Mirage - Alice Tribue Page 0,63

a two-handed shove and turn away, following my father to his car. And for the first time, I wish I’d never met Nathan Lennox, or whatever the fuck his name is.

***

My father starts the car and pulls out onto the road, looking pale, horrified, and angry. It’s not a good combination, but I only have myself to blame.

“Is this really fucking happening right now? Please, please, baby, tell me you’re not involved in prostitution. Not after everything your mother went through.”

“I’m not a prostitute, Dad.”

“No, you’re just a fucking Madam. That’s so much better, Victoria. This is bullshit,” he yells.

“You have to calm down, Dad. It’s not like that.”

“What’s it like then, huh?”

“Can you just take me home, please? We can talk there. I just need a minute to think, okay? I’ve been locked up in that room for hours.”

An uncomfortable silence fills the car and I look away, staring out the window, unable to keep my emotions at bay. The tears begin to fall as I start to process all that has happened in the span of one night. Dad takes hold of my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze and communicating so much without having to say a word. The car merges onto the highway, and as my tear-streaked face makes it hard to see, I’m grateful that my father is driving.

I hear the familiar rumble of a motorcycle speeding as it comes up to the side of the car. My breath catches when I look out the window and see Nathan riding dangerously close by.

“Shit,” I mutter under my breath, wondering why the fuck he won’t just leave me alone. Hasn’t he already done enough?

“What the hell?” Dad questions the moment he notices Nathan, who’s now signaling us to pull over.

“Fuck, just pull over, Dad, before he gets us all killed. I’ll get rid of him.”

“You’ll stay right here. I’ll get rid of this fucker,” he says, slowing the car down and bringing it to a halt on the side of the road. Nathan pulls his bike in front of our car, making a quick getaway impossible.

“Stay here!” Dad says, opening his car door and getting out. I hear him shout as he approaches Nathan. “What the fuck are you doing? Haven’t you done enough? You’re trying to kill us all now, too?”

“I just need to see her, sir. This has nothing to do with you.”

“The fuck it doesn’t, asshole, she’s my kid.”

I have to put a stop to this ridiculousness before they come to blows. I quickly wipe the tears off my face and jump out of the car, moving to stand between the two of them.

“What do you want, Nathan? Or whatever the fuck your name is… Just let me go home.”

One shake of his head, and I know his answer. I can see the steely determination in his eyes. “Get on the bike, Tori.”

“You are completely fucking crazy if you think I’m going anywhere with you, Detective.” I put as much disdain into his title as I can. He can go to hell as far as I’m concerned.

“Get in the car, Victoria,” Dad yells, as he points to Nathan. “You stay the hell away from my daughter; I’m not letting you take advantage of her again.”

I see he’s put two and two together likely figuring out that Nathan is the man I was telling him about.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Just go home, Detective. I don’t want to see you; I don’t want to have anything to do with you.”

“Get in the car, Tori,” I hear my dad call again.

“Don’t you dare get in that car,” Nathan warns. “You don’t get to walk away from me without talking to me about it first.”

Are you delusional?

“I don’t owe you anything. You lied to me, and you’re trying to put me behind bars, for God’s sake.”

“It started out that way, but it’s more than that and you know it.”

I glare at him, trying to pick through his words, trying to decipher what’s real and what isn’t.

Dad comes to stand beside me. “I’ve heard enough of this, Victoria. I’m taking you home.”

“Get. On. The. Bike. Now,” Nathan commands, bringing my attention back to him. “I will call for backup. I will arrest your father on whatever bogus charge I can hold him for. If you don’t want to see me after we’re done talking, then fine. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go myself.”

I look at Dad as he takes hold of my arm. “Victoria.”

“Dad,