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He pulled his phone out of his pocket and unlocked the screen, showing it to me. He had a camera set up that showed his room, and Solomon was passed out in his bed, safe under the covers. I relaxed the tiniest bit at the sight of my little brother’s peaceful face.
“The door is locked,” he assured me. “He’s safe.”
I nodded and then sagged back in my seat, blowing out a soft breath. “Got to get out of this town,” I told him. “And soon.”
Ezra pulled up the internet on his phone and logged into our accounts, then pulled up the budget spreadsheet he’d been keeping up with. “We’d be leaving sooner than we planned, but we can leave in a couple of weeks and still be mostly comfortable. Won’t be any eating out when we leave for a while until we get better jobs—”
“Don’t give a fuck about any of that,” I told him. “I’ve got to get her out of that house.” I shoved my fingers through my hair and then slammed them on the top of my steering wheel, breathing heavily. “Fuck, Ezra, you didn’t see how fucking afraid she was. She’s so terrified of him that I couldsmellher goddamn fear. That’s not normal.Noneof us have felt like that toward our parents despite how abusive they are.” Not even Solomon had, but he always had me to protect him.
Who the fuck did Lillian have?
Ezra clenched his jaw. “I’ll work on a plan and get with you on the details,” he told me. “Go check on her. Make sure he hasn’t hurt her more.”
I nodded as he pushed open my car door. “I threatened the cops on him if he touched her.”
Ezra shook his head. “You’ve got to fucking be in deep with her then, Amadeus. We’ll get her free,” he promised.
I nodded again. He slipped out of my car and quietly shut my car door before heading back inside. I shot him a quick text before I forgot to ask with all the other shit going on.
Amadeus:Can you make sure Solomon gets to school in the morning?
Ezra:Sure thing, bro.
I backed out of his driveway and then headed down the block, parking my car on the side of the street before getting out and walking the block to Lillian’s house.
All of the lights were out except for a dim lamp in the living room window. Her curtains were open, but she wasn’t in bed, and her door was shut, no light even shining from under her bathroom door. I clenched my jaw.
Where the fuck are you, little blondie?
I made my way around the side of the house and peeked into the living room window, fisting my hands at my sides when I found her. She was on the bare, hardwood flooring with nothing but a thin throw blanket to cover her. She didn’t even have a pillow, and he hadn’t let her get cleaned up. Her makeup was still ruined, and her hair was still a tangled mess. She was even still wearing her dress.
Her father was sitting on the couch, staring into the flames flickering in the fireplace, nothing but contempt for his youngest daughter showing on his face.
I’m going to get you out, little blondie. I swear.
ChapterEighteen
Amadeus
Iwas feeling fucking volatile. For two weeks now, I’d been trying to see Lillian, to get close to her, to check on her. Her father had even gone as far as calling off the engagement, but my father was refusing to accept it, and currently, they were at odds. The entire community could feel the tenseness.
My own father thought it might be best to try to make an honest woman out of her. Fuck, I was just surprised that for once, our interests aligned. And I wasn’t all that sure how I felt about that. On one hand, it fucking disgusted me to agree with him onanything. On the other hand, I was hoping it would sway Lillian’s asshole of a father.
Only difference between mine and my father’s interests was that I wasn’t trying to save face or make an honest woman out of Lillian. I was just trying tosaveher. That was all I gave a fuck about doing.
Ineededher out of that house. Needed her in my arms, where I knew she was safe, where nothing could fucking touch her.
I’d even gone to the cops to see what I could do, but unless she filed charges against him, the only thing they could do was put him in a holding cell overnight and release him the next day. And that wouldn’t solve our issues. The moment he came for her, she’d cave. And we weren’t ready to leave yet—not financially.
Fuck, why did life have to be so goddamn difficult?
I pushed open the door of the church and took my seat at the front. Lillian’s family was missing—yet again. I wondered what excuse they’d give this Sunday to feed the people of the church? Missing service was a big no-no for them. And missing too many services could very well get them banned from this one.
Father began, but this Sunday started much differently than the others had.
“We have someone who would like to be cleansed of their sins today,” he began.
I didn’t hear the rest of what he had to say. My hearing went to static, like an old TV that was at top volume and on a channel that wouldn’t play anything due to poor reception. Lillian stumbled in, looking weak and haggard, her blonde hair greasy and knotted. Bruises littered her pale skin—paler than it was the last time I’d seen her. Her lips were dry and cracked, her eyes swollen from crying.
