AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Flirt’s eyes widen in excitement. “That’s amazing! You have to go for it!”
I shake my head, feeling defeated. “Control will never let me go. He’s too . . . well, controlling.”
Flirt leans in closer, her voice lowering. “Listen, you can’t let him be in charge of your life like that. You deserve to follow your dreams, to do what makes you happy.” Her eyes narrow, and she continues. “I like Control—don’t get me wrong—but you’re an adult. He needs to let go.”
“You think you could help me with that?” I ask, only half kidding.
“I can talk to him, sure. But it’s up to you to actually follow through, you know. Your father respects people who stand up to him.”
I’m about to nod and agree with her when suddenly, Control looms up from behind us, grabbing Flirt’s hair in one fist and dragging her off the stool at the bar.
Shit. Where did he come from?
And how much did he hear?
My heart races as Control’s steely gaze lands on me. I try to keep my composure as I slide off the stool. I stand up straight, but my knees are shaking. Flirt’s screams fill the room as he drags her toward the back exit, toward his office. I know I have to act fast. I follow them, hoping to intervene.
As I step through the door into Control’s office, I see Flirt struggling to break free from Control’s grip. His face is twisted with rage as he pulls her toward the parking lot. I run to them, hoping to reason with him.
“Control, please let her go. She didn’t mean any harm,” I plead, my voice shaking.
Control turns toward me, his eyes blazing with anger. “You think this is a game? You think you can just talk behind my back and get away with it?”
“No, I didn’t mean it like that. I just wanted to explore my options,” I try to reason with him.
Control’s grip on Flirt tightens, making her whimper in pain. “You want to explore your options? Fine. You can explore them right here. You don’t need to go anywhere else.”
“But what about my dreams?” I ask, desperation creeping into my voice. “I want to go to art school. I want to pursue my passion.”
Control laughs bitterly. “Passion? Art? Those are luxuries, not necessities. You need to focus on what’s important: taking care of your family, of the club. That’s all that matters.”
Hopelessness washes over me. Will I ever be able to escape this life? To escape Control?
And will I ever be able to follow my dreams, to do something that truly makes me happy?
Flirt, who had been silent all this while, suddenly speaks up. “Control, please. Let her go. She deserves to be happy. She deserves to pursue her dreams.”
I’ve never seen so much anger on Control’s face before. He raises his fist, and for a second, I’m afraid he’s going to kill her.
But then he gathers himself, visibly controlling his urge to strike her, and then shoves her away from him. “Get out of here, bitch.”
Flirt stumbles toward the doorway and then catches herself on the doorframe.
“And don’t come back,” Control growls. “Not ever.”
Flirt looks even worse than she would have if he’d actually hit her—shocked and horrified, unable to process what’s just happened.
“Both of you,” he continues. “Get the fuck out.”
I turn and start to follow Flirt out, but Control calls after me.
“Wait, Lacey.”
I blink, surprised that Control is using my real name, and I turn around. For a split second, I think he might actually be about to apologize to me. “Yeah?”
His fist comes out of nowhere and hits me up against the left side of my temple. My head snaps back, and before I have time to recover, he follows it up with a punch to my stomach.
My breath whooshes out of me, and I bend over, clutching my arms around my center, trying not to vomit.
