“Kick ass!” he says excitedly. Miles' house can be his spring break, I suppose.
“What the hell?”
I sit up, trying to see as far down the street as I can.
“Are those cop cars in front of Drip?”
I nod my head the closer we get. “Oh God.” I put my hand over my mouth as Ryan rolls to a stop. The place is in ruins. “Stay in the car.” I open the door, getting out.
“What? Seriously, E!”
“Yes.” I shut the door before walking toward my shop.
“Ma’am, you can’t come past here.”
“I work here. My apartment is upstairs.” I point at the windows.
“She’s clear,” a cop shouts from inside of the shop. I see it’s Andrew. He was here last night when the cops came and is also a regular customer. Glass crunches under my feet as I walk closer.
All the windows are busted out along with the display cases. When I enter I see graffiti on the walls and floor. The remnants of what were once chairs and tables are strewn all over. Everything is destroyed. The urge to cry is almost overwhelming. I think the only reason I don’t is because I’m in some sort of shock.
“I’m sorry, Eden. I’m glad you two went with Miles last night.” I nod in agreement, unable to find my voice. “The back is in worse condition. They took a sledgehammer to everything. They ransacked upstairs too.”
I put my hand over my face. I slide down against the wall until my ass hits the floor. “Can I have a moment?”
Andrews nods. I pull my knees to the chest dropping my head onto them, not wanting to look at this shitstorm anymore.
I don’t know how long I sit there before two arms grab me, lifting me to my feet. I know it’s Miles before I even see him. My head goes to his chest and he wraps me in a tight hold, telling me everything is going to be okay. It’s then I let the emotions I’ve been holding back come out.
He holds me close as I cry. Every time I have something good, I swear something else comes along and takes it from me. At this point I wonder if we should walk away from this place. I’m tired of trying to keep my head above water.
“I got you.” Miles runs his hand up and down my back. I drop my head back to look up at him.
“Thank you.” I go back to resting my head on Miles' chest as the police do their thing.
“Eden. You have a moment?” Andrew asks. I nod, shifting to face him. Miles keeps a possessive hold on me. I can feel the tension in his body.
“I’m worried, to be honest with you. This isn't some random smash and grab.”
“Someone is angry,” Miles says, his hold on me tightening even more.
Andrew nods. “I want you to be careful is all. I also need a list of anyone you think could be angry with you. Ex-boyfriends and such.”
“I can do that.” Off the top of my head, I’ve got nothing. Except everything inside of me is saying this is about my father and not me.
“Why don’t you two head out?” Andrew suggests.
“But this place. We can’t leave it like this.”
“I’ve got it handled, honey.” Miles puts his hand on my back, leading me out to the car. I’m in a daze. He opens the door for me, even putting my seat belt on for me before he’s taking off.
“Eden.”
“Yeah?” I turn my head to look at him.
“Everything is going to be okay. I promise you that.”
I believe he’ll do anything he can, but he has no idea about my father and the things he’s twisted up in.
Would he look at me differently if he did? I don’t think he would but who knows? It’s always been embarrassing to me.
I need to go see my father. I don’t want Miles getting mixed up in my father’s shit. If he even knew about Miles, he’d be all over me about getting money from him. He’s already done enough for me at this point. I know what I have to do.
Seeing my father is the last thing I want to do, especially after today, but I don’t have a choice.
Chapter Seventeen Miles
I’m furious. I don’t know when I’ve felt angrier in my entire life. The look on Eden’s face is pure devastation and hopelessness. I’d give anything not to see that expression of hers again. She does not deserve it. I keep my rage bottled inside. Right now, she needs comfort and care—not me Hulking out and pounding on the steering wheel.
“Ryan, you got school to get to?”
“No. It’s spring break.” His response is muffled by his hand. He must be seething inside, too. I know how he feels. When Violet was being stalked and the police wouldn’t do jack shit about it because there were no threats of physical violence, I’d been consumed with impotent fury. Ryan’s a seventeen-year-old with almost no resources and while he wants revenge, he isn’t sure how he’s going to enact it.
“Cancun still a popular place to go?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood.
“Yeah. Florida. Texas. All of those.”
But he’s sitting here with his ransacked home. I don’t think he’d leave even if I gave him a ticket—not while his sister was being threatened.
“You order a desk yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Better do it soon or Violet will put something in there for you.”
“Yeah.” The kid’s despondent.
Eden hasn’t said a peep. She might still be in shock. The tension sticks to my spine even after the gates open and we pull up next to the house. I help Eden out of the car and follow a trudging Ryan up the steps. Violet’s there to greet us.
“I have some hot chocolate ready. Come in and sit down.” She throws an arm around Ryan and leads him to the breakfast nook. He offers no resistance as she pushes him
