by K. Walker
Aunt Celine: I don’t know for sure what happened, but if what I hear is correct, we’ll deal with it. You need to come back right now!
I had never heard her raise her voice, but that text sounded exactly like that – like she was angry and disappointed in me.
Quinn: I can’t!
Aunt Celine: You’re going to want to. There’s someone here who would like to see you, but you’ll have to come. Now!
I stared at the message and my heart raced. Who could be at the house to see me? No one knew me there?
Quinn: Who?
Aunt Celine: Kyla is on her way to get you now. You don’t have a choice; you’re coming back. End of story!
My entire body was shaking at her last text. I had no idea who could possibly be at the house for me, but Aunt Celine sounded pissed. I didn’t have a choice. I would just face the music and let them all know I was done trying to play house with them.
Quinn: Okay.
It could be a trick, but I owed her even the courtesy of a goodbye. So, I rolled my carryon through the door fifteen minutes later and saw Kyla waiting for me. My head was swimming for the entire ride to the Pierce’s, and my heart thundered when we pulled up at the gate.
“I’m good from here,” I told her, got out, and punched in the gate code. I took a deep breath and walked through the gate when it opened. I could have driven to the front of the house, but I needed the walk. I needed to clear my head. I wasn’t sure it was enough to do in a hundred meters, but I would take what I could get.
“There you are,” Aunt Celine said in a choked voice as she breezed outside, her chiffon throw billowing after her like a cape. She grabbed me and hugged me so tightly I thought I would burst. “Don’t you ever do that again!” she scolded in a frightened voice as she held me out to get a better look at my face.
“I’m sorry,” I said as the tears rolled down my cheeks. I couldn’t control my emotions.
She pulled back again and I saw the worry in her eyes. “Liv told me what Tyson did. He had no right, and Robert’s dealing with him.”
Like how? Taking away his car keys? Ooh!
That wasn’t enough to drive some decency into him. He was a dick and I didn’t want to have anything to do with him ever again. Even if I was forced to live in the same house.
“Come on,” she said and coaxed me inside. “He’s waiting for you.”
“He who, Aunt Celine?” I’d searched my brain for the entire ride, and I couldn’t think of a single person who would be at the Pierce’s waiting for me.
She ushered me into Robert’s sanctuary, and that was how I really knew it was serious. I gulped when I entered slowly and saw Robert standing by his desk, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.
Another step revealed the heavyset man with broad shoulders, a clean-cut, and a goatee. He looked exactly like I had pictured a villain or a bouncer. But I didn’t know him.
“What’s going on?” I asked as fear suddenly gripped my chest.
“Why don’t you sit down,” Robert said calmly.
He and I barely had any level of conversation since I had arrived at the house. But that was a whole lot better than having too many dick ones. He was still a whole lot better than his son.
And why the fuck was I still thinking about him?
I walked gingerly over to the large, brown leather chair facing the desk. The man had his arms folded across his chest, and he and Robert shared a knowing glance.
“What’s this about?” I asked and narrowed my eyes before my ass could hit the soft leather.
I might have thought it was someone standing by to send me to a group home until I turned eighteen, if not for the fact that Aunt Celine wanted me there—the only person alive who actually cared a little about me.
The man took a deep breath and sighed. Then he walked over to the desk and tapped on a folder that I hadn’t noticed before. Shit, an elephant could have been in the room and I wouldn’t have seen that either. I was so focused on Robert and the man.
“Take a look at that?” he said in a voice gentler than I thought it would sound. It scared me even more.
“Who are you?” I finally asked him. The rush of blood was so loud in my ears; I could barely concentrate.
“Detective Bishop,” he replied.
And my mind raced. “Detective?” I asked and looked across at Aunt Celine, who was now standing beside me. “To see me?”
He nodded and chin-nodded at the file again. My hands shook as I reached for it and slowly opened it. I clamped my hands to my mouth when I saw the face staring back at me.
I instantly got a flashback of the night Mom died, and my heart felt constricted. I clutched my chest as my breathing failed me, and my chest immediately pained. I could feel the tears roll onto my cheeks again when I looked up through blurry eyes and said. “It’s him.”
“So, you do recognize him?” Detective Bishop asked and stepped closer.
“Yes,” I said shakily. It was the man who cut me across my shoulder – I’d seen his face when I had ripped his mask off. “He was there when Mom – when Mom…” I started crying again.
The rain of emotions over the last couple of days overwhelmed me, and I couldn’t make it stop. Robert never said a word as Aunt Celine hugged and shushed me.
Detective Bishop knelt beside the chair like I was a small child. “I’m sorry, but I have to do this, and I know how painful it is to see the face of the man who did this to you and your mother.”
“But he wasn’t the one who stabbed her! There was another man! There was two of them.”
“I know, but this is a big lead. We already have him in custody,” he said and tapped the picture. He only runs with a certain crew. We’ll get them all!” he promised me, and I nodded.
“Your mother’s killer won’t get away!” he reassured me before he stood and picked up the file.
By then, it was too much for me. I got up. “I’m sorry, but I have to…I have to…” I couldn’t even get the words out. Robert nodded in understanding, and so did the Detective as I walked backward and wheeled around when I got to the door.
I bumped into Tyson, who was standing right outside the door. He had obviously heard the entire conversation because his eyes were wide with horror.
“Quinn…” he began to say gently.
I sidestepped him. “Get the fuck away from me!” I said and ran past him, my head feeling like it was about to explode as I raced upstairs.
To be continued…
Redemption – Book Two in Bridal Creek High School Series is coming February 18th!
Pre-order on Amazon
Also By Kylie Walker
Thank you for purchasing my book. If you enjoyed it, please remember to write a review for it on Amazon.
Madison Falls High
Scarred
Deceived
House of Paine
The Long Way Back To Us
Blindsided
Indebted
Asa
Kyle
Subscribe & Stalk Kylie!
To receive exclusive updates from Kylie Walker and to be the first to get updates, please sign up to be on her personal mailing list!
You'll get instant access to cover releases, chapter previews and the only readers to be eligible to win great prizes!
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kyliewalkerauthor