Page 42 of Twisted Hunger

"Bain…Jesus, Ryan. My father's name is Bain Huntley. Now, please, tell me what this is all about!"

"When is he getting married?"

He hesitates but must see how important it is for me to know this, so he replies, "June seventeenth. Ryan—"

I cut him off, "My mom is also getting married on June seventeenth. Her fiancé’s name is Bain.”

We stand here, letting my words sink in, and when his eyes widen, I can see the truth…Beau really didn't know. Beau's head begins to shake as he goes into denial mode, but even I'm not delusional enough to think it's just a coincidence. He loosens his hold enough for me to take a step back.

"Ah, there you two are!" Bain's voice comes from behind Beau, and I look over his shoulder at my soon-to-be stepfather and my mother, who is staring at me in concern.

She understands what's going on.

Beau continues to stare at me. A mixture of confusion, sadness, and anger, all wrapped into one look, burns into me. It takes everything I have to tear my eyes away from him, but when I do, it's to look at his father. My brows knit together when I see Bain's expression. Is that...a smirk?

"I see you have finally figured it out!" Bain's states nonchalantly.

Beau swings around on his father. "What the fuck does that mean? Did you know?"

Bain rolls his eyes. "There isn't anything you do that I'm unaware of, Beau."

"Bain?" My mother places her hand on her fiancé's arm.

"We will talk about this later. People are starting to stare," Bain says with a smile, but it's one with a warning attached to it.

"You son of a bitch!" Beau surprises me with his outburst toward his father. "I can't believe you. Even this is low for you, Father!"

Suddenly, Beau is gone, disappearing into the crowd of graduates and their families. When Bain starts to say my name, I shake my head at him, turn, and run after the one who holds my heart. I don't know what this means for us, but we will figure it out. We have to.

I find Beau as he's just getting to his car. "BEAU!" I call out, tears running rampant down my face.

He turns, and I can see that he's about to ignore me by the way he starts to give me his back, but he stops, his shoulders slumping. He turns just as I get to him, and I throw myself at him. He catches me just like I hoped he would, his arms wrapping around me tightly.

"It doesn't matter." My voice cracks. "We are adults, and we won't be related by blood…"

"God, Ryan…" I hear the anguish in his tone. "If only it were that simple."

We stand here for a few minutes, one of his hands on my lower back and the other cupping the back of my head. I don't understand why it must be so complicated. Am I not allowed to be happy…ever?

When Beau starts to pull away, I tighten my hold, thinking he's going to leave me. Instead, he cups my cheeks. "Get in the car, Ryan. I want to take you somewhere."

I nod, but before I can do as he says, Beau brushes his lips against mine. My hand covers his, still cupping my cheeks as his lips linger on mine. The sound of our names being called rips us from the moment, and we look in the direction it's coming from. My mother and Bain are walking toward us, and I feel Beau tense.

"Let's go—now," he says in a surly voice, and I waste no time running to the passenger side and getting in.

Neither of us says a word as Beau flies out of the school parking lot and heads for the outskirts of town. Just as I start to think that we are headed to Lookout Point, Beau turns his Lexus onto a different gravel road. This one is narrower, and the sign we pass states that it's private property. I trust Beau enough to know that he knows what he's doing.

"Beau?"

He glances over at me and takes my hand. "This is part of our property," he states and leaves it at that.

Soon, we come into a clearing where a small log cabin sits. I look at the guy behind the wheel and raise my brow. The structure looks old and weathered, not to mention a bit unsafe.

"Are we going inside?" I ask.

He slows the car and puts it in park before turning to me. Chuckling, he says, "It looks worse than it actually is. I've been fixing it up for the past three years. It's where I come when I need to think or be alone."

I watch him climb from the car, and when I don't move to do the same, he comes around and opens my door. "Are you sure it's safe to enter?"

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