The Fire Between High & Lo (Elements #2)(72)

“Do you need something, Ricky?” I asked him, growing more and more upset.

He tossed his hands up in defense. “Whoa there, stranger. I just wanted to say hi.” His cell phone went off, and he glanced at Sadie. “Gotta take this. Don’t move.” He stood up, and headed outside to take the call.

My stare shot to Sadie. “What the hell are you doing with him? Is that the boyfriend you were talking about?”

“I—I didn’t know…” her voice was shaky. “I saw you at the train station after I tried to leave him, and I wanted to tell you. But I knew it’d only make more trouble. I want to leave him, but every time I try, he sends people to find me. I can’t…”

“Does he hurt you?” I asked. Her stare fell to the ground.

I dug into my back pocket and I pulled out my wallet, scrambling to get money. “Here. Take this. Go get on the closest bus, and get away from him.”

Alyssa’s eyes studied mine, but she didn’t ask what was going on. Her hand landed on my leg for comfort the whole time.

“I can’t leave. I can’t,” Sadie said, her eyes tearing up.

“Why not?”

“I’m pregnant,” she whispered. “I’m pregnant and I have nowhere and no one to run to. He pulled me away from my family. He destroyed all of my relationships. And now he’s all that I have.”

“Sadie, listen to me. For your kid, the best thing you can ever do is get on a bus and never look back. You don’t want to have a child with that man. I’ve been that child. Trust me, it doesn’t turn out well.”

She looked down, shaking slightly. “Okay,” she whispered. Alyssa appeared confused, but scribbled her number onto a napkin. “If you need anything you can call me, or Logan. I put both of our numbers down.”

Sadie wiped the tears from her eyes. “Why are you being so nice? You both hardly even know me.”

“What? Of course I know you. You taught me Spanish,” I joked, trying to break up the tension. She gave me a small smile and collected the money. “Go out the back door in the kitchen. I can take you if you want.”

I stood up, took her hand, and started walking her to the back. We almost made it until I felt her being yanked away from me.

“What the hell does ‘don’t move’ mean to you, woman?” Dad hissed toward her. His arm wrapped around her waist, and he squeezed her so tight that I saw the pained expression hit her eyes. “Time to go.”

Sadie looked at me with pleading eyes, and I stepped forward. “I don’t think she wants to go.”

“Excuse me?” he asked. He ran his fingers in Sadie’s hair and pulled her even closer, tighter. “You don’t want to go with me?”

She didn’t say anything. Dad continued. “I do so much for you, Sadie, and this is how you repay me? I love you. Don’t you know that?” He bent down and kissed her, the same way he used to kiss Mom when he fed her his lies of control. She kissed him back, too, just like Mom used to kiss him. I knew right then that Sadie wasn’t going to leave. She was too far tangled into his web.

“We’ll catch up later, Logan,” he said to me. It sounded more like a threat than a happy get-together.

I wasn’t shocked, though. My father knew nothing about happiness, but he was a professional at disasters.

When they left, I felt disgusted. I remained silent, snapping the band on my wrist. Alyssa walked over to me. “Are you okay?”

I shook my head.

“We can go outside for air if you want.”

“Yeah, okay.” I needed more than air, though. I needed my father to disappear, allowing everyone who ever crossed his path to finally be freed from his chains.





Chapter Thirty-Seven


Alyssa




As Logan and I walked outside, he clenched his fists, reddening from the annoyance of his father. I didn’t know the history that Logan and Sadie had, but I knew he was afraid for her wellbeing, as he should’ve been. Being around Logan’s father was terrifying. I couldn’t imagine being Sadie, unable to escape his chains.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Just need a moment.” He placed his hands behind his neck and started pacing around the parking lot. There were cars parked on the large plot, and people were outside in the nice weather, socializing and laughing, while Logan was doing the complete opposite. He was dealing with those demons that liked to haunt him. He deserved a break.

I leaned against the side of the building, waiting for him to calm down. He kicked the tall strands of grass with his shoes, back and forth.

“Are you thinking about using?” I asked.

“Yup,” he muttered, shutting his eyes and walking in circles.

Poor guy.

“You know what would make this moment better?” I asked, placing my hands on my hips as my left foot rested against the side of the building.

“What’s that?”

“You know what we should do to really make you feel better?”

“Uh, no. But I’m guessing you have an idea?”

“Oh do I ever!” I locked eyes with him. “Are you listening?”

“Yes.”

“No, I mean, are you really, really listening?”