Page 46 of Protector

With a loud clunk and not a single word spoken, Carlo slams the gate shut and turns to head back up the stairs.

“I’m going to deal with the boy. Don’t let her out of your sight.”

And even though I scream and shout my protests to leave Puck alone, Carlo leaves me here, with his men watching me like a hawk.

I scream. So loud it echoes off the walls I’m surrounded by. So haunting, Carlo’s men take a step back. It’s a scream full of sorrow and despair. Of pain and suffering. Of love and loss.

My father, the man who is supposed to protect me, gone to hurt the man who took his place.

And looking down at my hands, seeing Puck’s journal still held tightly in my fingers, I cradle it close to my chest and realise I am never going to see him again.

Me and King are playing pool, but King’s mind is elsewhere. He’s been grinning at his phone like a lunatic for the past few days, and I know it has something to do with the girl he’s been sneaking out to see. I shake my head with a chuckle.

“You gonna play, or shall I take your shot?”

King rolls his eyes, pocketing his phone.

“You make me sick,” I laugh again, messing with him.

Truthfully, I’ve never seen him with a girl. Sure, I've seen him with girls at school, or the very rare parties I attended, but he’s never been into any of them. Not like this.

“Oh yeah, Pucker,” King says, his nickname for me rolling off his tongue. “Like you’re any better with Bonnie?”

I smile and point with my cue to the table, urging King to take his go.

He doesn’t know that me and Bonnie had sex a few weeks ago. We decided we’d keep it between us. King was protective when he first found out I’d kissed her. Even though I’m his best friend, and he’s happy for us now, I knew it threw him for a loop for a bit when we initially got together. I don’t need to make matters worse with this news.

Besides, we’re happy keeping it between us. It just makes it even more special.

I can’t wait for our future together. To run away, get out of here, live a life worth living. To have children and give them what we never had.

Bonnie has been my future since the day I met her, so I can’t judge King if he has potentially found his too.

We’re playing another round, when suddenly, the door to the games room slams open so hard I’m convinced it’s about to fly off its hinges.

Carlo storms in, and for a few seconds, I think he’s heading for King, and I square up, ready to jump in and protect him from whatever Carlo is barging in here for.

But that’s not the case at all.

Carlo comes for me, grabbing me harshly by the collar, and spits directly into my face.

King shouts somewhere in the background, but before I can react, Carlo’s fist comes flying right at me, landing a harsh punch straight into my jaw.

“This will be the last time I ever fucking see your face again. Stay away from my child.”

Another fist hits my jaw, and two of his men are dragging me backwards.

Stay away from his child?

But then it hits me, square in the face, harsher than Carlo’s punch.

He knows about me and Bonnie.

I put up a fight, trying to writhe out of the hold I’m in, but it’s no good. I’m leaving this room whether I like it or not.

And because I have no idea what’s about to happen, knowing that there is no good outcome, I shout to my best friend.

“King, KING!”

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