Page 82 of Watercolor Skulls

“Um, not to interrupt this little reunion but can we get the fuck out of this creepy fucking mansion,” Raffe says from somewhere behind Dan.

Dan quickly helps me slide into the jacket. He looks me straight in the eye. “You don’t have to say anything. I’m getting you out of here.”

I nod. The way Dan says this I know my parents must be in the room. “I need something,” I whisper.

“Raffe, take the Senator and his wife downstairs. We’ll be right behind. Lily just needs a minute to get herself together.”

My mother sniffles and my dad says nothing. This is bad. This is so bad. He knows about Dan now.

When the door closes I wait a few minutes before rushing to my dresser. I drop to the floor and pull the bottom drawer out, revealing my hiding spot. I grab the journals, mine, and Jenny’s. I hand them to Dan, making sure I have them all. When I stand he is tucking the final one in the waistband of his pants.

I nod once. “I’m ready.”

He kisses me again before grabbing my hand in his. We jog down the stairs. When we walk out onto the east lawn I stop dead in my tracks.Oh my god.I double over, my hand over my mouth. I’ve never felt so loved in my entire life.

Skull men are everywhere. It’s like a scene straight out of an action movie. My wedding cake is toppled over. Bikers have their feet kicked up on the tops of chairs. The smell of weed permeates the air. This is…this is fucking great.

My dad rushes over to me. “Glad you’re finding this so amusing,” he hisses. “Do you care to explain who these hoodlums are?”

Dan shoves him away from me.

“Thesehoodlumsare my friends,” I wave my hand out, my eyes stopping on JD. He has his arm wrapped around Benjamin’s neck. He winks at me as he tightens his grip, making Benjamin dance on his toes.

I let my gaze land on my parents. My dad is glaring daggers at me.

“Goodbye,” I say simply. What else is there to say.

My mother’s eyes bounce from Dan to me.

“Lily. If you walk away, that’s it. You’ll never see a penny of my money.” My father’s threat falls flat. I’ve already told him. I don’t want any of this. He remembers that as the words leave his mouth.

Dirk walks up, dropping his arm around my shoulders. “Hey, Smurf.” He wraps a tattooed finger around one of my brown curls.

My dad bristles. Dirk leans forward, holding his hand out. “It’s nice to meet you, sir,” he says.

When my dad doesn’t take his hand, Dirk laughs, turning to look at Dan.

Dan is studying my face closely, oblivious to what is going on around him. Dirk’s gaze comes back to me, a scowl forms on his face when he notices what has Dan so shook up. His arm falls off my shoulder and he takes a step back.

Dan is in front of me in a flash, his fingers wrapping gently around my neck. He tips my chin from side to side as his eyes roam over every inch of my face. Even the best makeup money could buy didn’t erase the bruise my father left behind. “Who did this?” he asks, deadly calm.

I shift nervously. Dan is really pissed.

“I asked you a question, Lily.”

I nod my head towards my father. Seconds is all it takes before my mother is crying louder than I’ve ever heard her wail. People are screaming and all hell breaks loose. Dirk and Raffe fight to pull Dan off of my dad. When they finally get him off I glance at the ground. My dad is lying there, blood gushing from his nose. His handsome face is pummeled.

It happened. He finally got some of what he deserved.

Dirk hands Dan a white cloth napkin. Dan wipes his hands on it, his eyes never leaving my fathers. “Try to take her away from me again and see what happens.” He tosses the napkin on my father’s chest.

He wraps me up in his arms and walks us towards Benjamin and JD. Benjamin cowers against JD’s chest, clearly not wanting some of the dish Dan just served my father.

“She is mine. You hear that, numb nut?”

Benjamin nods.

Dan looks down at me. “Ready, baby?”

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