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“It doesn’t matter. I wasn’t kidding when I said she was grounded for life. You’ll see her at school or my place, and that’s it.”
“She’s an adult!”
“Then she should fucking act like it!” he suddenly shouted as he spun around to face me, losing his patience. “She’s lucky she didn’t kill herself or anyone else last night!”
Luna stirred, a groan leaving her. “Why are you yelling? I’m trying to sleep.”
He stomped towards her, flinging the blanket back and grabbing her arm. “Get up.”
“Why?” she complained, scowling as he jerked her upright. “What the hell, Dad? If I throw up on you, that’s your own fault.”
He was seething, but I could see the fear radiating out of him. He was terrified of the thought that he could’ve lost her last night. He was overreacting, but I shouldn’t have been surprised. Luna was his baby girl, his good kid, and he wasn’t used to her acting out.
“You’re grounded. All privileges revoked. You go to school, you come home. That’s it,” he spat. “Say goodbye to Riley and make sure you thank Rory for letting you stay when we leave.”
She was suddenly wide awake, her eyes raking over me with confusion. “Riley? I…”
“You don’t remember? I’m not surprised,” he snapped, his face twisting with disappointment. “You got so drunk you could hardly walk, then you drove here. Stanley panicked when he woke up to find you gone last night.”
Her eyes widened for a moment before she slammed a hand over her mouth. She looked freaked out, which I didn’t understand until she gagged. “Uh, Arch? She’s going to be sick.”
He let her go and she stumbled to the bathroom that was connected to my room, not bothering to close the door as she dropped to her knees and threw up in the toilet loudly. I followed, moving behind her to pull her hair back as she threw up again.
“I’ve never seen you this bad, Lou. Why’d you drink that much before coming here?”
She didn’t reply, too busy bringing all the alcohol up, so I stood there in silence until she was done.
Once she flushed, she turned to me with a wince. “Sorry. I don’t really remember what happened last night. I just got too drunk and I think I caused a scene in front of Stan’s friends. He probably thinks I’m a total bitch.”
“You got in a fight?” I frowned, but I didn’t have time to figure it out because Archer walked in and glared at her.
“We’re going. You can have a pity party at home.”
“I’ll have to get Riley to run my car home,” she mumbled, but he shook his head.
“That’s not necessary.” I didn’t like the tone he was using.
A loud bang echoed through the house, and my heart hammered at the familiar sound. Images flashed through my head of Lloyd’s accident, his Dodge Viper bursting into flames and exploding.
I left them in the bathroom, running through the house and almost colliding with Beckett who had pure panic on her face. She knew that sound well too.
We headed out front to find Luna’s car parked further away from the house, the bright flames engulfing it as Skeeter stood off to the side with a gas can at his feet.
“What the fuck, Dad?” Beckett snapped, losing her cool completely. Her voice cracked, the terror weakening as anger took over. She’d been taken back to Lloyd’s death too, but she held a different trauma response to me. She was terrified of accidents, while I chased the devil with flames licking at my heels. As much as the explosion had dragged me back to the past, it had pulled Beckett into a freak-out, thinking someone else had died.
“What the hell?” Luna gasped as she joined us, turning to Archer. “What…”
“This is what happens when children can’t respect their toys,” he said sternly, my jaw dropping.
Everyone else started wandering outside to see what was going on, Blake’s eyes almost popping out of her head when she realized what had happened. Kate looked upset, so she ushered her back inside, knowing she didn’t need to witness what was happening. I liked Blake, she minded her own fucking business.
“You set her car on fire as punishment?” I asked Archer in disbelief, and Diesel moved beside me with a sigh.
“You know the rules. Children don’t get adult things.”
“But he blew it up!”
He looked down at me, his stare blank but I could hear the underlying meaning behind his words. “Yes. If any of you disrespect your cars, this is what happens. You know this. If you’re reckless, you lose things. You kids all need to learn that having a car is a privilege, not a right.”
