“What? Who?” I bolt up from the barstool, taking the stairs two at a time to get my shoes from up in my room.
“I don’t know, but they must have a key or something because they pulled into the garage and closed the door,” Valarie whispers down the line again.
“Val. Why are you whispering?”
“Ah- I don’t know. It just seems like I should because I’m a spy.”
I laugh, “Okay, Val. So, a car pulled into my garage and closed the door. Did you see who was driving the car?” That’s probably a stupid question.
“No.” She whispers again. “But the car was silver, if that helps?”
“Silver.” I repeat, “My dad’s car is silver.”
“That would make sense then because your dad would be able to get into the garage, right?” Val says, her voice a little louder this time.
“Yes, he would. Thanks for calling me Val. I’ll take it from here.”
“Okay, Bye.” Val hangs up before I can say bye too. She’s a weird kid, but I adore her.
Sliding my sneakers on, I grab a hoodie out of the drawer and take off for my house. I know deep down that this is a bad idea given what my dad did to me, but I’m sick of fearing him, and he needs to learn that I will not be pushed around anymore.
Like I said, probably a bad idea.
As I take the back streets, I consider calling the police first but decide against it. I need answers from him, and if the cops fail to do their job, then I’ll never get them. Cutting through a park and a laneway, I have the odd feeling that I’m being followed as I enter my street from the opposite end. Val’s house comes into view first, and I see her jet-black hair in the window as she spies on the street below. She’s never at school. I’ve never asked her why. Maybe she gets home-schooled?
Spotting me, her dark eyes widen, and a big toothy grin spreads over her face as she waves. Grinning back, I wave too and then stop by the fence that divides our houses. My house looks normal. No blinds or curtains are open, so I can’t see inside, but I can hear noise coming from inside the house.
Nerves stop me from moving forward. I’d be an idiot to go inside without letting someone know. I think about sending Ayden a message, but he will freak and ditch school. I don’t want him to do that. He needs to focus on passing year 11.
Taking my phone out, I hit Officer Zimora’s contact and wait as it rings out before going to voicemail. It’s not ideal, but I leave him a message and then suck in air as if it will give me extra courage before I walk up my front path.
Sweat pops out over the back of my neck, reminding me that I am shit scared as I walk. I don’t stop, though. Either my dad is inside, or Mike is. If they are together, then this probably won’t end well for me, but I still don’t stop. The heroine from Uppercut Princess wouldn’t back down. So, neither will I.
My hand trembles as I turn the handle and push the door open. I’m instantly met with mess strewn down the hall and noise coming from the back of the house. At first glance, you would think my house was being robbed, but I see my dad’s wallet and keys on the hall table and know that he’s here.
“Dad?” I call from the door, and the noise from the kitchen area stops. Heavy feet move across the tiled floor right before my dad steps into view at the end of the hall.
I don’t know what I expected. Maybe a look of remorse or even relief to see that I’m okay, but instead, my dad glares at me, looking annoyed that I interrupted him.
“Alexis. What are you doing here?” Hearing his voice in person is conflicting. Part of me has missed him, so it’s nice to hear. The other part of me, the smarter part, knows the words that are laced with distaste come from the monster who left me at the mercy of his sick and twisted son.
“I don’t have school today.” I lie.
He frowns, studying me for a moment from the other end of the hall.
“Right. Well, either help me or stay out of my way.” He spins on his heel and disappears into the kitchen.
Drawers open and close, cupboard doors slam shut, and the sound of a stack of papers being tossed draws my attention. Slowly I step further into the house, leaving the front door open behind me, and carefully step over discarded papers scattered down the hallway.
Entering the back part of the house, I watch my dad frantically search through every cupboard, every drawer, every shelf, looking for something.
He sees me looking and frowns. “Where is it?”
“Where’s what?” I ask, confused as hell. I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket but ignore the incoming call.
“The file Alexis!” He’s angry. Barely holding it together if the fact that his face is nearly purple is any indication.
