In a flash, Kemper drops my father and takes my face in his hands. “Baby, don’t go.Please…We’re here, okay? We’re right here, just me and you. And Felix is here too, right?”
Felix’s eyes are shining with concern as he murmurs, “Yea, I’m here, Dash. I’m so happy to see you.”
“Yo, 101, you’re gonna come help us kick some ass, right?” Joy says, encouragement in her tone.
Their concern warms me inside. It fights off the emotion just enough.
But then it makes me feel like a baby, and I hate it.
I can’t be weak in front of my father. I can’t let him see how fucked up I am… Then he’ll know he was right to leave.
Sniffling, I straighten and yank away from Kellan. “I’m said I’mfine, Kemper. Okay? I’m fucking good.” Stomping past them, I nod at my father. “Let’s go seeUncle Ivory, shall we?”
My father’s expression bodes worry for me, and even more guilt. I can’t tell if I’m glad he feels like shit, or if I’m pissed because he can clearly tell how much of a bullet he dodged when he ditched his queer, Schizophrenic hot mess of a son.
Either way, he follows me and we set out toward the mansion.
Obviously, Kellan isn’t having it.
“Dascha, this isn’t a good idea.” He jogs after me. “I don’t trust this asshole.”
“My son does not need to be babysat,” my dad mutters.
“Zamolchi,” I snap. “Don’t fucking talk to him like that. He has to deal with the mess you left behind.”
“You arenota mess, baby,” Kel says softly. I give him a look, and he’s clearly trying hard not to smirk. “Okay, you’re sort of messy. But Ilovecleaning up after you. Like at the house when you and Sobaka make breakfast and it looks like a Denny’s exploded in the kitchen.”
Chuckling, I bite my lip, losing a bit of my hostility. “Kellan, you know I have to do this.” I can tell he’s about to argue, so I stop, taking his hand. “It’s the best possible distraction. So that you guys can get Lem. Shit, we don’t even know where Hancock is! If I’m inside the mansion, I can get to him.”
He looks like he’s about to fall down at my feet and beg me not to go, and it’s killing me inside. Of course, the last thing Iwant is to leave his side, even for a second. But the unfortunate truth is that we can do more apart. Normally, it might not work that way, but in this case, with my dad being an apparentfriendof The Ivory’s, I seem to have some level of protection. I’d be stupid not to take advantage of it.
“We came to help, Kel,” I whisper, placing his hand over my heart. “This is how we do it. But I need you to stay with them.” My eyes shift to our friends. “Help them get Lem, and keep yourself hidden at all costs. Donotlet The Ivory get you. He’ll use you as leverage, you know that.”
His throat dips. And I know he despises this. Every single breath of it.
But he nods, for me. Because he loves me, and he trusts me.
Not my dad, butme. I’m not sure that I trust my father fully either, but Idoknow that he wouldn’t allow The Ivory to hurt me in front of him. I know that with absolute certainty.
He might be an abandoning dickwad, but he’s still my father.
“Okay,” Kemper croaks, clearing his throat. It’s the cutest, sexiest, saddest thing ever. He’s on his way to kiss me, but I beat him to the punch. “Be careful please. I love you…”
“I love you,” I hum onto his lips. “I’ll be back with you before you know it.”
“You better be,” he growls, pulling away to pin my dad with a deadly glare. “Make it right. And if anything happens to him, just know I’ll have nothing to lose. That puts you in a real bad position.”
My father nods, eyeing Kemper up and down, as if he’s both impressed and skeptical.
“The gate is at the back of the mansion,” Kemper sighs. “East side.”
Joy nods. “If you guys go east and distract them we can slip all the way around back.”
“Got it.” I pinch Felix’s chin, then high-five Joy and fist-bump Rook. “See you on the other side, Ray.”
“Nice working with you, Dr. Venkman.” Joy winks.
Chuckling, I’m shaking my head as I stalk off into the woods… withmy dad, of all people. I wasn’t sure I’d ever see him again, so this is really throwing me for a loop.
