Tame The Beast

61.

I feel my mouth run dry and my body freeze, but my head is spinning in confusion.

"W-what do you mean?" I ask, my voice just barely above a whisper. 

He folded his hands.
"You." he poked his finger to my chest.
"Are not my kid." He finished.

I shook my head.
"No. No, that's not possible." 

"Oh, but it is." 

I just stared at him, not knowing what to say.

He cocked his head to the side slightly as he kept his gaze on my face.
"You still don't believe me do you?" 

My mouth felt too dry to speak so I ended up just shaking my head at him. 

He sighed,  standing up and walking over to the other side of the room, and dragging a small metal chair over to sit down in front of me. 
I pulled my legs up to my chest and kept my gaze on him, but never meeting his eyes, as he folded his hands and leaned forward in his chair. 

"You're mother was pregnant when I met her in college. She had a boyfriend at the time, your dad, and they were engaged ya know. But he ended up dying in a car crash a month or two before you were born. She was depressed for a while and we ended up becoming best friends. I was there to help her cope with everything. Then you were born and I stuck around to help. We fell in love along the way and then we got married and I became your dad right before you turned a year old. You never knew anyone other than me and your mom had decided she was gonna tell you on your 18th birthday. I'm just surprised she didn't go ahead and tell you after I came back onto the scene." He shrugged.

I have no idea how he was being so open and so casual about all of this. My head was spinning, my lungs felt like they weren't getting enough air, and my jaw was  hanging open. I couldn't believe it.
I'd spent my entire life missing, and being angry at, someone who wasn't even my real dad. But then again, he's the only dad figure that I've ever known. 

I closed my mouth slowly and swallowed hard.
"What was his name? My dad?" 
I slowly let my tear rimmed eyes meet his.

He didn't even act like he cared. He just rolled his eyes.

"Alex Owens." 

I blink back my tears, not wanting him to see me cry anymore than he already has, and let my anger take control over my body. 

"Then why the hell did you even bother to come back?! Just so you could kidnap a kid that isn't even yours?! To get back at your ex-wife after 15 fucking years?!!!" I yelled, teeth clenching. 

I flinched harshly when I felt his hand slam across my cheek. I whimpered lightly, hiding my face in my hair.

"I was nice enough to at least tell you the fucking truth, which is more than what your poor excuse of a mother can say. Now I suggest you shut the hell up and get to eating!" He yelled, pointing a finger in my face.

I kept my face hidden and kept my mouth shut.
The next thing I hear is the scratching of the metal chair on the hard floor as he kicks it away from me and the stomping of his boots as he exits the room, with a harsh slam of the door behind him. 

It's silent for a moment after he leaves and I can only hope and Jenna and her kids won't say anything. I'm embarrassed enough as it is.

"Are you alright?" 
I know it's not Jenna this time, the voice is much softer and smaller, almost scared sounding. 

I lift my head slowly and look to see Elena staring at me intently. 
I give her a weak smile and sniff softly.
"Yeah. I'm fine." 

I raised my hands up to wipe my eyes before resting them back down in my lap and looking back over to Elena. She looked so scared. Her eyes were wide and she looked so small in comparison to her brother, that she was now huddled up to for warmth most likely. 

"I'm really sorry. About all of this. None of you should have ever been involved in any of this. The only reason you're here is because he was trying to get to me." 

Jenna gave me a light smile and parted her lips to speak but Damon cut her off.
"I don't blame you for any of this. None of us do." He said nodding to the girls.
"It's not your fault your dad is a psychopath." 

"Damon!" Jenna nudged him with her foot, giving him a disapproving look.

I laughed softly.
"No it's okay. He's not wrong. He is insane." 

 "How long do you think it'll take before someone finds us?" I ask cautiously. 

I hear Jenna let out a long heavy sigh. 
"I'm not sure. We've been here for a while. But then again we don't have any other family. We're all each other has got. You've got your mom and your best friend and your boyfriend, too, I'd assume." 

I nodded.
"Adam told me he thought something was off. He tried to stop me from going with Chase yesterday. But I didn't listen to him."

"He must love you a lot to be so concerned about your safety." 

I smiled a little and nodded my head.
"Yeah. Yeah he does."

"Don't worry, love. We'll get out of here soon. It won't be long before someone realizes you're missing. But for now, you need to eat up. You won't get anything until tomorrow." She reasoned, nodding her head over to the plate.

I stared at it for a moment or two before finally pulling it to me and eating what was on the plate. 

I know Adam. 
He wouldn't just let days go by without texting me or going by my house. He's gotta figure it out soon. 
I hope.