“You care about him?” she asked.
“Of course I care about him. He’s my nephew.”
She smiled. “I can work with that. He’s not too bad. His cell phone is always buzzing though.”
“I’ll deal with his cell phone.”
She liked that he cared, and she missed it. Having someone to care about her. Seeing they were close to her home, she let the driver know, and he pulled up at the smallest house on the end of the street. It wasn’t great. The front lawn was overgrown, and the windows were dirty on the outside. Her aunt didn’t care for presentation.
“This is where you live?”
“This is home.”
It was a far cry from the home she was used to. Her mother had cleaned every single day, and believed the key to a happy life was a good home.
“Thank you for the ride, Mr. Carson,” she said.
“It’s Beast. You can call me Beast.”
She smiled at him, and climbed out, making her way toward the house.
Opening the door, she glanced back, seeing Beast stare at her. She liked his gaze a little too much. Closing the door, she turned around, and saw her aunt stood there.
“Are you behaving like a whore now?” Aunt Tay asked.
“No. It’s just a friend. He didn’t like me walking home.”
“Back in my day any woman could walk home and not need a lift. You know I don’t want that kind of behavior in my house. It’s the reason your father had issues with your mother. She didn’t know when to keep her legs shut.”
“Don’t,” Hope said. “Don’t talk about my mother like that. You’re more than happy to take the money she had to take care of me, so don’t you dare speak about her like that. Your brother, my father, was the sick one. He couldn’t keep his cravings at bay.” She glared at her aunt, once again thankful that in those final hours, her mother made her aware of the stipulations of the trust fund, and the allowance that would be granted in the event of her and her father’s death.
If Aunt Tay so much as laid a finger on her, everything would be gone. The money she loved so much, and Hope could leave. Part of her wanted Tay to hit her, so then she wouldn’t feel obliged to stick around. This was what her mother wanted, and she’d do whatever it took to make her wishes come true.
****
The day was bright, and from his office, Beast stared out into the garden, watching as Dwayne and Hope were lying out on the grass. It was too hot for them to be inside, cooped up in the library. He watched as Hope tucked some hair behind her ear, and he was curious about her.
The report he had told him she didn’t even go to a counselor after the event. For two weeks, she’d listened to her father’s rants, watching as he beat her mother before turning onto her. There hadn’t been any indications of a sexual assault, and no rape kit had been required either.
Her father simply lost it.
She laughed at something Dwayne said, and it completely lit up her entire face.
Beast had gotten every single detail on her aunt as well.
Once again, he watched as Dwayne grabbed his cell phone, leaving Hope alone. For several seconds, he watched as she pulled out her own books, and started to work on her stuff. She nibbled her lip, and he saw the focus in her gaze. Leaving his office, he stopped by the kitchen on his way outside, grabbing a soda for Hope.
As he made his way toward her, she still hadn’t looked up, and only when he stood over her, casting her in shadow did she finally glance up.
“Beast,” she said, smiling.
“I figured you could use a drink.” He handed the soda down to her.
“Thank you.” She opened the can and took a sip.
“Where’s the student?”
“I think the student has a girlfriend who doesn’t like him being tutored by me. She’s probably worried my weirdness will rub off on him, and she’s going to have a weirdo for a boyfriend.”
He sat down on the grass and stared at her. “What makes you weird?”
“The fact I still go to school. That I don’t do drugs or get high. I work.” She nibbled her lip.
“I know your history, Hope.”
“Everyone seems to know about it, and of course because they know, they think they’re an expert in how a person deals with it.”
“And you hate it?”
She paused, licking her lips. “I hate that they think they know what’s right.”
“You have to admit it’s strange. Your father kept you locked up, chained to a wall, and you’re sitting here, drinking soda, looking like everything is normal.”
She averted her eyes, but he saw the tears in her gaze. She started to speak but stopped as her throat sounded full. He watched as she gained composure. “My mom, she didn’t want me to think about what happened. She told me that I would get out, and when I did, I wasn’t to make mistakes. I wasn’t to let it beat me. She wanted me to make her proud.” Her eyes watered again, and she quickly dropped her head.