Page 59 of Losing a Piece of Me

He shrugs. "Something like that. That bitch was just going to ruin your life. I saved you, you ungrateful little shit!"

I laugh. “You saved me?” I stand and smack the beer bottle out of his hand. It flies through the air and hits the wall.

He stands and puffs out his chest. “You want the truth?”

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

A menacing laugh rumbles throughout the room, as if he knows what he is about to tell me will wreck me.

Chapter 15

Jeff puts me in his car and drives us back to my parents’ house. When we pull up, I try running. I need to get to Striker before he goes after his dad.

I don’t want him starting any more trouble with him, and I don’t want Ken to spill my family secret. It would ruin my father. It would kill my mom, and my sister doesn’t deserve any of this right now. It’s not as bad now that we’ve grown up - at least we won’t have to choose who we’re going to live with - but this weekend? The weekend of my sister’s wedding?

Jeff catches me trying to run and snags his strong arms around my waist. He walks me up to my room and sets me down the bed, leveling his eyes with mine. “I don’t know what’s going on, but you need to stay here. I’m going to sit right outside that door to make sure of it.”

“You don’t understand, Jeff. I need to get to him.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s going to fuck everything up. He’s going to go after his dad and he doesn’t know everything. He needs to hear it from me, not from him.”

“What are you talking about, Alex?”

I can’t stay at this party. I have to get out.

I sneak up to my room and climb out my window.

I have to find Striker and tell him. We could leave tonight. I know he will be up for it. He’s been waiting for this day for over a year.

I make the walk to his house, but his truck isn’t here.

I don’t want to ask Ken, but I have to find him.

I knock on the door.

“What?” Ken yells from inside.

I open the door and step inside, letting it slam behind me. “Do you know where Striker is? I really need to talk to him.”

“I told you to stay away from my son, didn’t I?”

I don’t have time for this shit tonight. “I have to go.” I turn for the door, but Ken grabs me and lifts me off my feet, setting me down on the opposite side of the room with his body directly between me and the door.

“You’re going to listen to me this time.” He points his finger in my face. “You will stay away from my son, do you understand?”

Riding a surge of bravery, I say, “You can’t stop shit. He’s eighteen and so am I. We’re leaving and there’s nothing you can do about it.” I raise my chin and straighten my back.

Something flashes in his eyes and he pulls his hand back to slap me. I flinch and raise my arms protectively in front of my stomach to shield the tiny baby inside that only Gemma knows about.

He stops, suddenly knowing. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

I don’t talk, I don’t do anything, because he knows. Striker doesn’t even know yet.

He drops his hand and starts pacing in front of me. “He knocked you up, didn’t he?”

My eyes fall to the floor. I don’t want to tell him anything. He doesn’t have any right to know.

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