Page 106 of The Moment Promised

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Istare at the door, imagining the way it will slowly creep open. The dead eyes I am going to be forced to peer through, while I sink to his level.

But the door flies open in a quick breath, and I am knocked back by the surprise. I quickly gather myself before he can recognize the shift in my composure.

I didn’t notice before, but his skin is modeled with so many broken blood vessels. He looks frail and older than he is. He doesn’t feel as scary as he did a little while ago.

Funny how my brain picked this moment to reveal the hidden memory of Finn, as if I subconsciously knew I’d need it on a rainy day.

“Mom’s been using drugs, Dad.” I contort my face to seem worried, as if I’ve been thinking this over the entire time I’ve been locked in my laundry room. I know he knows this, since he’s the one who picked her up early from rehab, but I make sure to remind him.

I notice fury building up within his body.

I can almost hear his thoughts. I’m sure they aren’t worried for her, but rather for himself. Like her doing drugs is a disrespect tohimandhisproperty.

I hate him. “It’s like ever since you left, she’s been so—” I shake my head, and let a tear roll down my face. It’s a real tear, from real pain…but it’s not attached to the words I’m about to speak. “She’s nothing without you. I mean, she takes whatever she can get her hands on just to make it from one day to the next.”

His demeanor changes and he slowly walks over to me, grabbing both my hands.

Disgust rolls off my entire body, but I keep my reaction at bay.

“Dad…” I cry, letting him sweep me up into his arms. He holds me rigidly while I weep into nothing in his arms. At least that’s what I want him to believe. That I’m nothing without him.

“She needs you so badly.” My voice is a broken whisper. “So do I.” My hot tears fall onto his shoulder, he slowly releases me, assessing me for cracks of the truth.

But I leave none, I am completely sealed from head to toe with these lies.

“I love you, Dad. Please forgive us for leaving.” I want to vomit the words back up, but I’ll say them a million times if it means the people I love will be out of harm’s way.

“You just needed a push in the right direction. I knew you were just rebelling like every other teenager.” He believes his disturbing words, and I let him.

“Let’s get your mother and be done with this bullshit,” he says like this whole thing was no big deal.

As if he isn’t the reason I’m bleeding as we speak.

“Maybe I should be the one to talk to her,” I say, pulling an excuse out of thin air. “She’s really fragile right now. I think if I asked her to come home, she would without the blink of an eye. But if you’re there, she might think you’re making me say those things.” I gently laugh, “You know how much she hates being told what to do.”

He looks at me for twenty long seconds before rolling his eyes. “Fuck. You’re right.” He holds a finger right up to my face, and in the most threatening voice he says, “I have my guys all over that place, don’t go playing some fucking game. You hear me?”

I just nod.

“Oh, and no more seeing the brown-haired boy. That fucking delinquent pisses me off.”

I nod again, trying to be as compliant as possible so I can get out of here.

He grinds his teeth, like he’s expecting some type of rebuttal from me, so I give him one so he doesn’t suspect anything. “But Dad, I like him?—”

My eyes are wide with shock as I bring my hand up to my stinging cheek.

He just slapped me.

“I fucking swear to God, Adeline, if you don’t do what I fucking tell you, I’ll have those guys kill him.” He shoots me a glare. “And I’ll have them make sure you’re watching.”

I shudder. “Okay.”

He stares me down one last time, before releasing his gaze and stepping aside so I can leave.

I walk at a normal pace toward the front door, trying to seem as normal as possible, despite the urge to sprint. Once I twist the handle, I toss him a wave and a gentle smile. “Be right back, Dad.”

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