Page 47 of Fueled Hate

Dad apparently doesn’t either. He’s moved around the other side of the table and is pulling Levi out of the chair by his collar. “Just get the hell out of here.”

Levi stumbles, walking down the hallway as he says, “You’re the one who wanted me to join family supper time.”

Dad keeps his back to me, facing the hallway as I stand there waiting, praying for some explanation.

“What is he talking about?”

My dad finally turns to face me, and the disgust on his face makes me feel even lower. “Sadie, just don’t worry about it.”

“‘Don’t worry about it’? My tuition or the person paying for it, apparently?”

He doesn’t respond. Instead, he walks over to the table and begins clearing the food from the supper that we never really started.

“Dad. Please.”

“Yes, Sadie. He’s paid your tuition. There was no way I could afford it when they turned us down for financial aid.”

“I offered to pay it,” I whisper, recalling the conversation in great detail. “I asked what the out-of-pocket expense would be, even offered to take a year off or go to a community college if it was too much. You told me you and mom had planned for it, saved up and had enough to cover it without the loans. I even offered to pay you back. I said I could do it if it was too much on you. Why would you let Kyle pay for it?”

His eyes fall to the floor, avoiding mine. That’s it.

“That’s why you kept pushing me to get back together with him. Because you made a bargain with him for my education … for my future.” Kyle, of all people, is the last person I want to be indebted to. I made sure not to move in with him, wanting to pay my own way—had even told Kyle that much when he’d been footing the bill for my tuition all along. “I will repay him every cent, and I will not be getting back together with him, so keep that in mind for any other bargains you have with him.”

Dad looks to me, confusion on his face. He’s trying to figure out if I know the truth. If I know what he was doing last night when he was helping Kyle smuggle pills across the border, supplying the local youth, including Levi. “Sadie, I—”

“No, don’t say anything else because it will just be another lie. But please, try and do the right thing by Levi. He needs help, he needs a father, not someone making deals on his behalf.” Yeah. I’m pissed at my brother. But how much of what he’s said is the drugs talking and how much is resentment? He was very aware I was in the dark about it, because he’d enjoyed hurting me with the information greatly.

A gentle hand presses against the small of my back, reminding me that Dylan is there, consoling me, and that ignites even more concern. I have to go. There’s nothing good here. Grabbing my phone and keys, I head out the door, walking to my car.

Dylan won’t back off—as usual. “Get in my car. I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”

Rotating, I turn and jab my finger against his solid chest as he halts. “You knew, didn’t you? You knew that Kyle was paying my tuition. Just another secret you had hidden in your bag of mindfucks, waiting to throw in my face when I didn’t jump at your command.”

Reaching up, Dylan loops his fingers around my wrist, holding my hand to his chest. “I know your dad is having financial trouble, but I’d assumed he was getting the money from the drugs. I did not know Kyle was paying your tuition. I want that bastard as far away from you as possible.”

“What makes you any better than him?” His twisted expression shows that I hit a raw nerve, and I fully expect him to get infuriated. Instead, he slowly raises his hand, trailing his fingers along my collarbone before grasping the nape of my neck, the other hand keeps ahold of my wrist, my hand still against his chest.

“Nothing. And you sure as hell deserve better than me … but I can’t seem to stay away from you even when I know I should.” Dylan leans forward, gently feathering his lips on mine with such affection it terrifies me because it makes me want him to stay … even when I know he shouldn’t.

I can’t do this right now, not with the utter chaos swarming my mind. “I need to go,” I say but don’t make a move to escape his touch.

“Where?”

Tightly clamping my eyes shut, I regret the confession before the words even leave my mouth. “To the only place I’m happy; the only place that gives me a sliver of peace.”

His fingers release my wrist and thread with mine as he gently clasps my hand at his side.

“Take me there,” he whispers, his demand sounding more like a hopeful request than the harsh order I usually get from him when he’s hell-bent on getting his way.

Before I can regain my sense of self-preservation and do the smart thing, I walk towards my car as Dylan follows, my hand still in his until we reach the Mustang. I shouldn’t let him have this piece of me, but there’s a part of me that yearns to let him in. Only I should keep my guard up, even if he’s already pried his way in. Because in the end, I’ll need some strength to pick up the shattered pieces I’m more than certain he’ll leave behind when he’s done with me.

26

Dylan

Ten minutes outside of the small town of Staffordsville, Sadie turns onto a gravel road. The only light around comes from the Mustang’s headlights, shining ahead on a road that appears to never end, a barbed wire fence lining either side. It’s killing me not to ask her where we’re heading, but I remain silent. Where this road leads isn’t important, what matters to me is she willingly allowed me to travel it with her.

After a five-minute bumpy ride down the gravel road, an old rustic barn comes into view, and Sadie parks on the side of it. I follow her lead, only reaching for the door when she steps out.