Page 89 of Ace of Spades
“Dad—”
“Not now, Bradley,” Scott cuts in, shutting up his son. “Do you understand what would happen if she walks out of this house? The type of shit she could spread about us? For crying out loud, William—get a hold of your daughter!”
There’s a brief pause, and in the next moment, I’m thrown over Brad’s shoulder, kicking and screaming as he carries me back into the house.
“Where should I take her?”
“Just… just take her to the bedroom,” Dad tells him.
“Dad, stop this!” I beg, my fists pounding into Brad’s muscular back.
My dad only looks between me and Scott, his brow etched in concern, though he does nothing to stop them.
“Don’t you think this is a bit much, Scott?” Dad finally asks.
“Not when she’s acting like a brat. Do you not know how to discipline your own kids?”
Gypsy lets out a low growl, running to my rescue as she grabs a hold of Brad’s jeans, ripping at the material before he kicks her away, my dog sliding across the floor with a yelp.
“Motherfucker, leave her alone!” I scream, fighting him with all my might.
“What’s going on?”
“Mom!” I cry out, hope spreading in my chest at the sound of her footsteps.
“Turn around, Lenora. We’re handling it,” Scott tells her.
“What are you doing?” she asks, worry lacing her tone as Brad continues to carry me through the house.
“She’s having a mental breakdown,” my dad tells her, and the dam breaks as tears start flowing down my cheeks. “We’re just getting her into her room until she calms down.”
“You’re locking her in her room?” Mom asks in horror. “You have to realize how ridiculous this is. This is too far, William.”
“She punched Bradley in the face. She’s mentally unstable.”
“He hit me!” I scream, a last-ditch attempt at getting any of them to listen to me. “Mom, Brad hit me! Please, don’t let them do this!”
Something flashes across my mom’s face as she turns towards my father. Hurt, maybe? Betrayal?
“It’s for your own good, sweetheart. We’ll let you out as soon as you’ve calmed down enough to see things reasonably,” Dad tells me, his soothing tone making my blood boil as I kick harder.
“What’s going on?” I hear Grace’s alarmed voice as she runs up to my mom, the latter watching the interaction as if in shock.
“You got her cell phone?” Brad asks.
“She dropped it in the foyer,” Scott replies, and my heart sinks.
“William, this is too much. You can’t just—”
“Enough, Lenora!”
My mom goes silent as I’m dropped down onto the carpet of the guest bedroom, clamoring to my feet and rushing to thedoor just in time for it to slam in my face, the sound of the lock resonating through the dim space.
Chapter 25
WESTON
“Dammit,” I mutter, lifting the hood of my truck.
