“Done.” He turned around and I climbed onto his back.
We laughed the whole way home. Especially when he kept threatening to roll us in the sand. He slowly walked up the stairs of the deck and pretended like he was going to open the sliding glass doors and walk right inside.
“What are you doing? You need to rinse off your feet!”
“They’re not even that sandy.”
So maybe he wasn’t pretending like he was about to open the door. “The outside shower is right there.” I pointed to the side of the deck.
“I’ll sweep. I swear.”
“It’s going to get everywhere. Miller…”
He somehow managed to open the sliding glass door while battling me. I started laughing because he really was ridiculous. Or maybe I was ridiculous. I didn’t even know anymore.
“Stop,” I laughed and tried to wrap my leg around his arm even though it was too late. He’d already taken the inevitable first sandy step. “All is lost!”
He started laughing even harder.
Someone cleared their throat.
Miller and I both froze. My dad was standing in the middle of the living room.
“Dad.” My voice died in my throat when I saw his expression.
My father’s face was…cold. Hard. Terrifying. “What are you doing?” he said.
I wasn’t sure which one of us he was talking to. I slid off Miller’s back. “I got my shoes wet. Miller carried me back so I wouldn’t get them all sandy too.” But I didn’t really know how to explain away our little wrassle back there. I knew how that probably looked. It looked exactly like it was. Like Miller and I were flirting. Being handsy. It looked like we were more than friends. Which was strictly against my dad’s rules. I smiled at Miller. “Thank you, bodyguard,” I said formally. “That’ll be all. Away with you.”Away with you?What the hell was I even saying? Miller was my bodyguard. Not a houseboy.
Miller cleared his throat. “Yes, ma’am. And I’ll sweep this mess up immediately.”
“Good. Make it snappy.” Seriously, what was I saying? I turned back to my dad. Our little display did not seem to pacify him at all. I tried to think of another strategy. “Hey, Dad.” I walked over to hug him but he held up his hand.
“You’re soaked. Go change. We have a lot to discuss.”
I nodded.Fuck. I really hoped I didn’t just get Miller in trouble. I kicked off my wet shoes and ran up to my room to change as quickly as possible. I didn’t bother to rinse the saltwater off my skin. I threw on a t-shirt and shorts and ran back down the stairs.
Miller and my father were talking heatedly in the living room. I watched in horror as my father pulled a gun out of the back of his belt and lifted it toward Miller.
“Stop!” I screamed as I ran down the rest of the steps. “Don’t hurt Miller.” I stepped in front of him and put out my hands, as if that would somehow protect us from being shot. “He’s done nothing wrong!”
My father ignored me and proceeded to reach around me and…hand Miller the gun.
Miller didn’t make eye contact with me. He just slid the gun into his waistband.
I looked back and forth between them. “What’s going on?”
“There’s been a little hiccup in my plans. I told Isabella the news that she was going away to get help. But she thinks the only reason she’s going is because you’re still alive. She’s convincedyou’re out there somewhere. I tried to tell her otherwise. But I don’t know if she listened. The security at the institute she’s going to is good. But I’m worried it’s not as good as my own. She’s heading there on Monday. And I just wanted to make sure you’ll be safe just in case she…gets out. And finds you. And tries something. Or maybe even tries something before she arrives at the institute.”
“She thinks I’m alive?”
My dad nodded.
That was bad. Really bad. And yet…I wasn’t even really concerned about that. I was concerned about the fact that this afternoon could have gone very differently. My dad was a violent man. He easily could have shot Miller a few minutes ago. He wouldn’t have even blinked an eye. And it would have been all my fault.
“So no more leaving the house until I say otherwise.”
What? No. I needed to be outside. This house was stifling. The only reason I wanted to stay here instead of going to someplace new was because I got to be outside all the time. “But…”
