Page 40 of The Marine

“I’ll go in. You wait here.” I had tried.

The look Kael had shot me sent fear right through me.

I followed him up the path to Mom’s front door and he knocked, calling out her name. When she opened it, she was in her dressing gown, the TV going in the background.

“Hi. Briar. Kael. What are you both doing here?” she asked, surprised to see us.

Because she was.

I cringed and felt myself pulling away from the arm he had wrapped around my back. Tears were already forming in my eyes.

Without hesitation, he turned on me angrily. “You lied?”

I shook my head despite the evidence in front of us. “No. Wait. Let me—”

“You lied?” He yelled again, his angry face closing in on mine.

Terror filled me.

“What’s going on?” Mom cried as he pushed me against the outside wall.

“Go inside, Mrs. Sutton. Now!”

“Briar!” she cried as he pulled the door closed in her face, pushing her back.

“Mom, I’m fine,” I cried, holding my hands up. “Kael stop. Let me explain.”

“You fucking lied. Why? We were having a nice dinner.”

You were.

I wasn’t.

I dropped my arm and tried to reason with him. A novice move, even for me.

“I just wasn’t feeling well. I didn’t want to upset you. I have a sick stomach, and Mom has some medicine that helps me.” I lied once more.

Kael spun away, and I drew in a breath, hoping he would drive off.

But he didn’t.

He turned back and launched at me, gripping my throat painfully and pushing me up against the harsh brick wall. I ripped at his hand, gasping as he glared down at me like a madman.

For all I know, I tore skin off his hands and I don’t care.

“Liar. All you do is lie, you little bitch.” He spat.

I tried to speak, clutching and ripping at his hands and shirt, trying to breathe.

I thought I was going to die. Right there on my parent’s porch. In the same house my father had died years ago.

Would he be charged?

Would he get away with it?

An image of Aidan flashed before me, and I knew I didn’t want to die.

“You disgust me.” Spittle hit my face.

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