I admitted that I didn’t remember what happened between them taking me inside, and Marcus snapping me out of it, and he smiled with relief. “Good,” he declared with a satisfied nod. “From what I saw, that is a necessary survival skill, and I’m glad you’ve got it. It surprised them when I showed up, and they stopped torturing you because once you saw me, even as out of it as you were, you struggled against them. Recognizing that you’d fight to protect me, I talked them into leaving. Well, threatened, but with the fact that you wouldn’t be a passive prisoner, and this was a pleasure visit, they decided it would be best to leave. You chased them out when they stepped towards me, and I can tell you they fear you, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you. No blows were exchanged, no names were given, and they left peacefully.”
Sighing with relief, I clutched his shirt tighter before releasing him to step back. Chuckling, Marcus pulled me back into a hug, and I snuggled closer. For a few minutes, I let myself be selfish and enjoy his embrace. He kissed the top of my head, and I sighed, feeling peace fill my soul rather than the chaos that took it over last night. Smiling, he pushed my shoulders towards the kitchen after letting me go, and I shyly smiled in return. I didn’t want to leave them, because I felt like I belonged, like we were a family unit. But, if I had to, so they’d stay safe, then I would.
Ava and I cooked together, singing along with the radio all the while. I blinked when there was applause after a song I loved ended, and I glanced at the doorway to find Riff. “Riff!” I cried, and he enveloped me in a hug within seconds. My soul was even more at peace, and I sighed with relief. My fingers clutched his shirt tight while I held on as if my life depended on it. Perhaps it did. All I knew was I felt safe with Riff and Marcus.
“Char is going over your apartment, debugging it, and checking for anything out of place. And moving in some of our stuff, we’ll get the rest later. Before you worry, our parents won’t mind, they’re proud. Nor do we mind, Angel. I’ll sleep better, knowing you’re safe, to be honest. Now, while that cooks, let’s do our homework so you’ll relax. Are you going to school tomorrow?” Riff asked with a slight smile. When I nodded, he rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Figures. I mean, what else do you do, right? Plus, you’re thinking about running so you want to enjoy a normal routine while you can, am I right? And, you understand it will hurt everyone in show choir if you leave without saying goodbye and all that.” I nodded again, fighting the beginnings of tears.
Smiling, Riff shook his head and steered me toward the table where his backpack awaited us. Riff chuckled when I smiled with relief upon discovering he hadn’t done his homework either, so we both had some to do. I worried it would bore him while I played catch up. Grinning, he told me about school today and how many times he sacked Kyler in gym. I laughed, although my heart panged upon hearing about him, I ignored it. Kyler and I would never be a thing, there were far more cons than pros even if it was something either of us wanted. He was everything I promised I would avoid to keep from making my mother’s mistakes, and if he hit me now, what would happen if his sports career ended? No, I wouldn’t risk it. Besides, this was all moot since he hated my guts, and I didn’t respect him. How could I? He was a bully who chased whatever tail he saw, so I doubted he even did relationships, let alone faithful ones.
Right as we finished our homework, Ava announced that it was time for dinner, and Char walked in, declaring that my apartment was clean, and cleaned up. I smiled gratefully, although I didn’t ask. The tightness of his smile at first was all the answer I needed. Bastard, although it wasn’t surprising in the least. This was the first time I might not run, so I would have been shocked if he hadn’t tried to monitor me somehow. I would have checked for bugs myself and found it, but that’s a moot point.
Marcus appeared when we were ready to eat, telling me with a sweet smile that he sent dinner to Matty and Tammy before they left. Which they would do in about an hour. My heart and soul ached upon hearing that, but I understood. I didn’t want Matty here, not with the threat of that jackass hanging over our heads. It killed me to lose time with him, but it was preferable to never seeing him again. Glancing at Marcus from under my lashes, I thanked him, and he chuckled while kissing the top of my head.
During dinner, Marcus and the boys exchanged the funniest stories they could think of until Ava and I rolled our eyes at some things they did. Sometimes I wondered how any male survived to adulthood. After we ate, Marcus took me to my apartment while Char drove Riff, but they entered my apartment first. I huffed at Marcus, and he chuckled while ruffling my hair. He let me in once Riff whistled, and
