“What’s the matter?” John asked, letting them inside the apartment.
Steven assessed everything and knew he’d find him a bigger place for all of them. Eric waved at them. He smiled at the younger man before turning his attention back to John.
“Where’s Holly?”
“What do you mean? Last time I checked she was with you two?”
Steven glanced over at Kade. “She was with us this morning. Have you spoken to her today?”
John nodded. “I spoke to her an hour ago. She wanted to check in and make sure everything was fine. I told her not to worry, but Holly has always been a worrier. She didn’t have a clue what you were going to do.” He pointed at Kade.
“Nothing has happened here. Your Dad hasn’t tried to come over?” Steven asked.
“No, I’ve not heard a thing from him. To be honest he wouldn’t try anything with me. Last time he tried to hit me I put him on his ass. No one hits me and gets away with it. I grew up taking his punches. It’s not going to happen again.”
Steven looked at Kade. “She’s gone to him to try and settle everything. He put the fear of God into her. She’s not going to let it go until she knows there are no repercussions,” Steven said. He knew Holly and had spent a great deal of time watching her.
Kade cursed, and John had gone pale.
Chapter Seven
Holly knew the second she couldn’t see the taxi that she’d made a mistake coming back to the trailer. After spending the night with Kade and Steven she looked at the trailer where she’d spent her whole life and felt sick to her stomach.
She’d spent so many nights looking out at the stars praying for a better life for herself and her family. Her mother had never stopped him from drinking or hitting them. Over the years Holly had come to despise them for their lack of care and love. Licking her lips she turned away from the scene before her and went to walk away.
“I see you’ve come back.” Her father’s voice filled the space between. Turning back to him, she saw he’d been drinking. A half-empty bottle was in his hands.
Tightening her hands into fists she stared at him. She wore the jeans and sweater she’d worn yesterday. Holly didn’t say a word.
Anita appeared in the doorway glaring at her. The sneer on her face couldn’t be disguised as anything other than hatred. Holly had never understood their feelings toward her. Keeping her mouth shut she glanced at her father. Out of the two people he was the one who could cause her the most damage.
“You got your fancy-ass bosses to come here and get my kids and tell me to leave you alone. No one threatens me.”
“Steven wasn’t here,” she said. His gaze cut to her, and she wished she’d kept her mouth shut.
“Steven is it now? You’re fucking him I bet. The only way those men would stick up for you was if you were fucking them. No man is ever going to love you. You’re too fucking ugly.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she felt them ready to spill down her cheeks. Looking down at the floor she did everything she could to force the tears back. If she cried then he’d laugh, and he would have won. She didn’t want him to win.
He invaded her space, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look up at him. The moment she did the first tear started to fall.
“You see, no one will ever love you. You’re not worth their time or effort.”
“Why do you hate me so much?” she asked.
“Because you were supposed to be a boy and not a fucking girl. I never wanted bitches. I wanted men in my family. Bitches are not good for anything. Look at your mother. She’s a whore. She spreads her legs for anyone. I don’t want another like her, and you’re exactly like her.”
“Fuck you, William. You’ve got a tiny dick, and I’ve got to get to some action from somewhere, you fat bastard,” Anita said.
His grip tightened on her chin, making Holly cry out in pain.
“You shut your fucking mouth, bitch!” William didn’t release her. Instead, he caught her arm in a bruising grip. “You’re going to stop seeing those bastards or you’re going to give me money for spreading your legs.”
She shook her head. Fear gripped her as he threw her to the ground. With one solid kick, he landed a blow to her stomach. Curling into a ball Holly did everything to block out the pain.
Nothing was happening, Kade and Steven had opened her, and she couldn’t stop the pain.
“You back the fuck down, William.”
Holly heard the sheriff’s voice, and seconds later she heard Kade and Steven.
“Stay the fuck back, Kade. This is my job,” Matt said, yelling. Suddenly she was pulled up by her hair. Her father smashed the glass bottle and pressed the smashed end toward her face.