The BlackBurne Legacy (The Bloodlines Legacy Series Book 1) (2 page)

Not really, but I stand up anyway. “Lead on, Obi Wan.”

He laughs and heads out, leaving me to pick up my food. My eyes drift back to the guy across from me. He’s not looking at me, but I shiver again anyway. Something about him disturbs me. I just don’t know what.

Shaking off the weird feeling, I follow Jason out to the car and try to prepare myself for the upcoming fight with my father. It’s not going to be pretty.

Chapter Two

My dad, John Reed, and our stepmother, Emma, square off across the kitchen island, a plate of freshly baked peanut butter chocolate chip cookies cooling on the counter between them. Dad’s expression says he’s calculating his chances. Emma’s dares him to try. She stands, her fly swatter at the ready, and stares him down. Or rather, stares up at him. Dad stands a full head taller than the little bit of Irish fluff that is Emma. Her red hair gives testament to her temper, and if Dad so much as tries to snatch a cookie, she’ll lay into him.

His chances? Slim to none. Jason and I have been on the receiving end of that fly swatter more times than I can count growing up. Emma is faster than Speedy Gonzalez when it comes to protecting her baked goods.

“Give it up, Dad, you’re not getting one,” I tell him, coming into the kitchen. “Emma will defend those cookies with her last breath.”

Both of them turn around, shocked. They hadn’t heard us come in. Emma recovers first. A smile the size of Texas spreads across her face and she hurries over to wrap me in one of her bear hugs. When I feel her arms holding me tight, a tear almost leaks out. I’ve missed Emma so much. She and Dad came to see me at least once a month, but it’s not the same as being home or feeling the woman who is the closest thing to a mother you have holding you.

“My sweet baby girl,” she whispers in my ear. “Welcome home.”

“Thank you, Emma,” I whisper back and kiss her cheek. “Dad’s getting a cookie.”

She whirls, and the fly swatter smacks his hand just as it reaches the cookie plate. That has to hurt. Jason and I know from experience she pulls no punches.

“Ouch!” He gives her a mock scowl.

“Those are Alexandria’s.”

“I’m sure she’ll share.” Dad comes around the counter and pulls me into a hug. “Won’t you, Alex?”

“Nope.” I grin up at him. “They’re all mine.”

“Dad, you still don’t have the kitchen unpacked?” Jason complains as he digs through a box for a cup.

Emma opens the dishwasher and pulls out two freshly washed glasses. “Here, Jase. Don’t aggravate your father. He’s been busy trying to get the back yard cleaned up. Something you were supposed to help him with.”

“I had to go pick Alex up.” He takes the glasses and pours milk into them before handing me one and then plopping onto the bar stool. He filches a cookie and laughs when Dad shoots him an exasperated look. “What? Alex shares with
me
.”

“How are you feeling, sweetheart?” Emma asks, her expression concerned.

“I’m fine. Just a little tired. It was a long drive.” I watch as Emma and my dad exchange worried looks. Jason rolls his eyes and shoves a cookie in his mouth.

“Dr. Sayer gave us a list of good therapists in the area.” Emma leans against the sink. “She doesn’t think it’s a good idea for you to stop your therapy sessions. Too much change all at once might not be good for you, baby girl.”

This is exactly why I can’t stay here. They want to keep me from doing things, from experiencing life. Not that I blame them. I was pretty messed up as a kid, still am in many ways, but I’m not going to let them drive me back to where I was.

“I already talked to the university. They have several good counselors on staff I can see if I need to.”

Dad purses his lips. He is not happy with my answer. “Alex, I’m not sure starting college right away is a good idea.”

“Dad, I’ve been taking online courses through The University of Phoenix since I graduated high school.”

“That’s exactly my point.” He goes over to stand by Emma, showing a fortified front. “They were online, not in physical classrooms in the real world. We just want you to take this slow. Don’t overwhelm yourself. If you stay here and get used to living outside of Compton…”

“Dad, I love you and Emma, but I’m twenty years old. I can make decisions for myself. I’m not crazy anymore, and I can deal with college. I’m not staying here. I’m staying with Jase.”

