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I smile at his optimism. “You can’t stop it, Dane.”
“I’m getting you out of that house.”
I let out a long breath. “I have nowhere to go.” He releases my hand, and I walk back over to his bed and sit down.
“I know a guy that’s selling a house. It’s not the best house. In fact, it’s complete junk. But we can fix it up. It’ll get you away from him,” he says, taking his place beside me.
“You don’t understand. If I leave, he can report me as a runaway. Not to mention, what if things don’t work out between us? If Ed lets me leave, he won’t let me back in. I’ll be homeless.”
“I won’t let that happen.” He shakes his head. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” He moves in and presses a kiss to my lips, softly. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?” I stand beside him and take the hand he offers me.
“We’re going to get your things.”
* * *
After Dane parks the car,we both walk to the front door. I let us both in, and we’re met by Ed. “You’re not allowed here. I suggest you make your way back outside that door,” he tells Dane.
Dane smiles and squares his shoulders. “I’m not going anywhere until she’s packed. She’s coming with me.”
Ed laughs. “I believe she’s under my care. So, she’s staying here until she’s eighteen, and I’m no longer being paid to take care of her ass.”
Dane takes a step closer to me. With his hand on my back, he urges me up the stairs. “Go get your things. I’ll handle him.”
I look between Dane and Ed, but Dane nods me on.
Quickly, I walk up the stairs and rush to my room.
Luckily, I don’t have many belongings. I grab the bag I showed up with and throw the few items of clothing I have into it. I’m back downstairs within two minutes, but Dane and Ed are nowhere to be found.
I push through the screen door and find them in the yard, taking turns throwing punches. Dane’s lip is busted, but that’s the extent of his injuries. Ed, on the other hand, looks like he’s been beaten by his own belt. His eye’s already swelling and turning black. His nose is bleeding. And both lips are busted and swelling.
When Dane sees me, he stops trying to fight. He looks at Ed and says, “If you’re smart, you’ll keep your mouth shut and just cash your checks.” He wraps his arm around my shoulder and walks me back to his car.
He slides behind the wheel and peels out of the driveway. I want to ask if he thinks Ed will report us, but I don’t. I don’t want my bubble busted and right now. I’m happy to be able to go with Dane and be the dirty little secret he keeps locked away in his bedroom.
* * *
I’ve been livingwith Dane for two days and so far, his dad hasn’t noticed. He’s only home early in the morning and late at night. Dane says he’s usually home on the weekends, but with the bar and grill being built, he’s been spending all his time overseeing the construction.
His little brother cooks dinner every night, and Dane sneaks me up a plate. In the mornings, I sneak out his window and walk down the road to where I leave my truck to drive myself to school. I find it strange nobody knows I’ve been staying there. Dane says he can’t get in to look at the house until this weekend.
I kind of like the idea of finding a place that’s dirty and broken. Something we can fix up and make our own. Slowly, piece by piece, Dane is fixing all the broken parts inside of me, just like he will with any house we find.
I haven’t heard anything from Ed or the police, so I guess whatever Dane said struck a chord with him. He’s just going to let me go and keep getting the checks for taking me, but I don’t care. I’m finally out of the foster care system. Something I’ve dreamt about my entire life.
* * *
I sitand wait in my truck in the school parking lot until his car pulls in. Then I get out and walk over to him just as Mason gets out and runs for the doors. Dane leans against his car the way he always does, looking so sure of himself. His eyes find me walking toward him, and his lips turn up into a grin like he hasn’t seen me in weeks even though we were just together.
He takes my hand and leads me into the school. He props up against the neighboring locker while I dig around, grabbing books for my morning classes.
“Hey, what are you two doing after school?” Sean asks, coming to stand in front of Dane.
“Hi, Sean,” I say, closing my locker and turning around to face him.
“Hey there, sweet stuff.” He grins suggestively at me.
