“Oh, damn. I’m sorry, Katie. My parents and I are going to Antigua for the summer. We leave in a couple of days.”
Katherine sighed. She dropped her head and ran her fingers through her long hair. The defeated look on her face nearly broke Joseph’s heart. He wanted so badly to see her smile again, and he planned to make sure that he would. Only, it wasn’t the time.
He continued on without a word and pushed through the double doors.
Joseph walked out and sat on the concrete barrier, waiting patiently for Katherine to walk out. When she finally did, she looked over at him and smiled. It didn’t quite reach her eyes, but at least she was smiling.
“Hi,” she greeted softly.
Joseph stood. “Hi.” He could’ve pretended like he hadn’t heard her conversation, but he wasn’t the pretending kind. “I heard you need a place to stay.”
Katherine quickly looked away as if embarrassed. “I… umm… I’ll figure something out.”
“What happened?”
She glanced at him quickly before looking away again. “Nothing. I-I gotta go.”
She turned, but before she could escape, Joseph caught her by the arm. “Come and stay with me,” he commanded in a soft voice.
Katherine blinked up at him, mesmerizing him with her beautiful blue eyes. “Really?”
Joseph found himself excited at the thought of sharing his space with her. “Really,” he assured with a smile. “Do we need to go get your things?”
“Yes. Just a few, but… I-I don’t want to put you out.”
Joseph threw an arm around her and ushered her toward the parking lot. “Let’s go get your things.”
* * *
KATHERINE
Katherine entered the house, surprised that her parents hadn’t already changed the locks. She crossed the foyer to the stairs and jogged up. Thankfully, she made it to her room without running into any of her family members.
She made quick work of gathering her things, everything she could carry. In less than ten minutes, she was trotting down the stairs, carrying two full suitcases. Just when she thought she would make it out the door, her mother and father stepped out of the parlor.
“Just what do you think you’re doing?” her mother asked, crossing her arms.
“I got my things. Now, I’m going.”
Her father’s face twisted with anger. “Everything you own was paid for with my money. You’ll leave with what’s on your back.”
Katherine rolled her eyes and opened the door, but her father hurried over and slammed it. He snatched the bag from her hand and tossed it to the floor.
“Get out!” he shouted, reaching for the other suitcase.
Katherine yanked it away and shoved her father backward. His eyes darkened with hatred as he advanced on her. He wrapped his fingers around her throat and forced her against the wall. She dug her nails into his hand and tried to pry his fingers from her throat. All the while, struggling to breathe. Just when she was getting lightheaded, salvation came in the form of a tall, muscular, green-eyed intellectual.
Joseph burst through the door and grabbed her father in a chokehold. Startled and unable to fight, her father released her throat.
“Unhand him!” her mother screamed, running toward them.
Joseph gave her mother a look that halted her steps. He tossed her dad to the floor and hurried over to Katherine. After pulling her in his arms, he whispered, “You’re okay.”
He gently spoke the words that Katherine had spoken to her young cousin the day before. As Katherine struggled to catch her breath, Joseph grabbed the bag from her hand, then walked over and picked up the bag her dad had thrown to the floor.
“Let’s go!” he barked. His gruff tone seemed less for her and more for her father.
Joseph waited for her to move in front of him and covered her as she made her way to the door.
