Roses

Chapter 17

Zoey

"Your father misses you, sweetheart." The words ring in my ears as I stare at the man saying them.

I had just come out of the ladies room and was going back to the party when this man stepped in front of me like he had been waiting for the opportunity to get me alone. He looks like some of the other security guys I saw lurking in the party. At first glance they look like any other guest. But the way they keep observing everyone, not to mention the earpiece, lets you know they are here for security. I was wondering what he could have to tell me but never in a thousand guesses could I have gotten it right.

"How," I clear my throat and then continue on a whisper, "do you know my father?"

"Don't worry about it." He winks at me which instantly makes me recoil. I try to take a step back but he grabs my elbow, stopping me. "He is so mad you don't want to keep any contact with him."

The day my father killed my mother is probably the one day from my childhood in Roses I will never forget, even though I'd been only five years old at the time. It was also the last day I saw him in person.

Once whatever brain I'd had back then understood the reality my father had created for me, I had expressed no desire to any of my guardians to see him.

"What does he-"

My question gets cut abruptly as Adam appears out of nowhere and pushes the man away from me, forcing him to let go of my arm.

"Who the fuck do you think you are to put your hands on my girl?" Adam barks out as he wraps an arm around me.

"Sorry," the man smiles and puts his hands up in surrender. "I thought she was.... someone else." Then he walks away as the two of us stare at his retreating form.

"Are you alright?" He asks me, turning to look me over like I may be injured by the man's touch.

"I'm fine," I reply, my eyes still fixed on the corner the man disappeared around.

"Stop. It." His tense tone makes me look at him.

"Stop what?"

"Looking at other people when you talk to me." He sounds as if I've committed a grave crime but he's willing to be merciful for my sake. I have to try very hard not to roll my eyes.

Instead, I nod, staring right into the abyss that lingers behind his eyes, letting him know I won't look away.

"Who was he?" He asks, his voice soft now. "What did he want?" Something glows in his eyes. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was protectiveness.

Telling him the truth would mean acknowledging that my father is not someone I've buried deep in my past. Adam does not seem like the type of guy who would let this incident go. He would try to find more about the man and my father. And with one killer already on my mind, I don't want another to join him. At least this one's behind bars.

"Like he said, he thought I was someone else," I say, doing my best to sound convincing. He doesn't say anything so I don't know if he believes me or not. But if he didn't, he would say something, right?

Still not saying anything, he leads me back to the party. We stop at the bar and he orders us drinks. The bartender quickly serves us and I take a sip of mine. From the corner of my eye, I can feel Adam watching me. But if he's not going to say anything, then I won't either.

We drink in silence. If someone watched us from afar, they wouldn't be able to tell we came here together. And I don't like it one bit. I don't understand it either. Is he silent because he's mad at me? For lying to him about the man? Or is it something else?