AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Dad's gaze narrowed in on my stepbrother. There was a flare of anger, one he smothered. “Get her out of here, Caleb, and as far away from these goddamn people as possible. And this time, son,stay the fuck away.”
Dad stepped away, leaving C to wrap his arms around me. “Let’s go, Ryth.” He dragged me away as dad headed for them.
“What’s happening?” I turned in his arms. “Dad?Dad, what’s happening!?”
But Caleb’s hold never slipped as he pulled me away, past the first car and along the drive.
“Dad, no!DAD, NO!”
They closed in like a pack of wolves, swarming him. I tried to tear away from Caleb, to lunge toward dad, who just let them take him without a fight.What the fuck was happening…WHAT THE FUCK—
“We have to leave, princess,” Nick‘s voice filled my ears.
Tears came, blurring his face, but I blinked hard and he was there—the sight was a punch to my chest. “Nick?” I stared as he neared. Then, in the wash of headlights, a dark silhouette came. One that limped when he walked…
One that came closer…and closer.
I couldn’t look away…
I didn’t understand.
Because I was looking at a ghost.
One who looked exactly like my stepbrother.
Tobias stopped in front of me, lifted his hand to graze my cheek with a curled finger, and murmured, “There’s my little mouse.”
EIGHT
Tobias
“Tobias?”she whispered, her eyes widening.
My knees trembled, but I held on. “Yeah, little mouse, it's me.”
She took a step closer, flinched at the sound of handcuffs being snapped around her father’s wrists, and turned her head. The Principal hadn’t wasted a goddamn second. I eyed the piece of shit as he and his goddamn brothers took Jack away.
But the guards turned toward us. We didn’t have time for the perfect reunion. Instead, Nick glared at me. “We have to go,now.”
“Come on, little mouse.” I grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the open door. “Into the car.”
“No!”She fought, just like I knew she would, twisting in my arms, trying to sidestep me.“We can’t leave him!”
But I left her no room to escape, blocking her in by my size alone as Caleb flung himself into the passenger seat.
“In the car, Ryth!”Nick barked, and he climbed behind the wheel, leaving me to deal with our sister on my own.
I tried to be gentle, I really fucking did, even pushing her head down before climbing in behind her. “You gotta trust him now, little mouse,” I urged, pushing her back against the seat. “Your father knows what he's doing.”
I yanked the door closed and the locks engaged with athunk.We were done taking chances where she was concerned, and that included her goddamn family. I eyed those fucking guards as they came toward the car, wanting nothing more than to aim my fucking gun at each one of them and pull the goddamn trigger.
But I didn’t, just shoved across the seat after her, my knee twisting in agony as I went. I bit down on a scream, as the car reversed rapidly back down the drive.
“Rebel.” Ryth reached for the mutt as she tried to climb into her lap. She let the beast nuzzle her hand, taking comfort in rubbing her head. She could take comfort in the beast. It didn’t matter…nothing mattered,as long as we were gone.
Tears shone on her cheeks when she stared out of the window. “Dad.”
I swallowed that fucking lump back down, forcing it into the pit of my gut where the rage seethed. “It’s going to be okay, little mouse. Just you wait and see. It’s all going to be okay.”
