The Skeletøn Bøy

FOURTY-SIX

++ C H A P T E R | F O U R T Y - S I X ++

Elliott fidgeted in the passenger seat of Brent's car. He was holding her hand tightly, reassuringly. They still hadn't talked about them, or whatever their relationship was, but Elliott was content with the way things were. She was content with having him by her side, even if they were just friends.

For the first time, she was wearing something slightly more girly than usual. She had on an outfit Kenzie had selected at the boutique, and it made her feel normal, because while she showed off her leg and arm tattoos, she felt free.

The best part was, Brent didn't even mind them. When he picked her up this morning, he had looked at them before giving a low whistle and then smiled at her.

"Now I get why your mother called you her skeleton boy," Is what he had said, but Elliott knew Brent didn't understand the full story. She still wasn't strong enough to tell him everything. Or really, anything. All he knew was that she had been abused.

Her tanktop was a little more revealing and uncomfortable, but Elliott had sucked it up. Kenzie said she would look cute in it.

Cute was something Elliott had never felt before.

When Brent brought the car to a smooth stop, Elliott felt sick to her stomach. She was nervous, but she knew this was something that had to happen.

"Are you sure?" Brent asked, rubbing his thumb over her hand.

"No. But, I have to do this. I need answers." She got out of the car, looking at the county jail with disdain. She didn't want to see Keith, but she didn't have a choice. The idea of answers was too tempting.

Plus, she didn't come alone. She had asked Brent to accompany her, because while Adrian and Mat would have been more understandable, she wanted Brent to know. She wanted him to grasp an understanding of her life.

Together, the two walked inside, hand in hand. Elliott was shaking when the person at the front desk asked for her name and reason of visit, but she stayed strong. She had to.

When she and Brent were brought to the row of windows, she recognized Keith immediately. And she rushed to see him, sitting eagerly down across from him. And it took all her power to look him in the eyes.

"Elliott," Keith said first, surprised. "Why are you here?"

She looked over at Brent who smiled, and rubbed her back comfortingly.

"I need answers." Her voice shook. "I found out something interesting. The police officer that questioned me told me you were my dad." And Kenzie, but I'll leave her out of this for now.

Keith went completely silent. His chest tightened at her words, and for a moment, he thought about lying. Telling Elliott that Theodore was her father, not him, but he couldn't. Couldn't because his daughter was asking this of him, and he had dreamed for the day when she found out.

"I am. Let me tell you the story of your mother and I."

The entire time, Elliott just sat and listened, cringing at the parts where he openly admitted to abusing her, and then sighing pitifully when he confessed his love for her. It was a wild story that, if Elliott hadn't lived the life she had, she would never believe. Kids were kidnapped in stories. They were treated like animals is stories. Not in real life.

But, her story was also unbelievable.

And everything made so much sense.

"So, if you're really my dad, and Wes is really my brother, why did you do this to me? Why would you ruin everything?"