AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s okay, Lucas. If you could, you would.” She gives me a tight smile before stepping out of my old, beat-up truck, the door squeaking as it closes.
I watch her walk up the sidewalk, getting all the way to the doors. Her fingers rest on the handle when she looks back at me. I give her a small wave, and she returns the gesture before stepping into the building, out of sight.
My heart physically hurts as I put the truck in drive and head back to Hell’s Gates.
* * *
I finish puttingthe last of the bottles away in a lockable cabinet, prepping the RV to hit the road, when someone knocks on my door. I can tell by the sound that it’s Dad.
I hesitate to unlock it, to let him into my space when I’m so emotionally charged. It’s bound to turn into a fight.
He knocks again, this time irritated. Here we fucking go.
I flip the lock, and he opens the door himself, his face unreadable.
“Morning,” I greet him, the annoyance in my voice plain as day.
“Someone is in a lovely mood.”
He has to be fucking joking.
“What do you need?”
“Ya know, I thought you’d be grateful. I gave you the lead role of the tour, and here you are, acting like a fucking spoiled brat.” His nostrils are flaring, his face turning red in anger.
How the hell has my morning changed so drastically? One minute I’m holding Alexis in my arms, basking in the life I wish we had. The next thing I know I'm getting lectured like a teenage boy.
“Don’t do that. Don’t stand there and talk to me like your true intentions were anything but selfish. You want me to take over for you. That’s all you’ve ever wanted me to be. Some sort of twisted version of an heir who will continue runningyourdream. Being in a position where you can continue to keep me under your foot.”
“You are such a prick, Lucas.”
“I’m the prick? Dad, have you met you?” I scoff.
I can’t keep taking this shit from him. I’ve been walking this line for the last six weeks, debating on if this is how I want to continue to live, and now I’m finally seeing that it’s not. I know what I want. I’ve known it since Halloween, and I’m done lying to myself about it.
“Your mother and I have been busting our asses to make sure you had a good life.”
I refuse to keep being gaslit by my own father.
“You have only ever wanted someone to work for you, to control. And now that I’m starting to find passion in things outside these walls, you don’t know what to do. Well, you better fucking figure it out soon, because as soon as the scheduled tours are over, I’m leaving.”
His eyes go wide, his mouth gaping open as he takes in my words.
“That’s right. Take this as my letter of resignation, because I fucking quit.”
I walk out of my RV, my heart racing, my blood pounding in my ears. I take a walk through the lot, trying to catch my breath and ease my raging mind.
Holy shit, I really did that. I chose her,us. I just hope I’ll be lucky enough for her to wait for me.
Alexis
Staring at myself in the mirror, I take in the image of the shimmering dark blue of my graduation gown while securing my cap in place with a few hair pins.
“Why am I nervous?” Kate’s bright voice asks from the other side of the room.
We’re getting ready at my parents’ place since we moved out of the dorms earlier this month.
“I am too. I have this horrible fear that I'm going to trip.”
