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I sense a little attitude, but she’s talking out of her arsehole about the injury and the pounding in my ears is becoming overwhelming. I don’t have the focus to fight her on this right now.
“Please see yourself out, Miss Jones.” I’m barely containing my rage. It’s been a long time since this kind of anger has fueled me.
I don’t hear if she speaks before she leaves, and I’m not entirely sure if she goes straight away, but my eyes are drawn down to my desk, my breaths coming in thick and fast as the memory overtakes me.
“You know I hate it when I have to wait, Margaret.”
There’s a crash from the kitchen. It makes me and Hadley look up from our Legos and our eyes connect. We both know what this is. It’s not the first time.
“You did this, Margaret.” Another crash, followed by a scream, and Hadley is up, stepping over the Legos and rushing towards the kitchen.
I can’t let him get hurt too.
I rush after him, making it just as he jumps onto Father’s back.
“Stop!” He’s yelling, trying to wrap his arms around Father’s neck, but it’s difficult because we’re too small.
With Father’s attention on Hadley, I run to Mum, crouching beside her and carefully touching her bleeding cheek.
“Come on, Mum. Let me help you up. We should go somewhere until Father calms down.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” Her lips wobble, like she wants to say more, but there’s another crash, making me snap my head around to see.
“Get off me, you little cunt.” Father’s face is red, Hadley has a good hold on him, and I’m content to watch, but that’s my mistake.
In the next second, Father rips Hadley’s arms from around his throat and throws him against the wall. Hadley doesn’t yell, but his face screams bad things right before he slides down the wall and lands in a heap on the tiled floor.
My body vibrates, my skin is getting hot, and it’s hard to breathe properly as my eyes narrow.
“I hate you!” The words come from somewhere deep inside me, shocking me a little, but I storm toward Father, grabbing the closest thing I can to hit him with.
I’m not thinking about my size now. I’m not thinking about anything, really, apart from protecting my mum and my twin.
Father’s twice the size of me so he easily stops me, backhanding me across the face and making me fall, then there’s a kick to my ribs as the edges of my vision get dark…
I shake myself out of it, calming down just enough to pick up my cell and type out a text to our group chat.
Me:My office. Now. We have a problem.
Less than thirty seconds pass before their replies show on the screen.
Wanker1:*Mrs. Doubtfire gif* On the way, Dear!
Wanker2:There in ten.
The next ten minutes tick by at a snail’s pace, my fury at Bowie’s new lie building with every second that passes. The fact that I’ve barely been able to find out any information of substance on her is not helping.
“Whose nuts are we crunching, big brother?” Hadley arrives first, closely followed by Orion.
I’ve been pacing, so I stop and lean back against my desk.
“Have either of you seen Miss Jones since the meeting on Wednesday?” I already know the answer because if they had, we’d all know about the bruise by now.
“Not up close, no.” Hadley grins, wide and carefree, like the devil is on both shoulders.
“No?” Orion just looks confused, because yeah, this isn’t my usual line of questioning.
“Someone hit her. Do we know if she has a boyfriend?” I’m fucked off that I haven’t been able to find this information myself.