Loose Ends - Book One

Levi ~ Prone to Snap

I'm back on my mission, the next afternoon, like nothing happened. Vicky's tires roar beneath us as we make our way to Lakewood High School.

"You're angsty," Vicky mumbles from the passenger seat.

"Just hoping this plan doesn't hit a dead end."

"You've been on edge since I came home last night."

I grip the steering wheel.

"You know you can talk about it."

"There's nothing left to say. I did what I had to do."

"I just don't think it's fair. Your father is taking over every aspect of your life."

"No, it's not fair, Vicky, but what the hell am I supposed to do?" I snap and she doesn't say another word. I try to exhale my frustrations out. "Sorry. But you know I can't have normal. I can't get my life back until I find my mother."

"Winston, your life has always been about your father. It used to be about pleasing him and staying on his good side. Now? Now, it's about dodging him. What life are you trying to get back?"

That hits me like a truck. "I don't know. I don't know, Vicky. Maybe I never had a life. But if I did, it's because my mother was in it. For fuck's sake, I just want to know she's alive and..."

I feel Vicky glance at me. "And what?"

"And to tell her I'm sorry," my voice breaks, exposing my heartbreak. "Sorry for not following her instructions. If I had remembered the garden—"

"Winston, little boy!"

I slam my foot on the brake before I even can see what Vicky's talking about. Once the car comes to a halt, I look up from the steering wheel and see a little boy grabbing a cane that seems to have rolled off the sidewalk. He must've dropped it. He doesn't even seem to notice us.

I look over at Vicky, who has herself braced against the dashboard. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she exhales.

We return our attention to the little boy. I realize he's blind when he starts using the cane to guide himself back onto the sidewalk. Seconds later, a tall dark-skinned man approaches this little boy and guides him into a store with his hand on his shoulder.

Then he glances back at our car, and I recognize him, immediately. Dean – which means the little boy must be Charlie.

"That's Ana's little brother," my eyes follow them into the store.

"Who's the man?" Vicky asks.

"Her mother's bitch-ass boyfriend."

"Ohh, that's the creep? He doesn't look like one."

"What's a creep supposed to look like?"

"Good point."

I sit back in my seat and shake my head. "He touched Ana, yesterday."

Vicky's eyes widen at me. "No."

"Yep. Squeezed her thigh."

She squirms in her seat. "And her mother is still with him?"

"My guess is that she doesn't know. But I know."

"What does that mean?" she raises an eyebrow at me.

I don't answer. I take one last glance at the store. I have no idea if Anabel is with them, and it's driving me crazy. I don't want Dean near her, and something tells me she doesn't want her mother to know. I've never been so tempted to take matters into my own hands. I've met people like Dean. He's already crossed a line. Thinking of what his next move could be makes me want to storm into that store and drag him out by his nose.