no control

• twenty two •

"Maybe he's a family friend."

"Then he's even more of a sick fuck than I thought."

I pressed my face into my hand. "Oh, my god."

"You could have just asked me, Wilder. I would have given you money. I would literally give you anything . . ." He mumbled the last part, probably thinking I couldn't hear him.

"I am not sleeping with my boss for money," I told him.

He made a noise that suggested he didn't believe me. "Okay. Then why is he following us?"

I looked over to see Brant glaring daggers through the rear view mirror. I made a show of looking behind us to look at the tinted Expedition following us.

"Oh . . . I guess he's going into town, too," I said, forcing my shoulders to lift in a stiff shrug.

"Why didn't he take you to work then?"

My mind went blank. I was officially the worst liar. No wonder Elijah always read me like a book.

Stop asking questions you don't want the answer to, Thornton.

"He's going to the other side of town," I said a little too quickly. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves. "Look, I'm sorry that I inconvenienced you. I promise it won't happen again. I really appreciate you coming through for me. Thank you so, so much."

He was quiet for a minute. I shrank back into the seat, sensing his unraveling anger. As he spoke, though, it wasn't the commandeering shout I expected.

"Stop apologizing," he said. "You don't have to feel bad for needing help. I just wish you'd be honest. I thought we were friends but you clearly don't trust me."

"It's not you," I assured him. "I've always kept to myself. It's habit. I don't have any other friends, you know."

The other social outcasts at school were even too cool for me. I was just awkward and weird.

Kids stopped trying to be friendly with me when I continuously had to make excuses to not hang out. I didn't want to tell them that my uncle was a controlling asshole who wouldn't let me leave the house except for school.

He was convinced that every guy was out to get in my panties and every girl was a brainless, troublesome whore hell-bent on ruining me. Any effort to have a rational conversation was shut down with the threat of a grounding or taking away my books or my phone.

Brant cleared his throat. "I just want you to know I'm here for you. You don't have to do all this shit on your own, Wilder. I'm here and willing to help."

In spite of all my reservations, his words broke down my guard. I never expected someone like Brant to care about me, but I could tell he was genuine.

I wanted to trust him. I really did.

"You have no idea how much you've done for me already," I said. "Thank you."

We pulled up to the 7/11 and I reached for the door. Brant touched my shoulder. I paused to look back at him.

"I want to know the real reason you haven't been at school," he said. "It doesn't have to be now, but eventually. Can I expect to see you tomorrow?"