“He won’t.” She grabbed my hand and hauled me outside and down the steps. “I promise.”
“He will.” I yanked free and backed away. “He will, and then he’ll hurt you and I?—”
“Well, well, well. What do we have here?”
I spun at the sound of my father’s snide tone. He stood just metres away, his sour expression crimson with anger.
“Is there something you want to tell me, Nick?”
Terror glued my tongue to the roof of my mouth. I told her this would happen. I told her.
My father turned to my mother. “How about you? Planning a little trip, were you?” His gaze flicked to the packs, then back to my mother.
“We’re leaving, Travis.” The steel in my mother’s tone was new and definitely dangerous.
My father’s eyes narrowed, a nasty smirk stealing over his mouth. “No, Chloe. You’re not. Get inside. Both of you.”
“Nick, come here.” My mother reached out her hand, but my father stepped between us, his fierce grip around my wrist making me yelp. “Let him go, Travis.” As she tried to step around, he elbowed her sharply in the ribs. She fell back onto the driveway, gasping for air.
“You’re not taking him anywhere.” My father stared down at her. “Nick ismyson and he stays here. I warned you, Chloe. If you ever tried to leave again, there’d be consequences.”
My mother’s eyes blew wide and her breath caught. She scrambled to her feet. “Let him go! Right now. I’m leaving, Travis, and I’m taking Nick with me.”
My father snorted. “Don’t be so fucking stupid.” He released my wrist and pushed me toward the house. “Get inside, kid.”
I was too terrified to do anything but obey.
“No, Nick, don’t listen to him,” my mother begged. “Come back. He can’t stop us.”
I hesitated, turning slowly to face my mother.Could it really be that easy?Could I just... walk away?
My mother’s expression brightened. “Yes. That’s it. Come on, Nick. We’ll wait next door. He won’t follow us there.”
She was right about that. Cyril had called the police on Dad a few times over the years, not that it had done much good. Dad hated the man but he wouldn’t dare go into his house. Cyril had been a crack shot in his day.
I was leaning forward, ready to take that first step, when my father stepped forward and backhanded my mother across the face, his features contorted in fury.
She fell again to the concrete and I lurched toward her, but my father put out his arm, warning, “Stay where you are.”
“Mum!” I cried brokenly. “Please. Come inside. We’ll be okay. I promise.”
Her gaze met mine as she staggered to her feet. “No, baby. It’s too late. He’ll?—”
“You better get inside this instant if you know what’s good for you,” my father growled. “No one’s going anywhere tonight.”
There was a palpable menace in my father’s voice, which was different somehow. I’d never heard him quite so incensed, which was saying something.
“Mum, please.”
But my mother had heard it too. She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Nick. I can’t. Not this time. He’ll make me pay for it.” She held my gaze like she was willing me to understand.
Understand what? Pay, how?
For a second, my father looked confused. Like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Then he gathered himself and the look he sent my mother was chilling. “You know what this means, right?” His words cut the air between them like a blade. “You’re done here.”
My mother ignored him, her eyes never leaving mine, fat tears rolling down her face. “I’m sorry, baby. I love you. Trust me.”
“Chloe!” Her name fell like a curse from my father’s lips. He took a step toward her, but the bang of our neighbour’s screen door stopped him in his tracks.