“Alexandria, I am your father and you
will
do what I say…”

“No,” I interrupt him. “I know you and Emma only want what’s best for me, Daddy, but that’s not you guys right now. I need someone who believes in me, someone who will fight for me to be better, not terrified I’m going to flip out at the smallest thing. If you treat me like I’m still the same eleven-year-old child who went into the nuthouse, I’m afraid I might slip back into her skin. I won’t do that to myself or let anyone else do that to me either. Even if they have nothing but the best intentions.”

“We’re just worried.” Emma twists her hands nervously. “I’m afraid what might happen if you are out there all alone, without me or your dad to watch out for you.”

“She’s not alone, though, Emma.” Jason stops devouring cookies. “She has me, and I’m not going to let her get hurt. Alex is right. We have to let her do this. She
needs
to do it.”

“Stay out of this, Jason.” My father’s voice is vexed. He must have thought I’d come home, he’d lay down the law, and that would be that. Jason was right. We can’t stay here if this is what Daddy is going to do all night.

“Jason, let’s go.” I stand up.

“You two aren’t going anywhere,” Dad all but bellows, and I wince. I knew this was going to be hard. The man is as stubborn as I am. I can feel what strength I have slowly leeching out of my bones. I’m tired and I just want to sleep, but if I don’t stand up for myself now, my parents will never leave it alone.

“I mean it, Daddy. I love you, but you can’t control what I do anymore. I wanted to come home and spend the night with you and Emma, all of us together like it used to be, but you won’t even let us do that.”

“There’s no reason for you two to leave.” Emma comes to stand next to me. “You just got here, honey. Please stay.”

“I’m sorry, Emma, but I’m not gonna listen to Daddy try to make me do what he wants the rest of the night. Jason and I are going shopping tomorrow for stuff I need. Why don’t you come with us?”

Emma shoots Dad a look so hostile even Jason backs up. “Pick me up in the morning right after breakfast and we’ll get you sorted. Your father and I are going to have a long talk tonight too.” She gives me another hug and then pulls Jason to her, whispering something I can’t hear. He nods at whatever she said.

“I’m so glad you’re home, Alex, and your father is too, even if he’s not doing a good job of showing it right now.” She gives him another of those singe-worthy glares.

“Me too,” I say and give her a kiss. “I’ll see you in the morning.” I dare to go stand next to my dad. “Goodnight, Daddy.”

His eyes thaw just a bit and he hugs me. “Goodnight, peanut.”

I pull away from him and follow Jason to the car. I can feel them watching us from the front porch as we get into the car. Breaking down right now isn’t an option. I have to get through the drive, and once we’re at Jase’s apartment, I’ll turn on the shower and cry all I need to.

“You good?” Jason asks, pulling out of the drive.

“I’m good.” I roll down the window to let the cool air hit me. “You were right. We shouldn’t have gone over there tonight.”

“I’m so freaking proud of you, Sis, you have no idea.”

I look over at him. He’s grinning from ear to ear. “Why?”

“Because you stood up for yourself, and I didn’t have to do it for you. I was afraid you’d let Dad bully you into staying with them and dropping out of college for a year.”

“I told you I’m better,” I lie. Inside I’m a quivering mess of nerves ready to burst. Jason doesn’t question it. Instead he turns on the radio to a station proclaiming itself to be J104.5 and concentrates on the road.

The University is about half an hour from our parents’ house, and his apartment complex five minutes from that. Student apartments. I shake my head as we pull in. They look a little run-down, the rust on the railing highlighted from our headlights. The complex is nestled up against a dense line of trees that leads into the woods behind them. At least I might be able to take some quiet walks.

Once we get my bag out of the trunk, Jason leads me around the corner of the building. Looks like we’re on the first floor. We even have a little front patio. It’s not big, but I can sit in one of the Adirondack chairs Jason has out here and write for hours. We have a gorgeous view of the mountains.

