AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, Olivia. That’s not—”
“It’s happening, Dad. I’m practically an adult, and I can decide for myself if a couple of bruises are enough to keep me from school or not. And I say not.”
Without hanging around to hear Christian’s response, she takes off toward the stairs, leaving nothing but the sound of her footsteps in her wake.
“Well then,” Christian says, stabbing an innocent piece of pancake with more aggression than necessary.
“It’s your fault, you know,” Oak mutters.
“Mine?” Christian asks incredulously.
“Yeah, you brought her up to be all independent and headstrong.”
“She knows her own mind, exactly as every young woman should.” Mum smiles proudly as if she had something to do with that.
“And I would usually agree. But the kids at school will—”
“You need to stand your ground with her,” Oak barks, also pushing to stand. “She doesn’t need the shit she’s going to get tomorrow.”
“Where are you going?” Mum asks when he scoops up Olivia’s almost full plate and mug of coffee.
“Taking her breakfast, seeing as we’ve all managed to ruin another meal.”
“Maybe next time, sweetheart,” Mum says to Christian in the soft, irritating voice she seems to have dragged up from somewhere when she speaks to him. I certainly never heard her talk to Dad that way.
Stuffing what’s left of my breakfast into my mouth, I lift my plate from the table, more than ready to walk away.
I get as far as the dishwasher when Mum’s voice stops me in my tracks.
“Reese, can you please return your father’s calls? He only wants to check in with you. He’s concerned.”
My spine stiffens as I think about the unread messages from him that are still sitting on my phone. He’s started calling daily now, although it’s not having any effect other than to piss me off.
“Then maybe he should have reconsidered sending me back here,” I hiss, more than ready to blow out of this room and away from this bullshit.
“This is your home, Reese. Your destiny.”
“Yeah, well, have you ever considered the fact that you might be the only one in our family who actually agrees with that?”
I’m halfway toward the stairs before she finds her voice.“You belong here, Son. With us. With Abigail.”
“Fuck that,” I mutter, blowing out of the house like a storm about to strike, and I don’t stop running until my legs are like jelly and my lungs can’t keep up with my racing heart.
I don’t realise my mistake until I look up at my resting place and find the Rock up ahead.
All I see is her.
Her and everything I shouldn’t fucking want but can’t stop thinking about.
7
OLIVIA
Olivia
When I walk into All Hallows’ Monday morning, it’s like the world stops to watch. I hate it. Their stares and whispers, the way some people point like I’m an exhibit at the zoo.
Despite my father’s promise that Dale Starling will never hurt me again, I guess he couldn’t stop the rumour mill of Saints Cross. People know something went down—of course they do. And although I’ve always envied my brother and the Heirs and the way the town worships the very ground they walk on, I never wanted to end up in the spotlight.