The file? Mum spoke about a file over the phone a couple of weeks ago. She wasn’t making sense. She’d been concerned that Mike had already found it and said something about the money still being in the accounts, so he probably didn’t have the file. It was confusing as hell, and she made no sense. But now, my dad is here, tossing the house looking for a file. What fucking file?
“What file dad?” I ask, which just fuels his anger. Heavy steps pound toward me, and I watch my dad’s fury contort his face and take over his entire body.
“Tell me where it is, Alexis!” His deep voice booms, bouncing off the walls as he stands before me with his fist raised.
With our close proximity, I can see that his blue eyes are darker than usual, and his blonde hair is a frazzled mess. This is a very different Maxwell West to the one I thought I knew. I glare at his raised fist and curl my lip, stepping towards him instead of away.
“I don’t know what file you are talking about. What makes you think I know where it is?” My voice is calm, low, but filled with anger. There’s a big chance my dad is going to strike me, just like his son did only weeks ago. But I will not cower anymore. I jut my chin up and focus on controlling my breathing. I don’t want him to see even the slightest bit of fear in me.
My pocket vibrates with another incoming call. It could be Officer Zimora returning my call. I probably need to answer it, but now isn’t the right moment. Not when my dad is so close. I can’t risk him getting my phone again. If he does, I’ll lose my ability to call for help.
“Of course, you know where it is.” My dad spits, “Your mother would have made sure of that. Now, stop playing games and tell me where it is!” As the last words leave my dad’s mouth, he grabs my upper arm, much the same way he did the night I sprung him with his mistress in the restaurant. His hold is tight and biting, which causes me to cry out in pain.
“I suggest you take your hands off her!”
The deep voice comes from behind me, surprising my dad so much that he instantly drops his hold on me and steps back. His blue eyes widen, focused over my shoulder.
I’m just as shocked to hear that voice, but I don’t let it show, and I don’t turn around. Right now, it’s better if my dad thinks the thugged up gang member behind me is on my side. Better the devil you know and all that.
“Who are you?” My dad growls, glancing at me before returning his confused gaze to Muz.
“I’m your worst fucking nightmare if you lay hands on Lexi like that again.” His voice is calm but every bit as menacing as his words.
“Uh- yeah, okay. Fine, I’ll keep my hands to myself. No need for the gun.”
My brows shoot up at my dad’s words, and I dart my head around to see that Muz has his gun trained on my dad.
“Really? A gun?” I ask, and he smiles at me like he’s proud. Idiot!
“It gets results.”
He’s not wrong. I shake my head and turn back to my dad.
“Look, dad. I don’t know what file you are talking about. Mum has said nothing to me. Why don’t you tell me more about the file so I can help you find it?” Of course, if I knew where it was or came across it, I wouldn’t let him get his hands on it. It must be pretty serious if he’s so desperate to get it back.
“God damn it!” Dad hisses and almost rips his ha
ir from his scalp, clutching it tightly at both sides above his reddened ears.
“How about you answer your daughter, daddy dearest?” Muz growls, and I roll my eyes. Why is he even here? I thought we’d managed to get rid of him yesterday, but I guess I was wrong. Apparently, he was serious when he said he will be my shadow until Ayden speaks to his dad to try and get Ringo back on his side.
“Lexi, is everything okay?”
The innocent tone of Valarie’s voice meets us all, and I spin quickly, putting my hand on top of Muz’s, pushing down to lower it and the gun, as I look over his shoulder. Val is standing just outside the open front door, looking in on a scene that will make no sense to her. I’d like to keep it that way.
“It’s all good Val. My friend and I are just chatting with my dad. I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Friend, hey?” Muz whispers, a slight grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. He hasn’t taken his eyes off my dad, all while my hand remains over his, keeping the gun pointed down toward the floor out of Val’s view.
“That guy is your friend?” Val asks, scepticism filling her tone.