The inside of the apartment is not so gorgeous. It’s gross. The gray carpet has stains in a few places, and the dirty beige walls are in dire need of a cleaning and several coats of paint. An old, ugly couch faces a big screen TV with a PS4 set up in front of it. The kitchen is tucked off to the side, and the cracked countertops have me pursing my lips. Student housing…not a good idea.

“What?” Jason asks defensively. “It’s our first place. It’s supposed to be all junky.”

“Have you cleaned at all?”

“Nope.” He falls down on the couch. “The manager said he had it cleaned before I moved in.”

I know what I’m doing tomorrow when we get home. “Where’s my room?”

“Down the hall, last door on the right.”

He’s already powering on the TV and the game system. I shake my head and grab my bag, dragging it behind me as I look for my room. “Can we paint?” I call back, dreading to see what my room actually looks like.

“Sure you can. We just won’t tell management.”

“You’ll lose your deposit.”

He shrugs, focused on the game he’s loading. I start back down the hall and push open the door, trepidation in every movement. I sigh, resigned to what is before me. The carpet is filthy, the stains worse in here than out front. The walls are an ugly shade of bright pink. I assume Jason gave me the pink room because he figured it was a girl’s color. It looks more like Pepto-Bismol than girly pink. So not cool. Several places on the wall look greasy as well. I do not even want to think about what those might be.

An air mattress is on the floor in the middle of the dirt and grime. Pristine white sheets and an ugly purple comforter are folded on it, along with a pillow. At least the sheets look clean.

Opening my only suitcase, I rummage around until I find a pair of gray pajama shorts and a white tank top. I definitely need some new clothes. We were all required to wear pretty much the same thing, our colors gray and white. Supposedly soothing colors, but to me, they were just plain and boring. It will be nice to add some color back into my wardrobe.

Shower time. I don’t have soap or shampoo, but I’m hoping Jason does. I check the room across from mine and discover the mess that is my brother’s pigsty. Closing it quickly, I open the only other door and almost refuse to go in. The toilet appears to be clean, but the rest of it? Just ugh.

There is a tub shower combination, but it’s beyond gross. The hard water stains all over the bottom of the tub make me hesitant to step on them. What if it’s not what I think it is? The dingy white plastic of the shower walls looks moldy.

I see soap and shampoo, so I know Jason has used it. Maybe the bulk of the germs got washed away. Shaking my head, I close the door and turn on the shower. If I wasn’t in desperate need of the hot water to soothe my frazzled nerves, no way would I even attempt this.

When the first spray of hot water hits me, I wince. My body feels bruised and battered. The day had taken an emotional strain on me physically, and I’ve been feeling it for about an hour. I ache everywhere. My muscles start to relax after a few minutes, and I let out a little sigh. The warm water washes away the stress that’s consumed me most of the day.

I’d packed everything I owned into a single suitcase yesterday and then lain awake all night, worrying and fretting. What if Jason didn’t come? What if he did and I tried to hurt him once we were alone? What if I couldn’t control my particular brand of crazy outside the walls of Compton?

All those fears and more had eaten away at me as I tossed and turned until I’d finally fallen into a restless sleep. When I woke up this morning, I’d been half-afraid I’d only convinced myself I was getting out. It wasn’t until I’d seen my brother’s grinning face in the doorway that I’d let myself believe it.

Now, here I am, standing under the hot water, shaking from all the stress of the day. Doubts crowd my mind and tears leak out. What if Daddy is right? What if I’m not ready? What if I wake up from a nightmare and hurt Jason again?

Stop it
, I tell myself. I can do this. I
have
to do this.

I’m not the same person I was nine years ago. I will do this.

Rinsing the shampoo out of my hair, I cut the water off. It’s starting to get cold anyway. The towels look semi-clean, at least. Once I dry off and towel dry my hair the best I can, I change into my pajamas and head back to the Pepto room.

I’m too restless for sleep. I’ve been restless since I woke up this morning. Maybe it’s the stress of the day, maybe it’s something else. My gaze lands on the journal in my bag. Writing always helps me to calm down.

I grab my journal and walk back to the front room. I can only stare at the gross Pepto walls for so long. Right now, I need to be somewhere quiet and destress…or possibly break down, but I think I’m good. Maybe.