Page 18

Max

I pull myself out of the pool, finally cooled off from my afternoon walk.

Jumping in was almost therapeutic given the shock to my system the temperature change caused; it forced the horrible conversation with my grandfather out of my head.

I lay a beach towel out on one of my lounge chairs and lie face down.

It’s too late in the day for sun, but I realize I’ve been spending too much of my summer inside staring at the TV or my phone.

Rosie pants, looking out toward the pine trees at the edge of my property.

I have her leashed in the shade on the grass with a water bowl, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she wants to go inside soon.

I called Mom earlier, letting her know I couldn’t make dinner today; I couldn’t bear to be around Dad, knowing his likely opinion on the Hailey situation.

Mom was upset, saying she made this meal special for me because Sofia had plans with her tennis team tonight.

I apologized, but she kept me on the phone for half an hour, complaining more about the duck-woman painting in the hallway.

My parents plan to host a party at the end of the month and she argued with Dad about taking it down.

I kept agreeing with her, half-listening, until I could finally end the call.

The patio door opens and my eyes immediately fall on Hailey’s chest; she’s wearing a yellow tank with no bra. Does she have any idea what that outfit does to me? I quickly look away before the thought of fucking her tits takes hold.

I rest on my elbows and put my sunglasses on top of my head so she can see me. She notices the dog before meeting my eyes, and luckily she doesn’t scream in terror. Maybe her jumpiness is finally improving.

“Oh,” she says. “I thought you were going to your parents’ place tonight.”

“I canceled.”

I adjust the chair so I can sit. She walks past and picks the chair farthest from me.

I snap my head toward Rosie before she catches me checking out her ass.

I really need to get a hold of myself, especially since I’m just wearing these thin, black swim trunks and I’m dangerously close to getting hard.

“What are you reading?” I ask, noticing the book in her hand.

She holds it up. “A thriller. I found it in your library. Have you read it?”

I smile. “Nope. Let me know if it’s any good. ”

She returns the smile with significantly more sass. “Have you read anything in your library?”

I turn to my side, wincing. “Maybe. I’m sure there’s something I was forced to read in school.”

She giggles. I think I notice her checking me out for a second, but maybe it’s wishful thinking. The mixed signals from this girl are going to drive me insane.

“Why do you have so many books, then?” she asks.

“I didn’t know what else to do with the library.

A friend who knows real estate said it’d be crazy to rip the shelving down and use the room for something else.

The library has historic relevance, and I’d lose value if I messed with it.

So, I went to a thrift store and bought all their used books, but that only filled a shelf or two.

Then people started giving me their books when they moved out or did spring cleaning. Eventually, it filled up.”

She gives me another flirty smile, then opens her book, apparently done with the conversation.

“Hey,” I say, before she gets too sucked into the novel.

She glances at me, trying to look annoyed, but she’s fighting back a smile. It’s adorable. “Are you doing better after... you know. You’ve been so jumpy that I’m worried about you,” I stutter. I’ve been meaning to check in, but there was never a good time.

She puts the book down on her lap. Any hint of playfulness is gone.

“I haven’t been sleeping well. I keep waking up from dreams that I’m stuck in that place.

In the prison. Kaiser is featured a lot, too.

” She sighs. “Today was easier, though. I kept myself distracted pretty well.” Her blue eyes get a faraway look and I worry I shouldn’t have asked.

“When you say prison, is that a metaphor or an actual prison within the cult?”

“An actual prison.”

I nod. “Nick mentioned something about that.”

Her brows furrow. “How does he know about it?”

“He watched a documentary, so he claims to be an expert now.”

She grunts, looking toward Rosie. “I had no idea people made documentaries about us.”

“Well, there’s probably a documentary for just about anything.” I pause. “If you ended up back there, would you get put in the prison?”

She seems annoyed by the intrusive questioning, and I sense she’s shutting down, but this is useful information for Grandpa to see my side more clearly.

“Yes. But they don’t call it a prison. It’s a ‘rehabilitation program’, which means psychological and physical torture until someone is broken.

After that: forced labor.” She sighs, letting the book fall to her lap.

“Although I guess I was working for pennies as a normal member. But the work those people do is far less glamorous.”

“Fuck.” I look at Rosie panting in the grass. “You’re not going back there.”

I want to ask so many more questions, but she’s never opened up this much before, and I don’t want to push it .

She gives me a weak smile, then quickly looks away.

“I’m serious,” I say. “If they end up capturing you, I’ll blow that place up.

It’s not right. Someone should’ve arrested the assholes running it long ago.

Christ, we never treat people like that and the government is always up our asses.

” I maybe should have bitten my tongue some more.

I just remembered her father is the leader, but I don’t know how she feels about him.

“Thanks, Max,” she says. I can’t read her face at all to tell if she’s comforted or pissed off. She’s so expressive when things are light and flirty between us, but she has this stoic mask when this topic comes up.

I let her read after that, happy we had that conversation even if I’m worried it soured her evening.

I’m pretty sure Grandpa imagined a lighter situation if we sold Hailey back to VOE, but if I explain to him everything she told me today, it might sway him.

I always assumed she’d be able to escape if she found herself back there.

But this sounds more extreme. I’m glad she could get out when she did.