AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So, was she a payday for you?” I wonder aloud.
“Not really. Her old man had the purse strings tight back then. But when she told me she was pregnant, I was excited. It gave me hope.” He sways as he tries to get closer. I'm not sure what my father is after, but we've never been the type of famiglia to show affection to each other. All the hugs and kisses were from my mother.
“You expect me to believe that? So why did you ship me off to boarding school the first chance you got?”
My father straightens up and grabs the railing, “I couldn't stand the way you looked at me after the accident.”
“It wasn't an accident,” I say softly.
My father turns to me, crunching on the glass from the bottle. I can't read the expression on his face. When he's unbearably close to me, I shove him hard away. He winces, feeling the railing dig into his back. I follow him, bending my arm at the elbow and using it to force him back. He bends backward, the metal railing digging into his lower spine, he winces again. He tries to push me back, but I am like a rottweiler with a bone, both determined and more fit than him. I take the syringe out of my pocket and use the hand holding him back to uncap it. I waste no time jabbing the needle into his neck and plunging the heroine. I let the syringe drop. My father's eyes go wide, and he starts to convulse. His hands drop. I move my body to the side as I keep my arm in place. I reach under his knees and, with the help of gravity, tilt him over the edge. He falls headfirst. I don't bother watching him fall. I move away from the railing and leave the building as fast as I can.
I think about what just happened as I drive the car I stole to the port. My original plan was to stage an overdose in his office, where he always was, and I'll never understand why he was drunk on the balcony. Of course, maybe I didn't know as much about my father as I'd assumed. I expected the weight of this burden to have lifted immediately, but I didn't feel any different so far.
I park the Camry on the street near the gate of the docking yards so I can walk the rest of the way. The ship that I'll stow away on is about a mile into the port. It should arrive in Santa Barbara in about a week.
When I arrive at the slip, I don't see anyone. The ship is quiet, which I expected, but I don't see Alec either, and I turn around, looking for him.
“You didn't think you'd leave without saying goodbye, did you?” Leilani says quietly. I can feel her standing beside me in the shadows.
“I'd hoped,” I say, refusing to look at her.
“Too bad, I don't care what you hoped,” she says, punching my arm.
I wince and grab my upper arm. This little slip of a girl packs a wallop. I see Alec standing nearby, holding two rucksacks. I go over to him.
“Why did you let her come?” I ask quietly. The security firm that monitors the docks does random sweeps, so we need to be careful.
“As if I could stop her, mate.” Alec rolls his eyes and hands me the pack.
“Thanks for everything Alec,” I say, hugging him. A lump form in my throat. I know Alec and I plan to meet up in Austria in a year if things seem safe, but right now, that seems like an eternity. Alec is more than a brother to me.
Leilani pushes in between us and demands, “don't ignore me,Jacob Hansen.”
“Great, you told her?” I glare at Alec.
“You guys can sort this out. I've got shit to take care of,” Alec says as he tries to step away. Leilani puts her hand out and stops him. Before we both realize what, she's doing, she hugs him fiercely. We both stood staring at each other. When she lets him go, she says, “take care, Alec.”
Alec smiles at me and walks off, leaving the bag in her hands.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“What does it look like I'm doing?” Leilani rolls her eyes.
“This is forever, Leilani. You'll have to change your identity, and you'll never be able to come home again,” I warn.
“Good thing I know someone good at that sort of thing,” she smiles.
“Why would you leave your famiglia?” I ask, wondering if she's lost her marbles.
“Because I need you more than them,” she says, wrapping her arms around me.
Epilogue
2 months later
Zermatt, Switzerland
“I can't believe how fucking cold it is here,” I say, laughing as I find Jacob with his computer on his lap, sitting by the fireplace in our rental cottage.
