you lied about it?”
Olivia scrunches up her face tight. “Don’t give me that look like I did something wrong when it’s your fault I had to in the first place!”
That cuts worse than that hooded bastard’s knife did. “I did it to protect you. I did it to?—”
“I didn’t feel very protected, Reese. I felt lied to, because that’s what you did. You lied to me. You stripped away my choices and you expected me to just be okay with it. Well, I wasn’t. So you can fuck off. I don’t want anything to do with you right now.”
My head feels heavy. Stuffy. I hear everything that she’s saying and I know she’s right. I fucked up. But it was a fuck-up because I was trying to do the right thing. Because I know the risk that’s right at our fingertips.
“I shouldn’t have done what I did,” I agree quietly. “I’m sorry; I just wanted you safe. I won’t do that again. But Olivia, you can’t stay here?—”
“Why not? Hm? Why can’t I stay with my mother? Who’s going to come here and bother her? She lives alone and has MS!”
