Toxic

Chapter Thirty-Four

You can tell a lot just by reading the expression in a person’s eyes — and Gabe’s… it was the same expression a trapped animal gets before it’s shot in the head. His dad was the hunter — and Gabe was the deer. His time was up. And I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to feel sorry for him or horrified at the revelation. He was a stranger to me. A complete and total stranger. —Saylor

Gabe

“Let her go.” My nostrils flared as I stalked toward my dad, a man that, if I had it my way, was about to get thrown into Puget Sound and held under the dark murky water until he stopped fighting back. “Now.”

“What?” Dad’s face was indifferent. It always was. It was part of the reason I hated him. Because I got my talent to act — directly from him. One minute he was the happiest man in the world, the next, you’d think he was working for the mafia or high on drugs. “No hug?”

“Hell, no.” I spat. “Let her go.”

With a cruel smile, he pushed Lisa away into Kiersten’s waiting arms. Wes strode over and stood in front of the girls. At least I knew if there was a fight we’d win. My dad didn’t stand a chance.

Then again, he’d just sue the shit out of us if he survived and I wasn’t about to let my best friend go to prison for murder, so yeah. We were screwed.

“New tattoo?” Dad motioned to my neck.

Damn, but I felt every muscle strain in my body. Begging for a fight.

“Your mom misses you.”

I laughed and crossed my arms. “I’m sure she’s fine. After all, she has all the money she needs to be happy, right?”

His cold blue eyes narrowed in on me. He looked dirty, like he hadn’t slept in days. He smelled like he hadn’t seen a shower in weeks.

“Been camping in your car?” I mocked him. “Or did you have to sell that in order to pay your debts?”

“You think—” He smiled and shoved his hands in his pockets. “—that you’re in any position to toss insults around, son?”

“Don’t call me son,” I all but yelled.

“Oh but, why deny it? Especially since we’re going to be spending so much time together. I have everything worked out — long lost son finally comes home to family after four years of solitude!” His eyes pooled with tears.

Son of a bitch!

“Oh, yes, Miss Walters, it was such a happy reunion, having our little Ashton back.”

I reared back and punched him in the face.

He fell to the ground, cursing.

Wes came up behind me and grabbed my arms. I pulled against him trying to lunge for my dad.

Dad looked up at me through watery eyes, as blood dripped from his nose. “You’re stronger than you used to be.”

“I’ll kill you.”

“Do it.” He smirked. “I’ll still be smiling from the pit of hell.”

I lunged again, but Wes held me firm.

“After all…” Dad stood. “All I’ve ever wanted is the truth Isn’t that what they say? It sets you free?” He sniffed. “Isn’t that what you want, to be free? Finally free?”

“You’re insane,” I ground out, injecting as much hatred as I could into those two words.

“Tomorrow.” Dad handed me a piece of paper with his phone number on it. “We’ll talk about your return.”

“I’d rather die.”

Dad made his way toward the door then paused and turned. “Oh, I know that. You would never do it for me, son. But for Mel?” His eyes fell on Lisa. “Or how about Kimmy?”

With everything in me, I fought the arms banded around me like a vise. “I’ll kill you for this!” I screamed.

“Tomorrow,” Dad repeated and left.

I thrashed against Wes — until Lisa walked up and stood in front of me. “Just you and me, okay? It will be okay. I promise.” Her eyes pooled with tears. “Screw him, let them find out about me, I don’t care, just—” Wes released me into her arms as she hugged me. “I’m so sorry.”

“Me too, Mel.” I sighed. “Me too.”

We hugged for a few brief minutes before Wes cleared his throat behind us.

“Gabe?” Saylor spoke so softly I wanted to cry. “What’s going on?”

Without looking at her I answered, “My names not Gabe. It’s Ashton Parker Hyde.”

And I finally understood the expression of hearing a pin drop in a room. I might have just said I was Spiderman.