Page 6 of Brutal Little Secrets

My dad’s eyes narrow on me before he meets Adam’s gaze. “We’d love to. I can’t wait to meet your new girlfriend. I need to get Cam home and sober before his mother finds out.”

Adam runs a hand through his hair. “Yeah, not looking forward to whatever excuse Damon has this time.”

Fuck our fathers. It’s like they forgot what it’s like to be a teenager. Grandma told me about the shit they used to get up to. So fuck them.

They say their goodbyes and we head out to the car. My phone is in my pocket, but I don’t dare take it out where Dad can decide to take it away from me. I’m sick of high school, of parties, of being on a leash.

College is just a longer leash. I’ll still be tied to my father for his money unless I want to find a way to work through college, which sounds like hell.

Once we’re in the car, he hands me a bottle of water. He’s silent on the way home. He probably won’t lay into me until I’m hungover and trying not to puke my brains out. This isn’t the first time he’s had to pick me up somewhere because I was too drunk. Though, it’s the first time he’s picked me up from the police station.

I would have scrambled out the back of the party with the rest of my friends if I knew where the fuck Evan or Hawk or Damon were. I didn’t want to leave them behind. But Hawk and Evan weren’t at the station. Hopefully, they jumped the fence.

Chase was at the station, though, holding an ice pack against his cheek and glaring daggers at Damon.

His father arrived earlier and took him home. Asshole was probably sober. Maybe Evan got out with Mia, who I didn’t see.

When we get home, the kitchen light is on, but my mother stopped waiting up for me years ago. We walk in and I grab another bottle of water from the fridge.

“We’re talking in the morning, Cam.” Dad shakes his head as he passes me. “This shit has got to stop.”

I acknowledge his statement with a grunt and head up to my room. I’m still not sober enough to go anywhere and my motorcycle is still at Fletcher’s. When I get to my room, I lie back on my bed and stare at the ceiling with the glow in the dark stars stuck to it.

I check my phone and there are no messages from Hawk, Damon, or Evan. I don’t even know where Evan is.

Me:

Where you at, goody two-shoes?

When I don’t get an immediate response, I glance at the time. It’s ten after three in the morning. I put my phone on the charger and wonder what fresh hell tomorrow morning will bring.

Chapter 3

EvanAnn

“I’m not finished talking to you!”

The muffled voice wakes me. The arms around my center tighten, pulling me back against a warm body. I almost slip back into sleep.

“I’m going to bed.” Damon?

The night comes flooding back to me in technicolor detail. The party. Chase. Damon with Olivia. Being left. Hawk. Safe. I snuggle into Hawk and his breath huffs against my temple.

“Have you been drinking?” Adam asks. My room is pitch black. The door to the bathroom is closed, but the hallway light shines beneath my door. The voices come from the hallway.

“Of course not.” Damon’s voice moves down the hall.

“Then why would you get into a fight at a party? I thought I raised you to be smarter than that. Do I have to worry about your temper? Do you need to go back to therapy?”

“No.”

Damon got into a fight at the party? Was that after I left? How did his father find out? I hold my breath, waiting to hear more.

“I don’t know what to do with you.” Adam’s voice comes through the bathroom.

I give up on sleeping and sit up. What happened tonight? Hawk keeps his arm around my legs.

“What were you even fighting about?”