Never His Girl (Kings of Cypress Prep #2) - Rachel Jonas Page 0,69

to know how that happened.”

There’s a furious scowl set on his face now.

“I knew she was hiding something,” is all he says before going quiet.

“Do you know anything about it?” I repeat.

“Nah, but I’ll figure that shit out.”

“If she’s in danger, I need to know about it,” I remind him.

Judging by his expression, I can tell he doesn’t like this any more than I do, but the bottom line is we’re both in Southside’s life and we might need to work together on this.

“I’ll hit you up if I think you need to know something,” is all he says, and likely the best answer I’ll get out of him.

“Yeah. Same.”

He heads back to his car after that, but all this conversation has cleared up for me is that my father’s not at all who I think he is. And seeing as how I didn’t think all that highly of him before, I sure as shit don’t trust his ass now.

Chapter 26

BLUE

The three-hour drive here gave me plenty of time to think. Mostly I second-guessed this decision, but then I remembered how many unanswered questions I have. It helped me settle on a conversation with Hunter being my best chance of getting answers.

Lucky for me, Dr. Pryor was in a particularly reasonable mood when I finally got up the nerve to stop in and see her. I explained that I had a family emergency and needed to cut out after lunch. To my surprise, she excused me from the rest of my classes and from practice. I’m pretty sure she wasn’t supposed to do that without speaking to one of my parents about it first, but I’m starting to see something about her. She pulls a lot of strings for me that most probably wouldn’t.

It took me the better part of the week to even get up the nerve to ask for her permission, hence the reason I’m just now making it here on Thursday—instead of Monday like I originally planned. But anyway, I’m here now, and Pryor’s the reason that’s possible.

These visits are always hard, but this place is even colder than the last, clearly a higher security level than when Hunter was held closer to Cypress Pointe. I spot him being escorted over, completely shackled, hands and feet, but there are more bruises. Fresh ones I believe he must’ve received just the night before.

A deep breath helps me hold my composure, hold in tears. It won’t do him any good to see me cry.

I force a smile when he walks up and he manages to flash a faint one in return.

“Wasn’t expecting to see you again,” he greets me.

I swallow and try to look him in the eyes without staring at the marks on his face.

“Makes two of us, I guess.”

He nods and I swear his spirit is more broken than it was before. I can’t even begin to imagine the hell he endures here.

“Shouldn’t you be at school or something?”

I laugh a little. “Should be.”

“And Scar? She come with you this time?”

I shake my head. “No. I asked Ricky to pick her up from school when he gets Shane. Aunt Carla offered to take them to the mall this evening to do a little Christmas shopping.”

He nods. “Good. Probably best she doesn’t see me like this.”

I swallow the lump in my throat and nearly choke on the sob that’s threatening to rise from within me.

“Speaking of Christmas shopping, you guys got plans for the holiday? Was Thanksgiving okay last week?”

“Thanksgiving was mostly good,” I answer, leaving out the little surprise Mike had for us when we got home from Jules’s. “Christmas will probably be like every other,” I add.

He knows what that means. Christmas will miss us this year, like always. Keeping up with regular bills is hard enough.

There’s an awkward silence that comes next, because I know he’s aware that I didn’t come all this way to give him a verbal version of The Riley Family Newsletter. I need to get to my point so I can at least make some of my drive home in daylight, but I feel bad rushing things.

“Just say it,” he forces out, as if he’s heard my thoughts. He looks exhausted and broken, so maybe getting to the point is as much for him as it is for me.

I shift in my seat, trying without success to get comfortable on the cold, unforgiving metal.

“You warned me about watching my back last time, but I got upset and left before you had