AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He hesitated. She knew he was getting ready to lie to her. No surprise there. This wasn't exactly the most trustworthy man on the planet.
“We had no choice but to leave, Dest—Dusty. Remember that. We really hadno choice.And we felt it was safest, best for you girls to stay in Masterson County. With…family. And...I'm sorry. For everything. For then, for now...for your sisters. For not being there for Jess, for my mother. My father. I wish…I wish I could justtalkto him one more time. If I had been half the man he was or Gerald—none of this would have happened. I live with that every day. I’d give anything to go back and fix what happened. Fix the mistakes mypridecaused. My arrogance. But...I'm not going to talk about your younger sisters with you. It just isn't safe. For them. Or for you.”
Sisters. She only hadoneyounger sister that she knew. Well, apparently she had at least one more. “How many more of us are there? Just tell me that much.”
“We’ll talk about that later.”
“Where are they?”
“I honestly don’t know right now. They took off. They’re angry at your mother and me right now. I can’t say that I blame them. Some things have…happened. Dangerous things.”
“Father-of-the-year material, aren’t you?” She just kept needling him. Dusty knew she was. She just didn’t think she could stop. She was soangryright now. How could she not be? “Are there more than one?”
“Yes. There are. All girls, too.”
Did helovethem, at least? She almost asked that. But she was afraid to hear the answer.
She hoped he did. Hoped these younger sisters had had a decent childhood. But Dusty wasn’t stupid. People didn’t just leave their kids and start over again. At least not in good ways. Those sisters had been innocent little kids once, too.
“They are good girls. And I am so sorry that you didn't get to know them. Sorrier than you can ever know. But they may be in trouble right now. I need to find them, first. Fast. The people who shot me, shot at your mother tonight, they won’t stop. They won’t care who is innocent, either. I’m not going to let them get to you, or your sisters. I need to find those girls, before they drive right into trouble. Then…then I will deal with you and your sisters here. Face the music. I’ll explain everything. Soon. You have my word on that.”
“And what will that go for on the open market, I wonder? Two wooden nickels, maybe?”
“You are a fast one, aren’t you?” He came right at her. Dusty did her best not to flinch away. She didn’t succeed. A look of pain went through his eyes. No doubt from the bullet wound in his arm. He kept coming.
Herfatherreached toward her.
Her arms came up to protect her face. She cried out, backed away as fast as she could.
Instinctively.
She'd never forget what had happened to her before when a dangerous man had come right for her on a cold, dark snowy night just like tonight. She would never forget.
Dusty stayed right where she was as she lost the battle with tears. She kept her arms up to protect herself as much as she could.
His hands went to her shoulders. He pulled her hands down. He held her there, turned her to look at him fully. Then her father pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I am so sorry I could not be the father you deserve, my beautiful Destiny Marie. I named you, you know. As I held you that very first time, on a snowy night much like tonight. I’ll always remember how beautiful you looked that night. Maybe someday you'll understand why we did what we did. It was thehardestthing I have ever done.”
“Never,” Dusty whispered, pulling away. This man had norightto ever look at her like he cared at all. “I just want to go home. To the people whoreallylove me. And forget about you forever.”
Her family, her friends.
Ben.
She wanted to get back toBenso much she ached from it. To figure out what could be there between them. To stop being soafraid.
“I know. And you will soon, baby girl. I promise.”
Like his word would ever be good enough.
Then he was leaving and she was stuck there. Dusty didn't know what else to do—she just sank to the plywood floor and wrapped her arms around her knees. Tried to huddle close to the small space heater that was her only source of heat, of light. Then she stood. She couldn’t justsit.
There was a way out of there. She would find it.
Somehow.
Wrong.
It took her at least an hour to realize there was no way out. He’d barricaded the door. She wasn’t getting out—until he let her. She just wasn’t. She sank on the cot, pulled the sleeping bag around herself.
