I did, too. They’d gotten me through so much of the shit my parents had thrown at me over the years, when I’d flipped to different pictures and imagined myself a different life.
They were the same books I’d shared and created with Leo when we were planning our future together and which of the locations to visit, and the same books I’d based my current photograph albums on. Those books were still here somewhere, too—if my dickweed parents hadn’t thrown them out with the trash.
“Maybe you do know the books.” Dad stroked his chin, like he was pondering, but he was really just any other villainous rich guy, pleased with the fact he’d managed to best me.
“You know that I know exactly what they are, and you know how much they mean to me, too.”
Kane rested his hand on my shoulder as I fought to keep my temper in check.
“Well, then.” Dad narrowed his eyes, his smile chilling. “Looks like we’re in the perfect position to come to an agreement. How do you feel about a bargain?”
I shook my head. “I’d rather deal with the devil.”
Dad laughed, but anger vibrated through me. A deal with the devil would probably be more straightforward, and I’d only stand to lose my immortal soul rather than my sense of self and self-respect.
He shook his head. “It’s time you fall in line, Shayne. You’re an Abbott.” He glanced at Kane and scoffed. “Clearly, we’ve lost your brother to the clutches of a Caldwell, and now I hear you’re dangerously close to a similar fate.” He said the name Caldwell like it was tainted, which was a little different than how my social-climbing mother seemed to view them these days.
I didn’t have to wait long to find out why.
“New money trash.” He curled his lip. “You can do better than any of those blond buffoons. In fact, your mother and I have someone lined up for you.”
I focused over his shoulder on the wall. Not again. I wouldn’t keep living this day over and over again. I didn’t even blink.
Dad took my silence as possibility. “That’s right,” he said. “You only have to go on one date.”
“You’re being a dick.” Kane’s words surprised me and turned Dad’s face almost purple with barely contained rage. “You know how much those albums mean to Shayne,” Kane said. Then he turned to me. “You don’t need them. They’re not worth this.”
“Yeah.” I nodded, and half turned to leave, my chest tight with the knowledge that my relationship with my parents had finally been reduced to this.
“That’s no problem.” He almost crowed his words and I closed my eyes.
Something worse was coming.
“I’ll just burn the books. I have no need of them.” His self-satisfaction was almost too much to bear, and only Kane’s touch on my back kept me present in the room.
Dad grinned. He knew his words had hit me where he needed them to. “So you see, it’s very important your date goes well, isn’t it? It’s time for you to return to the Abbott fold, Shayne, and let this dalliance with a Caldwell go.”
I didn’t say anything. There was nothing in my head that wasn’t a curse word.
“Come on, let’s go.” Kane took hold of my shoulder and spun me around.
“I’ll be in touch,” Dad called, and Mom walked past us to talk to him as Kane and I left the room. The hallways back to the stairs had never been so long. Thoughts weren’t even processing properly in my head, and it wasn’t merely the idea that I might lose those treasured albums, but that my parents would even consider hurting me on purpose simply to get me to behave the way they wanted.
I got into Kane’s car, and anger ran unchecked through me. I needed to feel that anger so I didn’t just feel disappointed and sad.
“There has to be some way to get those albums back,” I muttered.
Kane glanced at me. “You know what he’s like. Hurting people is the only currency they know.”
“Yeah.” I huffed out a breath. “You think he’d really burn them?”
Kane shrugged as he shifted into drive. “I honestly don’t know, dude.”
I closed my eyes briefly. Now that I knew exactly where those albums were, now that my dad had all but flaunted them in my face, I wanted them. I glanced at Kane in case he could somehow tell what I was thinking, but his eyes were focused on the road and his fingers clenched around the steering