I spin around so fast that my brain gets dizzy. Ripping the door open, I leave Madison standing there and I go inside. “What the fuck did you guys do?” I shout so loudly the words reverberate through my own ears. “Tell me, dammit!” Everyone shares a glance, but no one talks. “You tell me where WIlla is right fucking now or I’ll go straight to the cops and confess everything.”
“She’s ok, Lars. I made sure of it. Willa is back at my dad’s house,” Marni says, as she walks toward me.
In an attempt to pacify me, she places a hand on my arm, but I swing it off. “Don’t touch me. I want answers.”
Talon joins her side, like the pussy-whipped bitch that he is. “Marni and I were watching the entire time. We wouldn’t have let anything happen to her.”
My hands fly all over the place as if I have lost control of my body. “Watching what? Watching who?” I wail with anger and intense agitation.
“Zed. He just needed to talk to her. He did, and now she’s safe.”
The door behind me comes open and I don’t have to turn around to know who just walked in. “Leave Madison,” I say, while I stare straight ahead at the empty space over Talon’s shoulder.
“Don’t just leave, run,” Marni tells her. “You kidnapped a pregnant girl and Willa is prepared to go to the cops if you don’t get the hell out of Redwood and never come back.”
Turning around, I look Madison dead in the eye. “If you hurt her, I swear to God.”
“I didn’t. I swear. But, Zed said—”
Talon chimes in, “Zed lied.”
“Come on, Lars.” Madison takes hold of my hand. My eyes shimmy down her arm to where we’re connected and I snarl. “Get your fucking hand off me.”
“Lars. I love you. Don’t do this.”
Talon steps closer. “You better go, Madison. They don’t play games. You will be convicted of kidnapping. You’re pretty ass won’t survive prison.”
She tugs at my arm. “Don’t make me leave you. We belong together.”
Gripping her by the wrist, I lead her outside. “Go to your dad’s in Colorado. One day, we will see each other again.”
She falls into my arms and I hold my hands out behind her. “But. I’ll miss you.”
“Just go,” I tell her again, before I spin her around to face her car.
I don’t even wait for her to leave; I just walk back up the steps to the porch. I hope Madison gets the help she needs before she royally fucks someone up. As for her leaving, I know this was Zed’s plan. He always has a plan. I’m pretty pissed that no one filled me in because I would have never let it happen. Which is exactly why no one filled me in.
Without saying a word to anyone, I snatch my keys off the couch and leave. I’ll be back for the party tomorrow night because I always stick to my end of the deal, but Zed better stick to his. Come Monday morning, all this shit better be laid to rest.
21
I’m sure it won’t be long until Lars tells everyone the truth about the baby. Hopefully when that time comes, I’m far away from here.
It hurts really bad. Worse than I could have ever imagined. I knew it wouldn’t be easy to lie to him, but I also never anticipated falling in love with him all over again. So much for sticking to the plan.
My tears have run dry. Even if I wanted to, I’m not sure I’m capable of crying anymore. This day—this month—has been so emotionally draining. Marni and Talon let me go after Zed left the room. I have no idea where he went, but they told me everything would be ok. Marni was actually sweet, unlike past encounters with her in school, or lack thereof. Marni never took notice of me, so she never had an opportunity to tease or ridicule me. She’s one of the popular girls, so I always assumed that if she had noticed me, she would have jumped on that train. I was proven wrong.
Throughout life, we encounter people and draw judgments of them based on who they associate with. One might look at me and automatically assume that I’m a sweet girl, but if they see me with Lars, they’d probably think he drained me of morals. I’m starting to learn that people aren’t always what they seem. Because Lars isn’t just this savage bully who likes to wreak havoc, he’s got depth and heart. He has a past and a future and he’s just trying to survive, like I am. Like we all are.
Curled up in a ball on the bed, I jolt upwards when I hear someone coming down the hall outside the door. “Marni?” I say loud enough, so that whoever it is can hear me.
The door opens and Lars walks inside. Once again, without knocking, but this time, I don’t even care. My heart melts into a puddle in my lap and those giddy butterflies mixed with that agonizing fear of the unknown return. “You’re here,” I say, trying not to be too obvious that I’m over the moon excited to see him.
“Are you ok?” He remains at the door and doesn’t even bother to come closer. His arms are crossed over his chest and eyes twinkle in the dim light of the room.
“I’m ok. I take it you heard?”
“I had no idea they were doing this. I’m sorry.”
“It’s ok. Everything is starting to make sense now. Well, most of it, anyways.”
His head tilts to the side and he cracks that sexy smile that turns me to mush. “I’m glad that it’s making sense to you because I have no clue what’s going on. Seems I’m out of the loop on this
