I sway on my feet, nausea rising in my throat.
Fuck.
He didn’t just say that.
I’m hallucinating again.
Or this is a nightmare.
Dear God, let this all be a nightmare.
The men disappear behind a wall, but I can still hear Dad’s angry yells. Then there’s a dull thud, a pained yell.
My heart stutters.
What the fuck?
I take a wobbly step after them, then another. Moving like a sleepwalker.
Before I reach the wall, Kai emerges, flexing his hand, knuckles red. Bastian follows a moment later, calmly adjusting his scarf as if he’s just wrapped up a faculty meeting.
My father is nowhere in sight.
“What did you do?” My voice sounds far away, like it belongs to someone else. A desperate, angry accusation.
…what did you do, bitch…?
…wha’ the fuck did you do…?
Bobby Lee knows what I did.
I don’t know how, but he fuckingknows.
Kai’s face is hard. “What we had to.”
“Your father decided to leave,” Bastian says.
“That wad of cash you threw at him had nothing to do with it,” Kai says, lips curling. I can’t tell if he’s sneering or smirking.
“You gave himmoney?” I can’t keep the bitterness out of my voice. All he’ll do is spend it on meth. And then come back for more, because he’ll keep milking them till the udder’s dry.
“Would you rather he stayed?” Bastian asks with a quirked eyebrow.
Fuck no. And for the second time in minutes, Bastian the Monster becomes Bastian the Savior.
I shudder, stepping back like he’s going to lunge at me and shove me to my knees to express my gratitude.
Because I don’t know if I’d stop him.
I feel so fragile, a single breath could shatter me.
“Haven!”
Melissa’s voice cuts through the ugly thoughts racing through my mind. I turn to see her rushing toward me, her lips tight. “What’s the hell’s happening? I heard some tweaker attacked you.”
“He’s not—“ I swallow hard, forcing the words out. “He’s my dad.”
“What?” Melissa’s eyes widen a fraction. “Oh. Oh. Jesus, I’m?—“
