Page 32 of Red Queen (Red Thorns Crew 3)

I nodded. “I understand.”

My father kept rattling on in my ear as the cab stopped in front of me. I went to open the door, but his hand shoved it closed. I drew in a sobering breath as I tried to open the door again. But his hand was blocking my way into the backseat of the car.

“Dad. I’m asking you kindly to move,” I said.

He shook his head. “Not until we talk.”

I tried to open the door again, only for it to slam shut.

Mom took my hand. “Just talk to us. That’s all we’re asking.”

I nodded. “Yes. And talking to you got Max arrested when he tried to save my life. I won’t ever forgive you two for that.”

Dad snatched my arm. “Danika. You're behaving irrationally. Please. Just sit down and talk this through with us. How long has this been going on? Where did you meet this man? Why did you think--?”

I yanked my arm free. “I would have answered these questions if you’d asked them before you arrested the man who saved my life. Now get the hell out of my way. I have to leave.”

The nurse piped up again. “Do you need any help here?”

I looked down at my father’s hand and he slowly removed it from the cab door.

“No. I’ve got it. Thank you,” I said.

I peeked over my shoulder at my mother. “Don’t bother following me, either.”

My father growled again. “Danika Young, don’t you get in that cab.”

I ducked myself down into the seat. “Dad, if you actually wanted to help me, you would’ve tried to understand the situation rather than manage it. You have no idea what I’ve been through. Or what Max has been through to get me to this hospital in the first place. The two of you have done enough already. If you follow me, I’ll have you arrested for harassment and defamation of character. Understood?”

I slammed the cab door before they had a chance to respond. Then I commanded the driver to simply get me away from this place. I didn’t want to be anywhere near my parents right now. Especially my father. I dug my phone out of my purse. Thank fuck it hadn’t made it into the pool with me. As the cab driver pulled onto the main road, I felt his eyes on me in the rearview mirror.

“Got a destination in mind?”

I nodded mindlessly. “The nearest police precinct, please.”

I dialed Rupert’s number, but I got no answer. And of course, I didn’t have John’s phone number. I shoved my phone back into my purse and gazed out the window, my mind whirring a million miles a second.

“Actually, can you take me somewhere else first?” I asked.

The cab driver pulled over to the side of the road. “Where to, miss?”

I rattled off the address to Max’s place and he whipped a U-turn in the middle of the road. If I wanted to find the guys after something like this, then they were in one of two places. They were either at the bar or at Max’s. I had a pretty good feeling we were closer to the house than that bar. I wasn’t quite sure where I was, but things quickly started to look familiar.

Like the fast food place Max adored getting burgers from.

Or the milkshake place he’d taken me to once at three in the morning after drinks.

“Uh, miss?”

I drew in a deep breath. “Hmm?”

“You sure this is the address you want?”

I turned my head forward. “Yes. Why?”

The driver pointed. “Look.”

I craned my neck over the seat and my eyes widened. My pulse quickened and my palms began to sweat. Max’s driveway was filled with cop cars, most with their lights flashing.

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