Chasing Freedom {Book 3: Chasing Butterflies}

Chapter 3: Darkest Before Dawn

Hey everyone! Sorry this took so long. Life has been crazy, once again. College has started up again, but I'm going to try my hardest to still upload in all three stories as much as I can. Hope you enjoy this though! Special thanks to Alana (xonceuponatimex) on this chapter! She helped me figure out what I was going to do, and as always, kept me motivated too!

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"I'm not ready to make nice, I'm not ready to back down. I'm still mad as hell and I don't have time to go round and round and round. It's too late to make it right, I probably wouldn't if I could, 'cause I'm mad as hell, can't bring myself to do what it is you think I should." –Not Ready To Make Nice, Dixie Chicks

            Sometimes Audrey wondered if fate was against her. Just when things finally start going right, something happens and ruins all progress. She silently debated if the crack! she had heard only moments ago was one of those moments before she stood and peered around the archway into the kitchen. Once she saw the cause of it, Audrey was more than positive that this was one of those moments.

            Having returned early from work, was her father, Lorcan, and it seemed as if he had brought her younger brother, Rupert home with him. Admittedly, the girl was slightly happy to see her brother; she hadn't seen Rupert in about a year now. Between the different schools and Audrey not staying home for her summer vacation, the girl hadn't seen him at all. Although she was curious to know why he was home from class so early; there was definitely class in October for both schools. The girl shook the thought; there were more pressing matters at hand, like the fight she was sure was about to ensue.

            "Well, well, look who finally came home," Lorcan mocked, swaggering into the room, Rupert following closely behind. "Did that filthy Death Eater leave you high and dry like I told you he would?"

            Audrey rolled her eyes. "No, Draco did not," she hissed. If Lorcan wanted to start this nonsense again, Audrey wasn't holding anything back. The claws would come out, and the man would certainly be considered dead to her if he didn't start singing another tune quick like. "I came home to see mother. Or is that illegal?"

            The bulking man leaned against the wall, looking menacingly at her. "You truly are daft, aren't you? Lowering your standards... marrying that slimy good-for-nothing git," he went on.

            Audrey felt her hands clench into fists by her side. Today was not the day for her father to irritate her. Her hormones were already completely out of whack, and him continuing to argue with her about her life choices was not helping them. "Are you going to get a new point? I'm really tired of hearing the same argument from you every time I see you," she said, calmer than she appeared. "I get it. You think I'm stupid for marrying Draco. You think he's going to leave me when I've outlived my usefulness, or maybe he'll even kill me. You think he doesn't really love me. You think he's still a Death Eater." The girl paused, letting that all sink in. "Well guess what? You're wrong about Draco."

            Lorcan cocked an eyebrow. "Oh is that so? Why am I finding it hard to believe that?"

            Audrey opened her mouth to say something, but found herself being cut off by her mother. "Drop it Lorcan," Fianna interrupted. "The girl has enough to worry about without you questioning her life choices."

            "Like what?" the man snorted.

            Audrey felt herself tense up at the mere mention of anything worrying her. She was hoping her mother wouldn't reveal her pregnancy to him, but the girl wasn't going to hold her breath on that one. Her mother had never been great at keeping secrets, especially from her father. Audrey mentally prepared herself for what was probably going to follow.