Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 178117 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 891(@200wpm)___ 712(@250wpm)___ 594(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 178117 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 891(@200wpm)___ 712(@250wpm)___ 594(@300wpm)
Wait, is this Rivera’s way to call a truce?
“I guess that’s settled then,” Rivera says, penning some things down.
“What about …” Dylan mutters.
“Your father?” Rivera looks up at him.
Dylan swallows.
“He had an unfortunate … accident.” Rivera adds a smug smile. “A deadly one. It happens.”
“So, we’re off the hook?” Alistair asks.
“Good one,” Lana jests.
“Caruso was a loose end,” his father replies. “That has been taken care of.”
“By us,” Dylan says.
Chief King raises a brow. “And as a thank-you, I won’t have you arrested.”
Alistair makes a face.
“So I guess we all have something to be grateful for,” he adds with a stern gaze before smiling like the crazy person he is.
Just as his entire family.
I guess we’re not that much different after all.
“Okay, are we all done now?” Lana asks. “Because I’d like to go back home.”
“Same,” Alistair chimes in.
Felix suddenly places a hand on my shoulder, pulling me away from my dad. “C’mon. Let’s go.”
I nod and let him tug me away, despite my dad’s unwillingness to let me go. “I’ll text you every day, okay?”
As we pass him, my father growls at Felix, “If anything, and I mean anything happens to her … I will personally put a bullet through your skull.”
A smirk forms on Felix’s lips. “The only thing that will be happening to her … is us.”
“Us?” He frowns as Dylan and Alistair pass by us swiftly to avoid more punishment.
Felix squeezes my shoulder tightly and whispers, “It’s our little secret.”
Dylan walks past us and stares out the window at the bottom of the stairs as he picks up his phone.
“What’s he doing?” I ask.
Alistair sighs as he walks past us. “Probably calling his mom.”
My heart suddenly feels too heavy for my body to carry.
“Hey … can we talk?” Dylan mutters as he paces back and forth. “It’s about Dad.”
“Oh God.” Alistair walks to him and snatches Dylan’s phone from his hand. “Not on the phone.”
Dylan looks enraged. “What?”
“Do it in person,” Ali says, looking at him intently.
It takes awhile for the anger to settle. “How? What am I supposed to say to her? Sorry, Mom, I killed Dad?”
Alistair shushes him. “Not so loud.”
Dylan gulps. “Give me back my phone.”
Alistair brings it to his ear. “Sorry, Mrs. Caruso. Dylan would like to speak with you in person today.” And he turns off the conversation before Dylan can say anything else.
Dylan shakes his head. “Don’t make me go over there.” Tears well up in his eyes. “Don’t make me face her like this.”
I almost want to run over to him, but Felix’s strong grip keeps me here. “Alistair can handle it.”
“But he needs me. He needs us,” I say, gazing up into Felix’s eyes.
“It’s already hard enough to tell his mom this. Don’t need us seeing the show,” Felix says, his fingers digging into my skin. “We don’t need to see his heart bleed.”
I hate to admit it, but Felix is right. My emotions will only get in the way. It’d be selfish to ask him to let me come along. As much as I’d like to help him right now, I know I wouldn’t be able to do anything else that Alistair isn’t already doing. Even though I know Dylan is suffering because he has to tell his mom the worst news she’ll ever hear. Not just that but he’s going to have to choose to tell the truth or lie about it … to protect himself from his mother’s wrath.
And me being there will not make it better for him. Alistair knows him much better than I do, and it’s already hard enough to do this. He doesn’t need us there too.
“Alistair,” I call out. “Don’t let him do it alone.”
Henods at me.
“I can’t do this,” Dylan mutters.
“Yes, you can,” Alistair says, squeezing Dylan’s shoulder. “I know you can.”
“And my little brother—”
“They have to know. In person. Face-to-face.” Alistair lowers his face. “She needs her son now, more than ever.”
Dylan quietly nods a few times.
“I’ll be there with you, every step of the way.” Alistair throws his arm over Dylan’s shoulders, and says, “C’mon, I’ll drive.”
PENELOPE
Hours later
Felix and I have been helping with the cleanup in the main school area, but the moment I spot their car, I drop everything I’m doing and run outside.
“How is he?” I ask as Alistair jumps out.
“Could be better,” he replies.
Dylan gets out and shuts the car door. I’ve never seen his eyes as red as they are now.
I immediately run to him and give him a big hug. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t feel sorry,” he replies, placing his hand on my back. He cringes. “Ahh.”
I lean back and realize I’ve been pressing on his wounds. “Sorry, I forgot.”
He cups my face and leans his forehead against mine. “I’m okay. Stop worrying about me.”
“How did they take the news?” I ask.
He rubs his lips together. “Not good.”