Page 55 of A Sky Full Of Stars

I’m in shock while Dylan curses, pulling my father away before throwing him into the front of the house. Protecting her.

The sound of my dad’s head hitting the wood snaps me into action, and I step forward just as Mom speaks. “You told me you’d never hurt her again.”

What?“You knew?” I can’t hide my disgust as I take over for Dylan, pinning Dad against the house.She knew? She fucking knew.

Mom doesn’t reply so I shift my focus. “Why didn’t you ever hit me?” I snap at Dad, trying hard not to hurt him…for now. “Was it because you knew I’d fight back?”I lean in close, speaking through clenched teeth. “Was it easier to prey on an innocent girl?”

I don’t understand it. Why would he hurt her? Why the lies?

Dad shrugs under my grip, my accusations having no effect on him. “I had no reason to hurt you,” he says, seemingly confused as to why I’d even ask that question. He’s heartless and I never saw it.

Bile rises in my throat but I swallow it down. “And you had a reason to hurt Summer?” I yell, pressing him harder into the wall, ignoring the pain in his expression. “Really, Dad, she was a teenager, for fucks’ sake.”

My fists tighten just as Dylan speaks from behind me. “Child,” he says bitterly. “She was a child.”

“The fuck did you say?” I spin, loosening my hold.

“He hurt her as a child,” Dylan whispers, his expression broken as my world and everything I thought I knew obliterates. “She was ten.”

That can’t be true. I would have seen the scars… I would have—

“Summer?” I choke out, turning to face her, keeping a grip on my dad as she nods, the simple gesture breaking me beyond repair.

I cry out in anger, slamming Dad against the wall, crushing his neck with my forearm. “What reason could you possibly have for what you did?”

He cringes in pain but I don’t move until he tries to speak. “We never wanted another child. I wanted to focus on you. And your mother—”

What the fuck?

I spin so quickly I get whiplash. “And Mom what? Did you know about this? Condone it?” I’m so disgusted, my mom’s sobs do nothing tosoften the anger.

“Of course not, Thomas.” She steps forward but I shake my head. “I would never—”

“Your mother cheated on me,” Dad yells to stop Mom from continuing. “Summer could be another guy’s kid and yet I was forced to raise her. Chase her around whenever she ran off. I—”

My eyes bounce between Mom and Dad in disbelief. “Is that true?”

Mom looks away with a small nod, and I have my answer. My stomach drops, and I’m about to question her when Summer cuts in. “Enough,” she snaps. “I’m going home.”

She turns to walk away and relief takes over me as Dylan moves to follow her. She shouldn’t be here when I continue this conversation. Neither of them should because it’s not going to be pretty.

I’ve just turned back to Dad when he calls out to Summer, watching her over my shoulder.

“This is all your fault, Summer. It all happened because of your stupid crush on those boys. On him. That was the last straw.” All eyes flash to Dylan’s as he continues. “You embarrassed our family by sneaking out and drooling over them. You always rebelled and I had to deal with it, time and time again.” He’s talking about her sneaking off to watch the junior team’s football practice. I remember that, but why? “I’d had enough,” he adds. “And don’t tell me you were there because you wanted to play; come on, you can’t expect me to believe that. You were always nothing but trouble.”

“Are you serious right now?” I ask. This can’t be real.How did he not know?“She was watching the game because she wanted to play. We talked about it. She wanted to watch so she could learn the game. So she could play with us,withyou. She just wanted your attention. Why would you think she was there for Dylan? She was ten, for fucks’ sake.”

She didn’t even know Dylan back then.Right?

“Then why didn’t she watchyoutrain, Thomas?” Dad questions, cutting into my thoughts. “Ever think of that? If she wanted to learn, she could have watched you.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. He never invited her to come to my practice. He always said it was “just for the boys” and I used to laugh about it.Jesus.

What kind of a parent hurts their child…or has these feelings toward them? And why didn’t I see it back then?

“She—”

“She’s a tramp, just like her mother. Sneaking out and making me find her all the time…”

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