Page 63 of Raise 'Em Up

I hope he makes everyone fucking pay.

“What do we do? Where did they take him?” I ask, looking between the guys.

“I don’t fucking know!” Mateo shouts. I know he’s not mad at me, so I let it go.

“The van. It’s not a typical one,” Colton says. “Was that a rainbow with a damn X through it?”

Donny pulls out his phone and starts typing. “Oh, fucking hell,” he groans.

“What?” Mateo snatches the phone from his hand. “You have got to be fucking kidding me!” he fumes. “I’m gonna kill him. I’m going to go to his house, wrap my hands around his fucking neck, and kill him!”

“What?” I shout, needing to know what the hell is going on.

“The van is for a camp. A religiousconversion camp,” Colton says in a whisper as he looks at the phone.

“You're telling me that asshole of a father of his had him fucking kidnapped and taken to a damn conversion camp?!” I shout. “Is he fucking crazy? That man should be locked up. Oh, God.” I feel like I’m going to be sick as I start to pace. I’ve seen documentaries about places like that, and none of them are good. If anything, it’s a pure horror story.

The shit they do to them. You can’t pray the gay away, you can’t beat it out of them either. I can't believe shit like that is even allowed in this day and age.

“We have to get him back. He’s over eighteen. This can’t be legal. He didn’t consent!”

“I found out what organization it’s through,” Colt says. “But the nearest camp is about two hours away from here.”

“Then we get in the fucking car and drive,” Mateo seethes.

“And what? I’m sure they have some kind of security. We can’t just walk in there, take him by the hand and walk out,” Colt tells him.

“If I have to go in there, guns blazing, I will. I won't leave my man in that fucking hellhole any longer than he needs to. If I have to be the one to get locked up to get him out, then so fucking be it. If I have to kill someone to get him out, then So. Fucking. Be. It.” Mateo growls in Colton’s face.

“Hey.” I pull him back by the arm. “I’m just as terrified and pissed off as you are.” My eyes well with tears as I try to hold back my panic attack. “But we’re just trying to help, okay? We can't turn on each other right now. Lennox needs us to hold our shit together and get him back where he belongs. With us. Then we can worry about making sure his monster of a father isn’t an issue anymore.”

“You're right.” Mateo sighs heavily, running a hand over his face before he pulls me into a bone-crushing hug. I give him one back, knowing he needs me right now.

“We need to call his mom,” Colton says. “She helped us before, she’s going to want to know what her fucked up husband is doing. Maybe she can help too.”

“She doesn’t have her phone, but I’ll call the rehab. This has to count as an emergency,” I tell him, grabbing my phone and finding the number with shaking hands.

It's one thing after the fucking other. Just when we think life is good, another bomb goes off. And I have a feeling, until the two people who seem to find joy in our misery are out of our lives for good, it’s not going to stop.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Ever since the van doors slammed and Missi identified herself, she hasn’t shut up. Her psychosis and delusions are even worse than we thought. I have a migraine, and I’m honestly fucking scared.

I’ve suffered abuse all of my damn life, but this… My father really has lost his fucking mind.

“And we will have a beautiful summer wedding. I’m thinking of the beach at sunset. It was so pretty on Valentine’s Day. Even if you were there with her. But it’s okay. I forgive you, Lenny.”

“Missi, I am not now, or ever, going to marry you,” I grumble, but she ignores me.

“We just need to fix you, then everything will be perfect. I was born to be Missi Crane. It has a great ring to it, doesn’t it?” she asks Jacob, the driver, and he grunts, never taking his eyes off the road.

I don’t know how long we have been driving, but the ocean is gone and all I can see are trees. I guess it makes sense, since we are going to a camp.

“I’m not gay, Missi. I am bi-sexual, and there is nothing wrong with that,” I mutter, but she rolls her eyes, then leans over and slaps me hard.

I will not hit a girl. I will not hit a girl.

I have to keep reminding myself not to touch her, but I wish I could wrap my hands around her throat and watch as the light leaves her sadistic eyes.

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