“A friend of sorts. It’s okay Val. Head back home.” The last thing I need is her getting hurt. I’d never be able to live with myself if something happened to her because of me.
“The little bitch better hurry up and go. I’m getting hard with you standing so close to me.” Muz growls through his teeth, and I glare at him.
“Call her a bitch again and see what happens, arsehole.” I quietly hiss so only he can hear.
“You’ve gone and done it now. I’m hard as a fucking rock. Wanna feel?”
I ignore Muz and return my gaze back to Val. She looks worried, her big dark eyes staying locked on me, searching for a sign that I’m lying. I mean, I am, in a way. Nothing about this situation is okay, but I can handle it. She doesn’t need to be here for this.
I nod at her, “Really, Val. It’s okay. I’ll talk to you later.”
She eyes me warily for another moment and then walks away, her small steps fading up the path.
“Did I say you could get that out?” Muz hisses, pushing me aside and raising the gun again. I spin to see my dad holding his phone in his palm, his fingers hovering over the screen.
“I need to make a call about the file.” My dad offers, and Muz gives him a nod of approval.
“On speaker!” Muz adds, and my dad dials a number.
“Hello?” My mum’s voice fills the room.
“What the fuck!” I frown. How did my dad just call my mum? He’s not meant to know where she is, let alone have a direct line to her. I haven’t even been able to talk to her.
“Ruth. No more fucking games. Tell me where the file is!” My dad booms at my mum, and in response, she laughs.
It’s a foreign sound to hear my mum laugh. It’s not just any laugh either. It’s the kind of laugh that says torturing you is too much fun.
“Who’s Ruth?” Muz whispers behind me.
“My mum,” I answer before stepping closer to my dad. I can feel Muz follow close behind.
“Max. Honey. The answer is the same as every other time you have asked. I don’t know where it is.” My mum sounds good. Almost too good. Is it even her on the other end?
“Bullshit Ruth. Just tell me where it is, or I’ll rip this fucking house apart.” Spittle flies from my dad's mouth as he speaks, his face almost purple with anger.
“Go for it, honey. Tear that house to pieces all you want. You’ll never find it.”
“See, you do fucking know where it is! Tell me, or I’ll be visiting your bed tonight to fucking squeeze the life out of you.”
“The fuck you will!” I scream and storm towards my dad. His eyes widen, and he darts around the kitchen island before Muz snatches my hand and pulls me back.
“Let’s see how this plays out, pretty girl,” Muz whispers in my ear as my mum laughs through the speaker.
“A lot of good that will do, Max. Killing me will ensure you will never get your hands on the file! I’m afraid you will need me alive if you ever want to see it again.”
What the fuck is in this file?
“Fine, Ruth. How about I finish what Mike started with Alexis? I’ll be sure to call you so you can hear her take her last breath.”
Muz releases me and storms around the island bench, taking my dad off guard and shoving the barrel of the gun against his temple. He whimpers.
It should scare me, right? That’s my dad that Muz is holding a gun to. It takes me a moment to realise that my breathing has sped up, and my pulse is out of control. I’m not scared. I’m fucking furious. The words, pull the trigger, is on the tip of my tongue, but I hold them in because what the actual fuck, Lexi! Wanting people’s heads blown off isn’t me. Is it?
“Always such a drama queen Max. Unfortunately for you, if you kill Lexi, you have the same problem. You need her to access the file.” Ruth laughs down the line, none the wiser that her husband has a gun pressed against his head and that her daughter is letting it happen.
“When did you become such a bitch?” My dad hisses, tears springing to his eyes when Muz pushes harder against the gun, digging the barrel into his skin.
“Maybe when you started sticking your dick in all of your assistants.” Venom drips from my mum's words. I’ve never heard her so strong.
“Better than your shrivelled up hole!” My dad gets those vile words out before Muz kicks his legs from under him, sending him to his knees. With a grunt, he rights himself, glaring up at Muz from the floor.
