My heart starts to pound as what he says starts to make sense. I bend my shaking legs and slump into the chair. “You called the police?”
“You can’t go to school. You can’t show your face in public. Hell, one of your best friends raped and murdered someone, and I found him sitting in here yesterday. He’s staying here.” He rubs the back of his neck.
“Dax didn’t do it,” Law states.
I turn and look at him, wondering what changed his mind since yesterday.
My father gets my attention when he speaks again. “Well, someone did. And that person is running free.” His eyes meet mine. “You need to go to your mother’s.”
“No.” I sit up straighter.
“Lisa and I have discussed it …”
I jump to my feet once again. “That’s not her call to make.”
“Honey.” She comes around the table to me. “You’re not safe here.”
I turn to look at Law. He sits back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest and hard eyes on me. “Law …”
“It’s time for you to go to your mother’s, Henley.” He agrees with them.
GRAYSON LAW
I stare up at her as I watch her face fall with my betrayal. I meant every word I said to her last night, but my mom and James are right. She needs to go and lay low. She needs to disappear like she did at the end of the school year last year. “Just till school is over,” I tell her.
“No,” she whispers, taking a step back from the table. “I’m not leaving.”
“Henley.” Her father comes around the table. “This isn’t up for discussion. Your things will be packed and ready to go by this evening.” With that, he storms out of the formal dining room.
My mother places her hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, dear, but this is the only way to protect you.” She turns to follow James.
I stand and walk over to her. Her watery eyes meet mine. “You knew.”
“I had an idea.” I’ve heard a few conversations here and there over the past twenty-four hours. I needed time to accept her leaving was the right thing. And last night solidified that for me. If I want to have any kind of future with her, I need to let her go for now.
I don’t believe that Dax did what she says, but I do believe he knows more than he’s letting on. And I refuse to put her in the same situation she was in with Nicholas and Steve. “It’s not forever. I’ll come get you when it’s safe.” I lean in and kiss her forehead, making her cry. I pull back and rub the tears from her cheeks. “Goodbye, little doll.” I take a step back and make my way up to my room to get ready for school.
_______________
I back into my spot in the school parking lot to see the guys are already here, but none of them are waiting like usual. Well, Scout isn’t. I didn’t expect him to be, though. I grab my backpack, get out, and walk inside.
It’s weird being here and knowing that Henley is at my house. I don’t know what time she’s leaving today. I don’t know her new number her dad is going to get her. All I know is that when I return home, she won’t be there. And that thought has me fisting my busted knuckles.
Kids stare at me in the hallways. It’s no secret that we’ve been using Henley, so now that she’s missing—we’re a big red target. They’re going to think we did it. But we’ll never get questioned by the police because the Founders have already paid them off. Silenced James’s claims that his daughter is missing. Just like Brenda. The Founders don’t want questions to arise when they know the truth. It makes me wonder if they paid off Brenda’s foster parents.
“Hey, Law.” A kid by the name of Derek walks up to me. “Can I …?”
“Not today.” I shove him away and keep walking toward my locker. I’m not even in the mood for my friends, let alone someone I never speak to.
I get to my locker, do the combination, and grab some books out of it as Dax walks up to me. “Hey …”
“No offense, but you’re the last person I want to talk to,” I say honestly. I’ve never been that guy to pretend or hide my feelings until it came to Henley. And now that she’s gone, I’m going back to who I used to be. Someone who didn’t give a fuck about anything!
He grabs my arm, stopping me from walking to class. I glare at him. “Unless you want a broken nose, I suggest you let go of me,” I say through gritted teeth.
“We need to talk,” he presses.
I rip my arm from his grasp. “I have nothing to say to you.” And walk away. He’s one of the main reasons I had to let my doll go. I’m not going to play nice without my toy here.