Page 80 of Fueled Hate

“I can drive you. It’s in Staffordsville, right?”

“Yeah, but it’s okay. You’re already giving me a ride back to my place.”

“I don’t mind, really. Anytime you need a lift, just give me a call. I’ll drive you anywhere you need to go. Don’t mind a bit.”

I’d heard something similar to that when I was forced to leave my car and my freedom behind.

“No. I need my car back.” And my sanity.

“Well, let’s head that way,” he insists, looking to me. “You need a lift to Staffordsville, I have too much time on my hands, so it’s a win-win. I really don’t mind at all, Sadie. You’d be doing me a favor. Saving me from staring at the walls of my house. I’m just gonna sit at home and be bored.”

“Okay. I’ll give you some diesel money for taking me.” Because I don’t want to owe someone else something.

“Nope. Just relax and enjoy the ride.” He reaches over and turns up the radio as music fills the truck. That I can handle, because I don’t want to chat.

“Thanks,” I say over the music as I give him a half-smile.

“No problem.” Jett pats me on my knee, and I automatically flinch away. “We’re not all bad guys, Sadie,” he says, gripping the steering wheel as he glances to me.

“I know.” I just don’t trust my judgment to figure out who the bad guys are because so far, I’ve been very wrong. Out of all of the betrayals, the one by my mother stings the most. She was the one who was supposed to guard me from heartache, not inflict it.

Tucking my arms against my body, I focus out the window. I don’t want to be touched by anyone. Kyle always made me feel worthless and hollow. Now I just feel hatred—for him and for my mom. How could she do that? Never getting the opportunity to ask that question is more painful than any answer she could ever give me.

The truck comes to a stop in my driveway after the hour-long commute as I eye my car, not any readier to face reality. Levi’s truck is on one side of it and dad is parked behind the Mustang. They’re both here, probably enjoying a relaxed, serene evening. And now I’m here to ruin it. I can’t do that to them. But I want to fix things with Levi. I need my brother and my dad, even if they don’t need me.

“Thanks for the ride,” I tell Jett after he refuses my offer for diesel money once again. But whatever, I don’t have it in me to argue.

“Anytime, Sadie. Just say the word.” He gives me a warm smile as I carefully climb out of his truck and walk towards the front door, reluctantly pushing it open as I step inside my childhood home. There’s nothing that feels good about it. Everywhere I look I see memories that I question.

“Hey, Sadie,” Dad looks to me with a tight smile like everything is normal as he walks into the kitchen, tossing his paper plate in the trash.

The last time I saw him I found out he let Kyle—Oliver, actually—pay my way at the university. This time, I’ve found out his wife had an affair with my ex-boyfriend, the same one he’s involved in illegal activities with.

“We have extra pizza if you’re hungry,” Dad says.

“I’m sure that fancy boyfriend fed her already,” Levi says over his shoulder as he tosses his plate on the counter, walking out the back door and slamming it behind him.

“Just ignore him.” Dad shoves the pizza box in the fridge as he moves around the kitchen.

I swallow the lump in my throat as my fingernails dig into my palms. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” he says, continuing his task of cleaning the kitchen, tossing Levi’s dirty paper plate in the trash. After a few seconds pass, he pauses to look at me. “Is something wrong?”

Everything is wrong. “No. I was just wondering … did you and Mom ever have any trouble, like with your marriage?”

“Where’s this coming from, Sadie?” he asks, turning his full attention on me.

“It’s nothing.” I glance down to the floor. “I’m just confused about some things with Dylan and Kyle.” It’s not a complete lie, but I need to ask Dad without asking, because if he doesn’t know what Mom did, I can’t be the one to tell him.

“Want to give me some details so I can maybe shine some light in the right direction?”

There isn’t a right direction, only a less painful one for some of the people involved that were left behind with too many unanswered questions. “No. It’s fine. It’s probably best that I break things off with both of them.” Truth. But the follow-through might be difficult where Dylan is concerned. Kyle, on the other hand, can stay as far away from me as possible. “Things are definitely over with Kyle.”

“Are you sure? Y’all have been together for a really long time. It’d be a shame to throw away something for a fling.”

“Dylan isn’t a fling.”

“It may not feel like that when it’s something shiny and new. Just give Kyle a fair chance. I know you’re still upset about the tuition, but I swear to you, we both wanted what’s best for you.”