02

I just had to keep busy this summer and bolt to college as soon as I could.

I came in through the front door and trudged up to my bedroom.

I stepped out of my clothes and quickly showered, flipping through my small closet for something to wear while I towel-dried my hair.

I had just plucked out a lemon yellow sundress, slightly faded on some parts but pretty enough for tonight’s party, when I turned to throw it on the bed and noticed Timothy standing by my bedroom doorway.

« What the hell ! » I dropped the small towel in front of me, clumsily trying to cover what my bra and underwear couldn’t hide.

« You should’ve knocked, Timothy ! » I snapped furiously at him before I managed to grab my old, terry cloth robe hanging on one of the four low posts of my bed, and shrugged it on. « What the hell do you want ? »

I pressed my lips together, trying not to bite his head off with a stream of colorful language.

The way his eyes were scanning me shrewdly caused an ugly shudder down my spine. There was a calculating look to him, his mouth curling into a satisfied smirk.

I tightened the robe’s belt around me and glared at him. I had no idea he was home. It was too early. If I’d known, I would’ve locked my bedroom door and put my chair against it as I normally did.

« I came to tell you something, » he finally answered, moving away from the doorway and walking up toward me.

I instinctively walked backwards until I was on the other side of the bed. My heart was pounding but I kept my chin firmly up as I refused to let my gaze waver from his. The last thing I wanted was for him to think that I was afraid of him.

« What ? » I bit out.

« A family friend has invited you to stay with them for the summer, » he said, plopping down lazily on my bed. He was a tall and wiry man with a forgettable face, seemingly harmless if you didn’t know him well enough like I did. I wanted him to stay far away from me.

« I didn’t know we had family friends, » I answered cautiously. « And since I’ve never met them before, what would they want with me ? »

Timothy stared into space for a few seconds before locking his gaze back on me. « A friend of your Mom’s, apparently. They have a beachfront at Cobalt Bay, real stunning. I know you love the beach and that you hate not having one around here. You loved Cobalt Bay, didn’t you ? »

I swallowed hard.

My mother and I had lived in Cobalt Bay until just a few months before her death. It was a small city northwest of California which had grown stronger economically in the last few decades after many businesses opened their corporate offices there and rich people started building and buying multi-million-dollar properties along its once-untouched, white-sanded banks that stretched along the beautiful, cobalt-hued ocean.

I had loved it even though all we had was a small, one-bedroom apartment in the outskirts of downtown. We had spent many weekends having a picnic by the beach and strolling by Baywalk.

« Why, after all these years, do they want to see me now ? » I asked again, doing my best not to show any excitement at the prospect of returning to Cobalt Bay again.

« Why do you ask so many damn questions ? » Timothy grumbled, rolling his eyes. « They thought you were doing okay here with my parents. They had just found out about the car accident. Also, I’m trying to get them to partner with me in the pawnshop. With their investment, I can do all the repairs and upgrades I’ve been planning on. It would really help if we grant them this small request. »

I almost snorted at that. Timothy was more likely to take their money and spend it all on a night at the casino and the strip club. Still, I was curious.

« Who are they ? »

Timothy pursed his lips and furrowed his brows as if trying to remember, « Mr. And Mrs. Vi-Victory. Their um, daughter, is the same age as you. Monica. Yeah. She’ll be there too. Going to Harvard this fall, I think. »

I studied Timothy for a few minutes.

« I can’t, » I finally said after weighing between my doubts, my newly-found hopes and the facts of my current situation. « I just took a job at Books Cabin. And I’ve promised to spend the summer with my friends. Plus, I have to get ready for fall—« 

« They’re not as important, » Timothy hissed, suddenly bolting to his feet and marching toward me.

I was backed up against a corner and could go no further when he grabbed my arm and shook me hard. A tendril of fear wrapped itself around my spine. He’d never hurt me when he was sober but I’ve come to expect every dumb, vicious thing from Timothy.

« I have a lot riding on this, Cassie, » he ground out, his eyes flashing. « Remember that college money my folks saved up for you ? I might be very tempted to dip into it if I can’t find the extra capital for the pawnshop. You wouldn’t want that, would you ? »

My mouth fell open with a gasp as I stared at him.

He really did just threaten to cut me off from my college funds !

The nerve !

« That money is mine, » I uttered in a low, hard voice.

Timothy smiled cruelly. « No, that money was my parents’, therefore, mine. Unfortunately for you, they did not think of putting it into a trust. All it is is just a tidy little savings account they promised to spend on you. But there’s nothing in writing for that now, is there ? If I wanted to, I could just simply drain it and close it and you can forget all your dreams of going away for college and instead stay here and work at the pawnshop. If you’re lucky, I might just give you a nice little allowance if keep me happy. »

Bile rose in my throat at his emphasis on the word happy and in that moment I knew that everywhere else was preferable than staying in this hell house with a man who was going to abuse me far worse than he already has sooner rather than later.

« When do I leave ? » I asked in the steadiest voice I could manage.

He blinked, smiled and eased back, releasing my arm although I was already certain his fingers were going to leave me with a cuff of bruises.

« Tonight, actually, » he answered, turning and walking to my closet to pull a battered magenta-colored suitcase from the rack above the row of hangers. « We have about a two-hour drive to Charleston. We stay the night there. Our flight is at six in the morning. »