YOURS

Chapter 15

Cole didn't say much of anything after what I had said to him. I had a feeling that his ego was bruised.

We were in his car on the way to my house so I could change into school clothes and grab my backpack.

The ride was painfully quiet. We were in such a different place from last night it's almost like it never happened.

"I'll wait." Cole spoke his first words to me since we left his apartment.

I nodded and got out of the car to walk into the house.

Mark and Helen's cars were still here. They leave about the same time I do when I leave for school.

They had no idea I left in the middle of the night. What would they think when I walked through the front door?

My hand reached for the nob but it turned before I could grasp it.

"Madison?" Helen starred wide eyed at me.

"Hi." I awkwardly stood there looking at her and then at the ground trying to pretend like she isn't looking at me with laser eyes.

"What are you doing here? We thought you left for school already." Helen started as Mark came up behind her.

They were clearly leaving. Only if I had showed up a minute later I wouldn't of had to have this conversation.

"I stayed at a friends last night. I forgot to pack clothes so..." I looked up at Mark hoping he would understand and not yell at me.

"What?!" Helen shouted.

So much for the understanding I thought we had with each other.

"You're not aloud to leave without our permission let alone stay the night somewhere else! What if something had happened?!"

"Honey..." Mark put his hand on her shoulder trying to calm her down.

She looked at him with the intention to kill.

Mark looked at me to walk past them so I could retrieve my things. I did so.

"Hey." Mark whispered as I passed him. Helen was already gone.

I turned back to meet Mark's gaze.

"At least tell me what's going on so I can protect you. Helen almost called the FBI last time you acted up. She's not willing to lose everything just to protect you."

"And you are?" I popped one leg and tilted my head in confusion.

I don't know much about Mark and Helen as people. Just the basic stuff that I was told so they weren't strangers that I was living with until this was all over. But that's exactly what they are.

"I had a daughter. I couldn't protect her." Mark never broke eye contact but I could tell he was wanting to drop his head.

"What happened?"

"She died because I kept her too close. She ran away. Felt suffocated. It killed her. I took this job to her protect girls like you. In her honor."

"Oh."

"Just let me know when you're not going to be here so I can cover for you. I don't want you to think I'm not on your side. I am. What Helen doesn't know won't hurt her. And you need to start showing up to the commitments you made. We don't want the FBI coming to check up for that reason and find other things wrong."

Marked nodded to me before he left.

Was he really willing to break the rules to make sure I didn't run away? Or that I don't get placed in another home? Did he feel that guilty about his daughter?