Page 23 of Bound by Desire
“So, let me get this straight; you just had a procedure, and you’re out beating the ass of someasshole?”
“Yeah, Deke. That’s why I passed out at your place. They gave me some painkillers, and I took them after I got out of the cab at yourplace.”
“Fuck, Austyn. Why didn’t you tell me this yesterday instead offuckin’lyin’?”
“No one knows I was pregnant. I mean, no one except now you. You think I want anyone in our family to find out what I did? They’ll be pissed. But I couldn’t keep it.” Her breaths come shorter, and if I’m not mistaken, she’s biting back tears. There is a far off look inhereyes.
“Who’s the father?” Not only will I beat the motherfucker, but I’ll make sure I pass the information on to Nox, Cooper, and Cruz so they can get their shots in,aswell.
Austyn crosses her arms over her chest and faces forward. “That, I’m not discussing.” Her tone is flat. I can feel her shutting down, so I changeitup.
“Your brother knows you have a busted face. What are we gonnatellhim?”
She slaps her hands to the side of her seat. “Fuck, Deke. They can’t find out who did it. That asshole will sing like a canary and tell them the demon I am. Think, Austyn.” She says the last part to herself, evidently trying to come up with another lie to cover up what she’salreadydone.
“You know, the more lies you tell, the harder it is to cover your tracks,” I tell her a lesson I learned the hard way. When it comes down to it, things were better for me to leave and stay gone than to attempt to continuethelies.
“I know that, Deke, but in this situation, I don’t have a damnchoice.”
“You’re bringing me right back into the middle of shit I can’t and don’t want to be in. Did you thinkaboutthat?”
Her head snaps toward me like something just dawned on her. Good. Maybe the little shit can get her acttogether.
“Sorry.” The word is so damn soft I barelyhearit.
“Why did youdoit?”
She lets out a small scream; the quiet gone. Then she throws her head in her hands and begins rocking back and forth. “This is why I didn’t tell anyone. I don’t want all these questions,” shegrowls. “Fuck.”
I don’t do this deep shit. The closest I’ve come is with Emery and school. This situation is completely on the other side of the spectrum, and while I want to tell her to woman up and fucking deal with what she did, I can’t. I may be a dick, but I’m not a complete bastard, and from her expression, this was a hard decisionforher.
“You were mugged while comin’ to my place to get away. I didn’t know. When you got off the bus—because Austyn, they’ll find that shit out—you were mugged. You kicked his ass, he got away, you came to myplace.”
“You think they’llbuyit?”
“Nope.”
She actually chuckles. “I’m soscrewed,Deke.”
“You pay cash for everything and not use yourrealname?”
“I had a fake ID, and yes, I paid cash. I’m not some stupid kid, Deke. I had it planned out to the T. One thing I wasn’t planning on was the asshole coming at me and you taking me home while I’mbustedup.”
I need to get her home, so I steer the truck back ontheroad.
Whatever she decides to tell them, they will investigate and will find out the truth. It’s the Ravage way. And I’m driving righttowardit.
“Where am I takin’ you? Yourmom’s?”
She shakes her head. “No, myplace.”
This is fucked up on so many levels, and fuck me for bringing her home. It’s put me square in the middle of this mess and on my way to a place I said I wouldn’t go back to. But I’m not fucking heartless, at least not most ofthetime.
Austyn doing this shit on her own is beyond my comprehension. The girl of four years ago is no more. I have questions for her, but I won’t ask. It’s not my place. After I drop her ass off, I’ll be on my way. She’ll go on with her life, and I’ll be away fromSumner.
When my cell rings, I look at thenumber.
“Yourbrother.”
