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Committing the address to memory,I stand quickly, my heart beating wildly. Holy shit. I can’t believe we finally have an address due to a box delivery. Striding quickly to a chair, I park my ass in one of them, paying special attention to the scenery outside as the door behind me opens.
“Son? Nurse Imelda,” my father sneers and I realize he must not really like her, “said she dropped you off here to wait after your visit?”
I honestly remember her telling me he told her to, but I’m not going to split hairs. I now know I’m at 5673 Weeping Willow Creek and no one can take that information from me.
Turning to face him, I shrug indifferently. “I thought it was weird too, but there was nowhere else for me to hang out while you finished up.”
Nodding, my father’s eyes move over his office, but I know he won’t find a damn thing out of place. I was very careful and I didn’t go through many things on his desk before I discovered the postal box pattern for an address.
“I guess you’re right. No harm done. I’m finished here, so let’s head home and grab food along the way. Unless you feel like cooking?” my father’s voice is hopeful as he asks.
Shrugging, I realize I have some nervous energy to work off as I stand. “How do you feel about fried chicken and spoon bread?”
Dad’s eyes roll back in his head and I can almost imagine he’s not an evil monster. “Grocery store it is. Maybe we should pick up though because we’ll get stopped a million times and never get out of there.”
Knowing he’s right, I nod. “Yeah, you’re right. It always takes me forever to shop at home.”
Dad won’t stop until we’re back in our hometown, it’s a feeling I have because he won’t want me to be able to identify any helpful places to find my way back.
Walking out of the office, I turn to face the hallway and freeze. I’m standing in front of my father as he locks his office, which I’m glad for because I can’t control the gritting of my jaw.
A gorgeous woman with silver-blonde hair is in thin pajamas down the hall from me. I would almost mistake her for Carrie, but then she looks up and looks at me with blank, dead gray eyes. She looks like hell.
Her hair is sticking up in all directions and if I had to guess she looks freshly fucked. But what makes my blood boil as I keep my own face blank… are the fingerprints I can see even from here. Forcing myself to breathe, my lips part as if to call to her, but I can’t. I feel like I’m dying, like I failed her.
Something bad happened.
It all happens so fast, and yet the glimpse of the ghost girl in front of me may well last a lifetime scarred across my heart. The nurse with a death grip on her arm pulls her into the hallway leading away from me, and I exhale. She’s alive, that’s what I have to hold onto. Hair can be recolored, her spirit healed by Roark and Turner, the people who have hurt her killed.
My father’s heavy hand falls on my shoulder and I force myself to keep from stiffening.
“I’m sorry you had to see that. I told you she was going to be sold by Mr. Xav. This is one of the seedier sides of Hidden Hills, but a necessary part as well. She made him and us a lot of money, and a large part of the campaign is paid for. He has big plans for her,” he says smugly.
I struggle to keep myself from punching him in the face, forcing my pulse not to thunder. He’s so close to me, he’ll notice. “Enough work talk for now though, let’s get home for dinner, yes?”
Any appetite I may have had is now gone, but I still nod in agreement.
How is it possible my father bartered my girl’s innocence for his greed?
Each footstep taking me closer to the exit and away from Lennon, I swallow as I glance over into the dining room where my mother is eating. Dropping her fork, she looks worriedly at me. Swallowing hard to mask whatever it is she sees, I shake my head and force a smile. Tears well in my mother’s eyes as she watches me continue on quickly.
I need to update Greg about what I’ve learned, and Roark and Turner need to know what happened here today. I wish it was all good news, but the truth is we’re too damn late.
24
ORION
Derek texted me after he got back from the hospital and told me he needed to talk. I don’t know what to expect, and his words cause a cold stone of dread to form, which is something I have never felt before.
Derek: I’m home and working on dinner. I… need to talk about my trip today. Grab a beer later, maybe watch a movie after?
Computers have always made more sense than people. I know Grant’s in the house based on how he messaged me and we’d never watch a movie…
Greg! Fuck me. Not really, but I’m so damn slow. Figuring out he’ll need to video chat with Greg and probably everyone else in Lennon’s life, I call him.
“Hey. Everyone alright? Is Derek there?”Greg asks rapid-fire and I roll my eyes. I think this is just the way he speaks, because it’s the only way I’ve heard him communicate.
“As far as I know, everyone is fine, but Derek texted me saying he’s back from the hospital and would like a video call with everyone,” I explain. “At least… I think that’s what he wants? He texted in code and I’m not great at this.”
