The Initiation (Darkness Within Duet 1)

“I’ve got to go,” she said.

“Harper, please listen to me.”

The doorbell rang, and she glanced behind her.

“That’s him, isn’t it?” Ian said.

“I’ve got to go.” She repeated the same words.

“I know I’ve not been a good parent, but I want to. It has been hard, losing … her.”

This made Harper stop and stare at her father for a long time. He thought it was hard now?

“You don’t get to say that.”

“I mean it.”

“No. I couldn’t even talk about her.”

“You think it’s easy for me?”

“You left her. You left her for a woman who is not even a match to her. You’ve had a baby with her.”

“Harper.”

“No.” She shook her head. “You don’t get to pretend after all this time. You don’t get to make me feel like crap just because you can’t handle the fact I’ve grown up or that I’m dating a guy you don’t like.”

“She always wanted you to be the good girl. Why have you changed so much?”

“Look in the mirror and maybe you’ll see.” With that, she turned on her heel, grabbed her bag, and left. Draven was waiting on the doorstep.

“What’s up?” he asked, the moment he looked at her.

“Nothing, I just really need to get out of here, like, right now.” She had to leave to get as far away from Ian as physically possible.

“Skipping school?” Draven asked.

“Yes, please yes.” She climbed into his car, and he took off. They didn’t speak, and she watched the school as they drove right on past it.

There would be time to catch up on all of her classes soon, just not right now.

Rubbing a hand across her face, she tried to clear the confusion, the chaos, the mess. Nothing worked. She pressed a hand to her chest, trying to not think of all of the things her father said.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Are you going to tell me what’s up?”

“I will. I just need a few minutes.”

He drove to a diner that was out of town. He parked and, throwing her bag into the back of the car, she climbed out and joined him. Draven cupped her hip, drawing her in close, and she loved the comfort of his body surrounding her.

They entered the diner, found a small booth, and the waitress came to pour them some coffee. She wasn’t really hungry, but she looked over the menu anyway to see if there was anything she wanted.

Draven didn’t even pretend to look. He sipped at his coffee.

The taste was bitter.

“Have you told me the whole truth about everything?” she asked.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Some stuff you don’t need to know. It won’t help you to know.”

“And you’re the judge of that?”

“I’m going to protect you. Axel, Buck, and Jett will always be there to protect you, Harper. You’re never going to be alone or afraid again.”

“I’m not afraid right now.”

“This is your dad, isn’t it? He’s gotten to you?”

“He’s not gotten to me. He freaked out when he saw my ink.”

“How is it looking now?” Draven asked.

She stood up and showed him the ink.

“It’s healing well.”

“I’m a good girl, remember? I follow instructions and do as I’m told.”

“That’s not always a bad thing.”

“It’s not?”

“No, what’s gotten into you?”

“I don’t know. I’m just … freaking out. He messed with my head, and now I need to put everything back together again. He told me how hard it was losing her, and I can’t deal with that right now. It was that hard? He didn’t cry at her funeral. He’s not shown any feeling at all, and it kills me. I couldn’t even talk about her.”

“Okay, I don’t want you to think I’m taking his side because I’m not, but have you ever thought that it maybe is hard for him?”

“You’re taking his side.”

He laughed. “I’m not taking his side. Not even close. You’ve not been able to talk about her and that could be that he’s not being a total asshole for jerk’s sake. Maybe it is too hard. Crying in front of Hannah, he might feel bad about it.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t have a clue. Ugh, this would all just be easier if I didn’t have to deal with him. He doesn’t want me seeing you anymore.”

“And what do you think?”

She pointed at her back. “A little late to be playing the concerned parent.”

“That’s not really an answer?”

“A few months ago, I may have listened to him. You know, been kind of excited that he’s paying some kind of interest in me. Now, I’m not interested. I know that makes me sound like a super bitch, and I don’t want to be that, but I can’t be what he expects. Not now.” She grabbed his hand. “I have you guys, and getting this ink, joining with you, fighting, I didn’t do this all lightly, and I’m not going to turn my back on any of you. Not now, not ever.”