When Stars Collide (Light in the Dark #2) - Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,91

not worth it.”

“I want him to sign the damn papers so I can be done with this.” She makes a cutting motion through the air with her arms

“That’s probably why he’s here. I’m sure getting those didn’t go over well.”

“He needs to let this go.” She reaches for the door.

“Mom,” I plead again. “Don’t.”

She doesn’t listen, and I let out an exasperated breath.

I step out on the front steps and watch her head to his car. When he sees her, he steps out and stalks forward, looming above her. I always thought he used his height to his advantage in trying to make us feel afraid. It’s funny, because Xander’s tall, but he’s never made me feel anything but protected.

“I want to talk to you about these. This is fucking bullshit,” he spits, holding out the stack of papers. “A divorce? We’re not getting a divorce. You’ve made your point, now come back home.”

“I’m not coming back home, Malcolm,” she says softly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Anger flares in his eyes. Beside me, Prue slips out the half open door and sits next to me.

“Get in the car,” he snaps. “We’re going home.” He grabs her arm, his fingers digging into her skin.

“No,” she argues. “I told you, I’m not going back. Sign the damn papers,” she snaps, fighting back as she tries to wiggle out of his hold.

I move down another step, edging closer and closer.

“Stupid, bitch, you—”

I’ve heard enough and I stalk over to where they argue by his car.

“Let her go,” I say coldly.

His head whips toward me and his nostrils flare. “You,” he hisses. “You caused this. You ruined everything.”

Before I see it coming, he backhands me across the face. My jaw throbs and my skin stings as my eyes water.

My mom lets out a squeak. “Go in the house,” she tells me.

“Not without you.” I grab her hand. To my dad, I say, “You need to leave.”

“Like hell.”

Mom and I start back for the house, our feet moving quick enough that we’re practically sprinting.

We’re not fast enough.

Before we can close the door he’s there, pushing his way through. I scream when he forces the door open and it rams into my back, shoving me into a wall. I fall to the floor, my head banging against the wall as I go down, and my mom looks at me with a horrified expression.

“Run!” I yell at her. He wants her, not me.

Thankfully, she does, taking off through the kitchen and around the corner. I pray that she can get into a room and barricade herself from him.

He spares me a glance as he takes off after her and that look? It promises a hell of a lot of hurt and pain.

I hear my mom scream, and I wince, but I have to pick myself up off the floor. This isn’t the best place to be.

I need to hide.

My whole body hurts from the fall, though, and now there’s a ringing in my ears from where he hit me.

My heart pounds like a vicious drum, like it’s counting down how many beats I have left and that terrifies me. This can’t be the end.

I crawl up the steps and drag my body into my bedroom.

“Phone,” I mutter. “Where’s my phone?”

Downstairs. It’s downstairs on the couch.

“No, no, no, no,” I chant.

I pick my body up off the floor and lock my door.

From somewhere in the house, I hear a scream again, and a bang that sounds all too much like a gun shot.

I drop to the floor and everything disappears.

Fear holds me prisoner the whole drive and my knuckles are white where I grasp the wheel. When I reach the house, I park half on the driveway and half on the street and immediately jump out of the truck. I was exhausted only an hour ago, but now my body is hard-wired with adrenaline, and I feel like I could take on anything.

It’s obvious that my gut instinct of something being wrong was, in fact, right.

Malcolm’s car is still here, but he’s not.

The tinkling of a dog collar has me looking down and I find Prue staring up at me, and that’s definitely not normal.

I take off running for the front door, which is open.

Each of my heartbeats seems to be chanting Thea, Thea, Thea and I know I have to get to her.

I pause, listening to the soft sounds of the house. Everything is eerily silent and that’s the scariest part and I hope to God