First

Chapter 25

I don't know how much time passed before I was woken up by a panicked Jace. "Kadence, you need to get up!" Jace whispered.

Opening my eyes, the only thing I saw was the fear swirling in Jace's eyes and clearly written all over his face. "Jace? What's wrong?" I asked, rubbing he sleep out of my eyes.

Jace moved from where he was hovering over me and pulled me into a sitting position. "You can't be here," he replied harshly. I watched in utter confusion as Jace slid my books and bag under the bed. He looked around wildly before his eyes finally landed on me.

"Jason, you're scaring me," I admitted as I approached him. "What's going on?"

He paused and from the look on his face... I got chills that penetrated straight to my core. Suddenly there were heavy footfalls on the stairs; whoever it was it sounded like they were wearing heavy work boots and were pounding up the stairs.

"Jason!"

Jace looked at me and the panic was clear in his eyes. "Shit." He glanced around the room frantically, looking for I don't know what. "You have to hide," he whispered.

"W—" I started to ask why but Jace placed his hand over my mouth and gave me a pleading look. "Don't talk," he mouthed. Jace glanced behind him at the door just as the foot falls reached .

"Jason! Open the door now!"

Jace's eyes widened in fear like I had never seen before. "Um... Just give me a second." He led me towards his closet and none too kindly stuffed me inside with a look of sorrow. "Please, just stay in here and be quite," he begged. "And no matter what you hear or see, don't come out until I come and get you, okay?"

I nodded, scared into doing whatever he wanted me to. I wasn't scared of him; I was scared of whatever was on the other side of that door. I had no idea what was going on but I knew that nothing about this situation was good. Jace gave me an apologetic look before he closed the door. And just in time too. The door to his room slammed open against the wall and I was pretty sure it had punched a hole in the wall. I backed away as far as I could from the door, my back pressed against the wall. I slid down and curled myself into a ball. Through the slats in the door I could see what was happening and I was frozen in fear.

"You piece of shit," the man yelled as he stormed into the room. Belatedly I realized that the man was his father and that knowledge made my stomach knot. "You had a list of things to do and nothing is done. What have you been doing for the last hour?"

Jace shrank back; I had never seen Jace as terrified as he was now. "Homework," he said, his voice wobbling as he gestured to the pile of books still laid out on his bedside table.

His father stepped into Jace's face and Jace backed up even more. "Don't be a smartass." I watched in horror as Jace's father backhanded him. My hands flew up to my mouth in shock. I bit down into my palm to keep from screaming. I was terrified for Jace and there was nothing I could do but sit here and watch.

"And I've told you not to park in the driveway with that piece of crap. How many times do I have to teach you a lesson?" his dad cried, giving Jace a shove, causing him to stumble back.

"I'll go move it right now," Jace stammered. "I'm sorry."

His dad scoffed. "Don't bother. You better be moved and your chores better be done when I get back with the twins." His dad backed away. "You're pathetic."

I took a deep breath, thinking it was all over but I was wrong. In the blink of an eye, Jace's dad lunged at him, his fist slamming into Jace's face with a sickening thud. I covered my mouth to stifle the cry that rose in my throat and was threatening to escape. Against every instinct I had, I stayed hidden in the closet. My gut told me that my going out there would only make things worse for Jace.