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Eyes wide, she shakes her head. “I’m not leaving you.”
“Harlow, I’ll be fine.”
“No.”
“I’ll just get him back into bed, and he won’t get up again, but you should leave.”
She stands her ground, roots her feet to the floor. “No.”
Another loud bang—Grandpa’s bedroom door opening so fast it hit the wall behind it—followed by his grunt. “I have to go,” I rush out. “Just stay here. Don’t move.”
I run down the stairs to see Grandpa in the middle of the living room, yelling for Isaac.
“Grandpa.” I grasp his shoulders, try to get his eyes to meet mine—a mistake on my part, because it’s clear he doesn’t seemewhen he looks at me. “You fucking…” he sneers, spit flying out of his mouth. He leans in close, his beer breath washing over me as he fists my jacket. “Isaac, you son of a bitch!”
I lose my breath when he pushes me into the wall, his forearm right at my throat. Hands up between us, I close my eyes when he balls his fist, and I wait for the inevitable.
“You took her,” he taunts, releasing the pressure on my neck, just so he can come back twice as hard. “A life for a life, Isaac, that’s how?—”
“Stop!”
I don’t recognize the voice right away, because the voice had never lived in my nightmares before.
Grandpa steps away, releasing me completely. He looks at Harlow, standing at the foot of the stairs, then to me, and I can see the moment reality hits. Using the wall to stand taller, I reach for my grandpa as he retreats into himself. “It’s okay, Grandpa,” I assure, and I can hear his breaths switch from anger topain.“It’s okay,” I repeat, turning him to me. I hold him in my arms while telling Harlow, “Wait for me outside.” She hesitates a beat, but I don’t have time for these games. “Now, Harlow!”
I keep my grandpa hidden while she exits through the front door, and as soon as the door’s closed, Grandpa mumbles, embarrassed, “No friends in the house, Jace.”
“I know. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” I help him to his room and back into bed. “I’m going to take her home, and I’ll be right back. Try to get to sleep, okay?”
“No friends in the house, Jace.”
“I know, Grandpa. I’m sorry,” I repeat.
Harlow’s waiting on the porch when I step out, pacing back and forth, her hands spread at her sides. “I told you to stay in my room,” I snap.
“And I told youno.” She steps up to me,livid, as if she has the right. “If you think for a single second I’m going to let you be treated like that byanyone, then you’re out of your fucking mind. I may not have a baseball bat and the urge to smash out some headlights, but it’s the same fucking thing.”
I unlock my van, head toward it. “I’m taking you home.”
“Fine, but you’re staying with me.”
“Whatever.”
She gets in the van, and I bypass the driveway and cut through the grass until I’m in front of her house.
I can’t look at her when I say, “I need to get back to him.”
“Bullshit. You’re staying with me tonight.”
I shake my head, try to keep my frustration in check. “What part ofI need to get back to himis unclear to you, Harlow?”
“The part that something bad will happen to you if you do!” she yells.
I match her tone. “Nothing is going to happen!”
“But what if it does?!”
“Dammit, Harlow!” I reach over her to unlock her door, push it open, and practically shove her out of it. “Get out!”