Page 26 of Saving Tracey (Finding Hope #1)

Glenda and Dale exchanged a worried glance, and Dale finally stepped forward, sighing softly, almost like he was a bit afraid to tell me about the little kid they had brought home.

"Trevor, this little boy was brought to the hospital, and I was his doctor while he was there.

Child services came, giving us information about what had happened to him, and his name.

" He swallowed hard and ran a hand through his balding hair.

"Trevor, meet your little brother, Lucas Varner. "

I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I never knew my parents had a second kid. Hell, they never even fucking deserved to have a second one. They couldn’t even do right by the first one: me.

"Fuck,” I muttered, barely restraining myself from throwing something. I looked at Dale. "How in the hell did they slip this past me?!" I roared, not able to contain it any longer.

The guilt crushed me. I hadn't ever made sure that they weren't hurting another kid. I could have saved this kid from the same fate I had suffered.

Glenda sighed, holding Lucas's hand. I swallowed hard when his petrified eyes met mine. "Your mother was only a few weeks pregnant with him when child services came and got you,” she informed me. "She apparently didn't even know she was pregnant at the time."

I cursed loudly, running my fingers through my hair roughly.

I wanted to yank my hair out. No kid deserved to go through that bullshit.

I knew what my parents were like, and I knew what they were capable of.

I knew without a doubt that they had already fucked his life up, and he couldn't have been no older than five or six.

I looked at the kid that looked almost just like me. We had the same dark, wavy hair, dark eyes, and tall build. The only difference between me and him was that he looked absolutely terrified, and I was ready to murder the bastards that had hurt him.

I walked forward, my steps cautious. I didn't want to scare him. I wanted him to trust me.

I knew all too well how hard his trust may be to gain.

I knelt in front of him, my eyes catching how he clutched Glenda's hand tighter. "Hey, little man," I murmured, giving him a small, encouraging smile. "I'm your big brother, Trevor."

"T-Trevor?" he asked me, his bottom lip quivering, almost like he was terrified to speak to me.

I remembered that shit way better than I would like.

I nodded, holding my hand out to him. "Are you hungry?"

He looked up at Dale, and I knew why. He wasn't allowed to eat unless he was told to. It took me almost an entire year living with Dale and Glenda to understand that I could eat whenever I wanted, whatever I wanted.

"Hey," I said gently, bringing his attention back to me. "You can eat whenever and however much you want, okay? Come on, let's go see what there's to eat."

He slowly placed his hand in mine, and I squeezed it lightly, giving him a smile.

When I stood up, my eyes landed on Tracey, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, staring at Lucas.

Sadness rang in her eyes as she looked at the little boy clutching my hand with a death grip.

Lucas tugged on my hand, and I looked down at him, ripping my attention from my beautiful girlfriend, whose hair was still tousled from sex. "Who's that?"

I squeezed his hand again. "That's Tracey, my girlfriend," I told him. "She's really nice. Ask her to come eat breakfast with us."

He looked down, obviously unsure. I didn't blame him. I remembered that age all too well, terrified to speak to others, not knowing if it was really okay or not, even if someone told you that it was.

I shook his hand a little, making him look back up at me. "Go on; ask her.”

He drew in a deep breath, his wide, terrified eyes meeting Tracey's. She flinched at the fear she saw in his eyes, and I knew why. She could see herself reflected in those eyes, the years of pain and violence.

"D-Do y-you want to eat b-breakfast w-with us?" Lucas asked her timidly.

She gave him a small smile, and I felt my chest warm at the sight of her smiling. I was so damn glad that she was still okay after this morning, and I was fucking ecstatic that she was so open to Lucas already.

She stepped down toward us, holding her hand out for Lucas's other hand. I was shocked, to say the least, considering it always took her so long to touch other people.

Lucas put his hand in hers instantly, and she closed her hand around his small one, sending me a smile that brightened my whole day. "Yeah, kiddo," she told him, turning her attention to him, sending him another smile, "let's go eat. I'm starved."

I couldn't help but chuckle.

Oh, I'm sure she was .

TRACEY

I was sitting on the couch watching Trevor show Lucas how to play Call of Duty. I could tell the two were going to be inseparable, and I knew Lucas needed someone to trust.

Nothing helped you get better than to have someone strong holding your hand through it all, and Trevor was the best person to give Lucas the strength he needed to get strong.

Trevor leaned his head back on my legs, looking up at me. "Want to have a go, baby?"

I shook my head, standing up. "No; thank you, though.” I glanced down at the phone in my hands, which had been blowing up with texts from Kaleb, Miss Brinson, and Krista.

I needed to get home, and I wanted to walk to clear my head before I got there.

I had a lot to think about before I stepped into the family meeting that I knew would happen.

Trevor stood up as soon as he noticed the worried look cross over my face as my phone flashed with another text from Kaleb. "What's wrong?" he asked me, grabbing my free hand and pulling me up so my body was flush with his, causing my skin to heat up.

I shook my head at him in answer. "I just need to go home—"

He interrupted me, concern crossing his features, pain and panic flashing in his eyes. "Do you regret last night?"

My eyes widened in shock at his words, and I immediately shook my head no.

"Of course not!" I exclaimed a little too loudly, making Lucas jump in fright at my words.

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair, drawing in a shaky breath.

"Everyone is just worried about me, and I need to get home to assure them that I'm okay.

Besides, Miss Brinson wants to sit down with me and Kaleb. "

Trevor clenched his jaw. "I don't want you anywhere around Kaleb. Especially not after what he fucking said about you."

I stepped back from him, grabbing the bag I had brought downstairs when he wasn't paying attention. "Trevor, until I turn eighteen, Miss Brinson is still my guardian, and I have to do what she says,” I reminded him.

He sighed, reaching into his pockets to pull out his bike keys. I shook my head at him. "No, Trevor. I need to walk home and clear my head, okay?"

Worry filled his beautiful, dark eyes that always seemed to draw me in. He sighed, running his hands through his hair, tugging on the ends. It was obvious he didn't want me walking alone, and he definitely didn’t want me going back home and facing Kaleb without him.

"Fine,” he finally muttered. "But you have to call me when you get home, understand?"

I nodded. He stepped forward, pulling me against him to kiss me with enough passion to make my knees weak.

When he pulled back, I was a bit breathless, my chest quickly rising and falling as I tried to normalize my breathing again.

He kissed my forehead and released me. "Please, be careful, Tracey. "

I nodded. I smiled at Lucas, giving him a small wave. "Bye, kiddo."

He smiled at me shyly, still wary of me. I turned to the door, walking out into the chilly night.

I was lost. Somewhere I had taken a wrong turn, and I was absolutely fucking lost. Nothing looked familiar, and I had absolutely no idea where I was at.

On top of it all, my phone was dead.

I was so fucked .

Graffiti covered the buildings around me. I saw some kids standing on the sides of the roads, wearing either red or blue for obvious reasons. I could tell some of them had guns, and it didn't make me feel comfortable in the slightest.

I kept my gaze focused on the pavement, desperate to get somewhere I knew. Fuck, why hadn't I just taken Trevor's offer of a ride? I sure as hell wouldn't be in this predicament if I had.

I screamed when someone grabbed me and tossed me onto the ground in an alley. I quickly scampered up, my phone and bag left forgotten on the ground. My chest heaved up and down as my eyes met the same cold, green ones of my own.

He stepped into the light, that sadistic smirk I had almost forgotten about covering his features, making me sick to my stomach. "We have a lot of unfinished business, Tracey."