“I saw him all over the local news months ago after the fire here. I didn’t make the connection until now.” He rubs his hand over his mouth. “He’s yourdad.Wow.”
“No. He’s not,” I state, my voice rough. “Jude Thorne is my dad. Derrick Voss is…” I exhale, drained from explaining this over and over. “He’s just an abuser who, unfortunately, happened to have a child.”
Gabe sinks into his seat, his shock giving way to sadness. “I… I get it,” he says quietly.
We sit in silence, sharing a beat without words. I’ve never met anyone else like me. I don’t know what he’s gone through, but if it’s anything like my experience… I feel an overwhelming sense of sadness for him.
“Wait…but if he did that to you…that must mean you’ve seen him pretty recently.” Gabe grimaces. “Dude. Is hestalking you?”
I suck in a breath. “Stalking. Extorting. Blackmailing. Pick your poison." I take a huge sip of my drink. I think I may need something stronger.
“Tobias…that’scrazy.Have you told anyone?”
I smirk, waving my finger at him. “Nope. Because that would mean having a brain. Something I’m clearly lacking.” I rub my hand on my face. “He knew exactly how to get under my skin and now I’m fucked.”
Gabe shakes his head. “You’re not. The cops would understand.”
I drop my hands in my lap. “But, will Elijah?”
A beat passes between us as Gabe thinks about my question. “Yeah…yeah, he would. I don’t know him half as much as you do, but I can tell how deeply you two care about each other. If he loves you, which he clearly does, he’d understand why you kept it from him.” Gabe nods curtly.
I inhale deeply. “Are you drinking that?” I ask, pointing at his glass.
His eyebrows raise in surprise before he shakes his head, sliding the glass back to me. I take it in my hand and sigh. Tipping my head back, I swallow the whole thing.
I close my eyes, imagining how nice it’d be to have Elijah here. Holding me and making me feel like everything’s okay.
I swallow deeply. “I sure hope you’re right.”
Gabe smiles prideful, like he’s done a good job. “Maybe I should look into becoming a counselor or something.”
I laugh at this. “Yeah, maybe you should. But first, you should probably figure out what to do about that problem of yours.” I tilt my chin towards him.
He tongues his bloody lip. “Yeah…I guess I do.”
I feel an overwhelming sense of duty come over me. “Can I just say…if someone puts their hands on you…that isneverlove. People who love you will never put their hands on you.”
Gabe stills. His body unmoving, eyes locked on mine. “What if it’s to save you from yourself?”
My brows furrow as I try to piece together what he’s trying to say.
Before I can make sense of it, my phone is buzzing on the table.
Gwen’s number? At six am?
I rush to answer. “Hey. Everything okay?” My heart thumps in my chest. I’m sure Gabe can hear it from across the table.
“Hey, are you home right now?”
“No, I’m atJude’s Place.I couldn’tsleep. What’s wrong?”
Gabe sits up properly in his seat, hanging on to my words.
Her anxiety is putting me on edge. I can feel her emotions through the phone.
“You should come back. I stopped by to check-in with you before I head to work and…I saw a light on the top floor.” She sucks in a breath. “In Jude’s bedroom.”
I spring up.
