“I’ve accepted that my family is who they are. I don’t want to pry. I know some things are better off with me not knowing.” I knew there were secrets, but right now, I didn’t care to uncover them.
“Sweetie, you are so gonna have to pry here,” Sawyer said. “This family is likethefamily. The one family you don’t want to mess with. That also begs the question: why you are here without any protection.”
”Who says I’m not?” I knew that Ace would never dream of letting me be anywhere without someone watching my back.
“There’s no guards stationed at the door, for one.”
“Wyatt was here, and he’s always around within driving distance. I know there are others that I don’t see, but they are there. I’m happier to be blissfully unaware.” It was the truth.
“But why haven’t your parents kept you closer? If they’re so overprotective of you, wouldn’t they do that?”
“I have people watching my back.” I knew they were there, blending in among the townspeople.
“Have you actually seen them, though?”
I shook my head. I wouldn’t be able to tell who was who. I just figured they were there, everywhere I went.
“I don’t want to put doubt on your shoulders, but have you really opened your eyes and looked? If your grandfather says they will keep you safe, wouldn’t you see that really happening?”
“Um, your brother showed up. Right there proves that they are keeping me safe. And then Zevon…” I trailed off.
“Well, maybe keep an eye closer to everyone around you. You may see things you don’t want to be aware of.”
“Good morning, Scarlett,” Dr. Mayes said as I walked into her office.
“Morning.”
“How are you today?”
“Tired, but doing all right.”
“I see you have another friend with you today,” she said, taking a seat in her normal chair.
Zevon had changed his mind, saying he didn’t want to be stuck in the apartment alone. Instead, he tagged along, complaining the entire time about having nothing else to do.
“Yeah. He’s not interested in meeting you.”
“Tell me about him,” she said, ignoring my comment.
I thought for a moment, not sure if I should. Actually, it was more that I wasn’t sure Iwantedto talk about him. Dr. Mayes waited patiently for me to come to terms with what was going on through my head.
“Zevon stopped by yesterday and is staying for a few days. I don’t really know how long for,” I started off.
“Tell me again when you first met him.”
“I met him at school, actually. He was there to scope me out for Ace. He, I think, wasn’t sure how to handle me at that time. So he offered me drugs, which I refused.” At first, anyhow. He was able to sneak a pill into my jacket pocket. One of which I ended up taking.
“Then Alan found out,” Dr. Mayes said.
“Yeah. Then he had a blast taking me ten ways to hell and back in less than twenty-four hours. I was ready to die, you know. Right then and there. I kept waiting for Alan to do something to finish me off.”
“How did Zevon get you away from him?”
“He drugged me, after offering to give me a ride to school,” I said. “I wasn’t too happy about it either. I’m still not, but I understand his reasoning. He didn’t know how else to get me away. All he knew was how to hand out drugs to make money. He never expected to find me, a sad girl who was ready to give up on the world. But one who would have fought back if he’d just kidnapped me.”
“Has he figured out how to handle you now?”
“Yeah, he has,” I smiled slightly. “He’s done a lot of growing up the past few months. He’s made mistakes, but who hasn’t?”
