West chuckles. “He’s going to have way bigger things to worry about than two of us missing practice. I’ll shoot Coach Panzetti a text, though. You just play dumb.”
Ashton salutes. “Yes, sir. I can do that.”
It would have been funny if I wasn’t so scared for Jayne.
That piece of shit put his hands on her and that ends now.
Career be damned—I’m getting her out of there no matter what. I’ll go work as a mechanic or something before I let her father or anyone else hurt her.
Chapter
Forty-Two
Jayne
I’m in trouble.
My relationship with my father—and subsequently with Lourdes—has always been tricky but I never could have imagined the situation I’m in now.
Locked in the house with Lourdes basically holding me hostage.
No access to my phone or the internet.
But I’m not going to just sit here and let them ship me off somewhere.
Fuck that. I’ll walk to a neighbor’s house, use their phone to call Kelly at the library, and have her come get me, and then call Bodi. I feel like an idiot that I don’t know anyone’s phone number by heart—that’s going to change immediately—but I can’t just sit here and wait to see what happens. I don’t trust Lourdes as far as I can throw her and I don’t even know who my father is at this point.
My cheek still stings a little from where he slapped me and tears prick my eyelids as I get out my suitcase and start to pack.
Clothes. Shoes. Toiletries. My journals.
My head is spinning after what happened.
In some ways, it feels like it’s happening to someone else. I don’t recognize my father and even though I never liked Lourdes, I wouldn’t have thought her as evil as she actually is. More than that, I’m worried about Lindy. Once I leave, there will be no one to protect her, but I can’t protect her if they ship me off somewhere either.
If I’m honest, I’m scared.
I never thought my dad would hurt me physically, but I now know that he’s capable of almost anything. I don’t know what money he and Lourdes stole—I have to assume it’s from the Thunder—but they’re obviously worried because they think I know more than I do. I’m making myself crazy envisioning a dozen different—and terrifying—scenarios, but I’m scared. Really, truly frightened.
The one ray of hope in this whole mess is Blaze. As crazy as that is considering most of this is his fault, he was pissed when my father hit me. I left the room before I could hear what else was said, but he stood up to my dad, something I’ve never seen him do before, so I’m hoping he’s going to tell Bodi what happened once he gets to practice.
Then he’ll come get me.
Even if there was a blonde on his lap last night.
But whether he comes or not, I’m sneaking out the first chance I get. I’d prefer not to leave behind everything I own, which is why I’m packing, but I will if I have to.
I’m looking around, trying to decide what else I can fit into my suitcases when I hear noise coming from downstairs.
My dad is at the arena, so I can’t imagine who’s shouting at Lourdes. And she sounds furious.
“Jayne! Babe, where are you?”
Bodi?
I have to be imagining his voice.
“Jayne!”
