Misty nods, licking the tears off her lips.
“And shit, they’ll lock you up too,” Rick adds. “You know they’ll find every reason they can to stick you in juvie, and you don’t belong in there. You wouldn’t want to be sent away, would you, babe?”
She looks to me, then to Rick, then to me again.
“I love him, Royal.” Her words are jagged and defeated. “I know that’s not what you want to hear, but I love him so much. And he’s right. You only come around when I’m in trouble. Rick’s always been here, having my back, loving on me like I’m the greatest thing in the world.”
Taking a fistful of my hair, I tug on the ends and stare at the grimy carpet so hard my eyes hurt. She thinks she’s in love and fucking Rick is her first love. I know firsthand how powerful first loves are. That bond, whether rational or irrational, is impenetrable.
“You are, baby,” Rick adds, rubbing circles into her bony back. “You’re the best thing in the world. Shit, baby, you are my world.”
I refuse to stand here and watch him do this to her. She’s too young to see what’s going on, and she’s too addicted to care.
But I care. I fucking care. And I blame myself for this.
I’ve had a truck since the day I turned sixteen. I could’ve come around more. Sure, it’s a three-hour drive, but I could’ve made the effort to be around more, to be a better influence and to spend more time with her.
This is all my fault. I’ve failed her as an older brother. But I’m going to fix it now.
“Come on, Misty.” I yank her by the arm and pull her to the door a final time. My grip on her wrist feels like it might break her, but I’m not letting go. She’s coming with me, and there’s not a damn thing she can do about it.
“Royal, let go!” Misty squirms and fidgets, pulling against me like a puppy fighting its leash. “I don’t wanna go with you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!”
Misty thrashes her arms and kicks my shins, her head flying from side to side and causing her hair to stick to her tear-streaked face.
“Calm the fuck down,” I say through gritted teeth. “Don’t fight me now.”
“Stop! You’re hurting me, Royal,” she cries. “Don’t do this. Don’t do this, please . . .”
Her nails scratch the flesh on my arms, drawing blood. Within seconds, I’m covered in claw marks.
“Let her go, Royal,” Rick yells.
I glance over and he’s standing there, arms crossed, wearing his classic smug smirk with his phone out. He doesn’t try to come to her rescue, he just stands there like he’s watching fucking Jerry Springer.
“The hell are you doing?” I ask.
“Making damn sure you don’t go doing anything stupid,” he says.
I release Misty, and she falls to the floor in a pile of tattered clothes and disheveled hair.
“What the hell does that mean?” I storm across the room, and he shoves his phone in his back pocket, lifting his hands and shrugging.
“You go to the cops about any of this,” he says. “I’ll make damn sure you’re the one who goes away for a long, long time.”
“I didn’t do anything,” I spit my words at him.
He pulls his phone out, replaying the audio recording he took of my sister screaming for me to stop and that I’m hurting her.
“Fuck you, Rick.” I’m burning. Head to toe. My insides on fire. “Fuck. You.”
He laughs, motioning for my sister to come to him. They plop down on the sofa together, and she curls her legs up, tucking herself against him like a lap dog.
I can’t believe this is happening.
“Best be on your way, son.” Rick nods to the screen door, then he slips his arm around my sister, resting his hand on the side of her ass like he fucking owns her.
Fuck it.
I can’t force her to go with me.
And I sure as hell don’t want to be locked up for something I didn’t do.
God, I can’t even imagine what the Rosewoods would think if I was accused of doing something like that to my little sister. Just the thought makes me ill.
“Fine. I’m leaving.” My hand rests on the door. “But you should know, Misty, that that man does not love you. He’s using you. He’s manipulating you. But me? I’m family. I’ll always love you, no matter what.”
With that, I’m gone.
There’s nothing left for me to do but hope she comes around. Hope she sees the light. And hope she doesn’t die of some overdose before she has a chance to make something of herself.
***
I’m halfway back to Rixton Falls, nerves still firing and body still shaking with rage, when red, white, and blue flashing lights fill my rearview mirror. A quick glance at my speedometer tells me I’m barely going a few MPH over the speed limit.