Page 106 of Unfix Me

Without a word, I marched out of the living room. Instead of going up the stairs, I left through the front door. I didn’t intend to go anywhere; I just needed air. I knew how much was in my bank account, but I checked anyway. Not nearly enough to get a plane ticket. Maybe I could pay to change the one Kai got me for next week.

I tapped absently on my phone screen as I sat on the front step. He’d save me if I asked. I knew that was true. I just had to do it.

Do it. Do it. Do it.

My hands felt weighed down by lead. He couldn’t fight all my battles for me. I knew hewoulddo it, but I had this feeling inside of me. It told me that this was important. I needed to make this decision and execute it myself. Then, I could call him and figure the rest out.

Before I could psych myself up to tell my dad to go fuck himself, my phone went off.

West:Incoming.

I clicked on the link he sent me, assuming it was going to be something weird like a cat riding a giraffe. It was weirder. A baseball game dated from last season. I wasn’t even a baseball fan. Why would he send this?

The game dissolved and cut to what looked like an interview. There was a broad-shouldered man sitting in a chair wearing a black t-shirt that strained against his chest. He was smiling and it made my heart race. I’d seen him somewhere before, but I didn’t know how.

“We’re off the field to talk to one of the Atlanta Brave’s most popular players right now. He drew attention online after he was drafted from Ole Miss last year.”

The way the guy laughed set something off in my head. I knew that laugh and his smile. If he was a little younger and less bulky…

“We’re honored to have you here,” the interviewer went on. “So, Mr. McKinney-”

“Please, just call me Trav. We’re friends here.”

The phone dropped to the ground with a clatter. I quickly picked it up and made sure it hadn’t cracked, then looked at the guy, Trav, again. My hand came up to cover my mouth as I listened to him answer a few questions.

But he was dead. That was what they said at camp. My dad told me when his funeral was and that I couldn’t go. That I would end up like him.

It was him. He was alive. That was all it took for me to get to my feet with the intention of dismantling all of the lies that had made up my life for so long.

Before I turned to the door, I saw a black sedan pull up to the house. It stopped in the driveway and a head of black hair jumped from the car.

My mouth dropped open in shock. “West?”

Chapter 35

Sen

West grinned as he jogged toward me. “In the flesh.”

When he reached me, he took my face between his hands and stared into my eyes intently. His gaze traveled down, then back up.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Making sure you’re in one piece. I drove all night to get here because Kai would kill me if I didn’t deliver you safely.”

“He sent you?”

“No. But he’s almost to the point of jumping on a plane to kidnap you, so you should be glad I came. He may not show it, but when someone he loves gets hurt, he’ll make sure the asshole gets what’s coming to them.”

My gaze traveled to the car in the driveway. “I thought you didn’t drive.”

He snorted. “I drive.” Pausing at the front door, he looked back at me. “I’m just not allowed.”

“Why?”

With a conspiratorial wink, he pushed on the handle. Everything came crashing back in- my family, the intervention, my decision to confront them. Now, West was here. I didn’t know if that would make it better or worse, but we were going to find out because he was already inside.

Loud voices carried from the living room. I followed a little behind West until we turned the corner.

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