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We haven’t really lived with him for years, but before he signed over guardianship to me, he’d show up at the house all the time. Not to visit his sons. No, the main reason he came over was either to fuck Rhyland and Alex’s mom when she was still around, or to hide drugs, guns, and whatever the hell else he was dabbling in at the time. He basically used the attic as his own personal storage space, despite all of our protests. We didn’t protest frequently, though, because that typically led to swollen, bruised faces and the occasional broken bone.
“I’m still worried she might have a concussion.” I redirect the subject back to Hadley because it’s better than talking about our dad. I mean, it’s not like I don’t want to talk about Hadley. It just feels like I’m already worrying about her too much. And I have other stuff I need to be focusing on. Like figuring out what to do with Alex’s drug addiction.
He looked like shit today, strung out and pissed off. While he’s getting ready for school, I wouldn’t put it past him to ditch to go out to that fucking trailer again and get high.
“Is she planning on going to school?” Rhyland shoves the rest of the granola bar into his mouth then tosses the wrapper into the trash can.
“I have no idea… She probably should stay home and get some rest, but I’m not sure she should be alone right now. And since I missed school yesterday, I can’t stay home and keep an eye on her.”
His brows crinkle. “Why would you need to stay here and keep an eye on her? She’s eighteen years old, man.”
I shrug. “Because of the concussion.” But that’s only the partial truth.
I’m also worried that Mel—Hadley’s father—will show up. Or worse, some of Axel’s men or my father’s will be looking for Mel, and instead, they’ll find Mel’s daughter all alone. Last night, a car was parked out in the street for quite a while. I’m not sure if it belonged to Axel or my father, but both men are equally as bad. If my theory about Mel getting busted for working for both Axel and my dad is correct, then the Harlyton sisters might unknowingly be in some serious trouble.
“No, there’s more to it than that,” he accuses, eyeing me closely. “I can tell when you’re full of shit.”
I rake my fingers through my hair. “Yeah, you’re right, but I really don’t want to get into it until I can find out a few things.”
“Things that have to do with Hadley?”
“Yeah… Or well, her dad.”
“What has to do with my dad?” Hadley asks as she steps down the last of the stairs and enters the kitchen.
She has a backpack on, her long brown hair is swept to the side in a sexy mess of waves, and the torn jeans she’s wearing are tight enough to show off her long, lean legs. I think she’s also put on some makeup because the bruises on her cheek and hairline are fainter.
“How’s your face feeling?” I ask as she crosses the kitchen toward me.
“I already told you earlier it didn’t hurt that bad.” She crosses her arms as she stops in front of me, close enough that I can see the blue and purple bruises underneath the makeup. “You didn’t answer my question, though. And I’m going to pretend like it was completely accidental even though I know it wasn’t.”
She’s right. I did try to change the subject on purpose but only because I want to find out for sure if my theory about her dad is correct before I have to dump that mess of worry on her.
“I was just wondering if your dad’s been in contact with my dad,” I say with a half-shrug.
“Why?” Her interrogating gaze flicks between Rhyland and me.
“So maybe we’d have an idea of where he is,” I explain. “And then we wouldn’t have to worry about him just showing up.”
“You know, I think you might be lying to me, Blaise Porterson, but that’s okay.” She pats my arm. “I’ll break it out of you eventually.”
I roll my tongue in my mouth, fighting back a smile, something I seem to have to do a lot whenever I’m around her. “Okay.”
She puts her hands on her hips. “I’m being serious.”
My smile is really threatening to break through now. “And all I said was okay.”
“But you said it with doubt.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did.”
I tug on a strand of her hair, my smile surfacing. “I hate to break this to you, stubborn girl, but just because you say something doesn’t make it true.”
“Um, yeah, it does. And the sooner you realize that, the better.” She takes a small step back, putting a bit of space between us and tucks her hair behind her ear.
I don’t want to take it personally, but I’m fairly sure the space is to keep me from touching her. I don’t want to be bothered by that, but I annoyingly am. I’m not even sure why. I’ve never cared before whether a girl likes me or not, and it’s not like I need or have time for a girlfriend right now. But I’m attracted to Hadley; have been since the day I first saw her and she told me to go fuck myself in a very colorful way. And that attraction only seems to grow the more I’m around her and the more she puts me in my place. Yep, confidence and toughness are what apparently turns me on. Well, that and the fact that she’s sexy as hell without even trying to be.
