Safe and Sound(29)

Her chest constricted. She wanted nothing more than to go back to the year before. Everything had been so much simpler then, better, happier.

Lola thought of all the obstacles between them. Roxanne, Bob, her life, and shook her head. They couldn’t go back. It was impossible. It was sad, but impossible.

“I’m sorry, Sebastian…I…can’t.” Her voice trailed off, the last word a barely audible whisper.

His spine stiffened and he turned his back to her. “What’s going on with you and Jack Forrester?”

Lola blinked. Where had that come from? “Nothing. He’s a friend. Why?”

He swung around, holding her in place with his troubled gaze. “He’s bad news, Lola, and since when do you hang around messed up people?”

Since I became one.

“There’s nothing wrong with Jack. I like him.”

He made a sound of derision. “Yeah. I guess I don’t know you anymore. You’ve changed.” In a bad way, his words implied.

Anger erupted inside her. “Really? Well, so have you. Since when do you date girls who are psycho?”

Sebastian opened his mouth, closed it, and gave a low chuckle. “She is pretty nuts, isn’t she?” He laughed. “God, what was I thinking when I got involved with her?” Lola stared at him, stupefied. He looked at her face and laughed some more.

He shook his head. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I just missed you so much and was lonely and Roxanne had been after me—“

“Forever.”

“Yeah. Forever. Guess she wore me down.”

“That’s great, Sebastian, real impressive.”

He smiled and gave a helpless shrug. “I’m weak. What can I say?”

You’re not weak. You’re strong. I wish I was as strong as you.

“Anyway. No ride then?”

“No”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and hopped off the porch. “I think you just like to torture me.”

“What does that mean?” she called after him.

“See you tonight, Lola,” he said with a mocking bow.

Lola watched his lean frame cross the street, eyes on him until he disappeared into his house. She turned around and went motionless.

Bob stood in the open doorway, eyes on Sebastian’s house. He had on a brown shirt and red sweatpants. He was unshaven and his skin had an oily sheen to it.

Terror clawed its way up her throat. That suffocating sensation came back to her. He didn’t say anything, just stood there, watching. She tried to move past him, but he blocked her way.

“You remember what I told you, don’t you?” he said in a low voice.

Lola was chilled by the threat in his tone, though she had no idea what he was talking about.

“You remember what I told you the last time that boy showed up here?”

She stood there, barely breathing, heart racing. A memory tried to make its way to the surface, but was shoved back down by Lola. She didn’t want to remember. Couldn’t bear it.

“No? Should I remind you?” His voice was even, calm. He enjoyed her pain. “Not so tough now, are ya?”

Lola wordlessly shook her head.

“What the hell happened to your face?” Bob suddenly demanded.

Her eyes flew to his face to see if he was testing her. He didn’t know. Her mother hadn’t told him. Why?

“Fell. Had to get stitches,” she mumbled, eyes on her shoes.

“Goddamn it, girl! All you are is one huge expense after another. Maybe you should start giving your checks to me. Help pay some bills. They’re all because of you anyway.

“Go on now.” He moved back just enough to allow her to slide past him. “Get to work and make me some money.”

Lola waited for him to move more, but he didn’t, had no intention of doing so. She held her breath, angled her body as far away from his as she could, and sidled inside. His gut rubbed against her breasts and Lola gagged, hurrying down the hall to her room.

“Lola?” her mother called from the living room.

Lola ignored her, slamming her bedroom door and resting her head against it. What had Bob meant? Why couldn’t she remember? Her pulse sped at an alarming rate and she felt hot and cold at the same time.

It was awful. Whatever he’d said was awful, she knew. Dread swam in her stomach and threatened to overwhelm her. Lola felt sick, like she might vomit. She put a hand against her stomach and pressed. Don’t think about it. Go to work. Don’t think about it.

A knock sounded at the door and she recoiled from it. Lola searched her room; she wasn’t sure for what, a weapon or something, and grabbed a book from the nightstand.

Lana opened the door. She had on a pair of jeans and a white tee shirt. Her hair was in a lopsided ponytail, like she’d fallen asleep with it in.