“You’ll never find it, Max. It isn’t even in the house, you moron.” My mum's laugh cuts off when she ends the call, leaving my dad yelling in frustration at the top of his lungs.
He tosses his phone across the kitchen, and it smashes against the cupboard before falling into pieces to the floor.
Ragged breathing fills the room, coming from both my dad and me. His, in frustration from the conversation he just had with my mum. Mine, from the anger and fury that has been hovering near the surface since I left Melbourne. It wants to leap free and unleash on my dad.
Sirens sound in the distance gaining all of our attention. If they are on their way here, it means that either Officer Zimora heard my message or Val called the cops.
“I need to go.” My dad leaps up from the floor before stilling when Muz shoves the gun in his face.
“What do you wanna do, pretty girl?” Muz asks, keeping his eyes locked on my dad.
If I make Muz hold him here, then he’s going to get caught by the cops too. We live in Australia. Handguns are illegal unless you have a special licence to own one. He’s a criminal, I know that, but he also protected me here today, despite acting like a dick.
“Let him go. The cops will catch up with him soon enough.” I say, defeated and annoyed that he’s going to get away again.
Muz nods, and the moment he lowers his gun, my dad runs out of the room. Moments later, I hear the garage door opening and his car start.
“You should go too,” I tell Muz, looking around at the mess strewn about by my dad.
“You sure you don’t want to turn me over to the cops?” He asks, and I turn to him.
“I mean, I can if you want?” I shrug, and he chuckles.
“Hard pass. See ya, pretty girl.” Muz slips the gun back into the front of his jeans and walks towards the backdoor.
“Muz!” He stops when he hears my voice, turning back to me. “Thank you.”
A big smile spreads across his face, reminding me he’s not such a scary guy, especially when he’s not holding a gun.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
I spend a couple of hours answering questions after the police arrive at my house. Val had called them, and Officer Zimora turned up a few minutes after the patrol car in plain clothes because it was his day off. Once again, they take the evidence they need, including my dad’s smashed phone, and then Officer Zimora drills me for information about the file my dad had been looking for. I couldn’t t
ell them much since I don’t know what this file is, but like them, I sure want to know since it’s sending my dad over the edge, and my mum is using it against him for his infidelities.
While I wait for the officers to finish up inside my house, I notice Val is missing from her usual perch at her window. Maybe she got in trouble for spying again. Who knows? I hope she is okay, though. I don’t know what I’d do without that little raven-haired girl in my life.
After updating Andrea with what happened over the phone, Officer Zimora offers to drive me home, but instead of dropping me back at Marcus’s, I get him to drop me at Abbey’s. It’s probably a bad idea, but I have too many uncertainties in my life, and I need to start clearing them up. Abbey is one of those uncertainties. I don’t understand why she has turned on me, but I’m determined to find out.
I sit on the sidewalk, enjoying the warmth the spring sun brings, scrolling through SnapChat, out the front of her house. I wait for about thirty minutes before she makes an appearance, and she doesn’t see me there as she walks up the street with her head buried in her phone. I stand and wipe the grass off the back of my black leggings, watching her approach.
“Abbey.”
My voice causes her to stop in her tracks, her eyes darting up from her phone to see me standing mere feet in front of her. She looks different. Tired. Dark shadows sit under her eyes, and weight loss has sunken her cheeks. Her sun-kissed skin isn’t glowing as much as usual, and even her blonde braid seems dull.
Worry flits across her face briefly before it’s covered up with impatience.
“What are you doing here?” She snaps like I’m the one who did her wrong.
“Why do you think I’m here, Abbey? I want to know why you have turned on me?”
Sighing, her shoulders drop, and she looks down to her feet. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” I say simply.
“I can’t.” Abbey shakes her head, glancing back up at me momentarily, her brown eyes not seeming as bright as usual.
“What did I do, Abbey? I’ve wracked my brain trying to think of what I did to you that would cause you to end our friendship.”
Deep (Heavy Hearts Book 2) Page 28