Page 91 of King of Clubs

“I’m just not feeling well. I’m so sorry,” I averted my gaze, knowing I would burst into tears if I looked him in the eye. Thankfully he was busy with the kids and didn’t study me too long.

“No worries, Marls, you need a ride home? Sof can take ya.”

“No thanks, Sebastian is already here. But thank you anyway. I-I’ll see you later, yeah?”

I rushed out of the room, my hand visibly shaking as I reached for the door handle and stepped into the sunlight.

Parked right outside was the same red car I’d sat in hundreds of times. The same car I’d cried in while I dreamed of another life while doing my best to please the man who owned it.

For the entirety of our relationship I did what I could to keep him happy but it was never enough.

It never would be.

I opened the car door and slowly sank into the front seat, overwhelmed by the smell of stale cigarettes and the discarded takeaway packaging which littered the floor. Turning to reach for my seat belt I saw Gabriel peering through the window of the storage room, indistinguishable to anyone other than someone who knew her favourite hiding spot. I twiddled my little finger to show her I was okay.

Everything would be okay.

Turning back to face the front windscreen, the fear I spent so long fighting flooded through me.

The familiar voice broke the silence and when I looked over, the desperation was clear in the now tired eyes.

“I’m so glad you listened. I’ve missed you, Marls,” her voice was soft, kind even. “Lucas will be so happy to see you. Wait until you see how he has changed. He loves you so much and now you can be together.”

I clutched the seatbelt over my chest, my heart pounding so hard that it threatened to leap from within. While she sounded as she always had, it was clear this was not the Lori I knew. Her irrationality for a start was a clue, but more than that, she seemed to believe what she was saying. She truly believed her brother had changed and we could be together again. Which in no universe was ever going to be a possibility.

As she rattled on about how her family would be perfect again, I prayed Gab would be able to keep her promise before it was too late.

Sebastian

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Leapingfromthecaroutside the Neighbourhood Centre, I was already halfway up the path before I heard the door slam behind me.

Six unanswered calls on the way over. All to give her the heads up I was coming.

I knew she would be pissed off that I was involving myself in her business again, but that was a wrath I would take in light of the risk to her safety. I was hoping that as it was only a few hours before she was meant to finish she wouldn’t be so annoyed. It was practically a full day of work, right?

Knocking once, I took a deep breath as the door opened.

“Hey, Brad,” I held my hand out and he shook it in greeting, one hand wrapped around the child who was standing at his side. She looked to be around seven and she smiled at me, twirling her long hair.

“Sebastian, nice to see you. Come on in,” he walked ahead taking his leg in wide circles as the girl who clung to him giggled. The Centre was bigger on the inside than it appeared and the raucousness of children filled the rooms. No wonder Marls loved it here so much, it was beaming with positivity. It suited her personality to a tee and I could imagine her playing and laughing with the kids when she was here. I followed him through the door, glancing into every room for the rich brown hair or vibrant laugh of my girl.

“Sorry about the noise, we have a few extras who have joined us here today, like this little munchkin. Gabriel, say hi to Sebastian. He's Marlee’s friend.”

He handed me a bottle of water which I declined with a quick shake of my head as I smiled at Gabriel, recognising the girl as one Marlee spoke of with fondness.

“No thanks, just here to speak to Marlee,” I answered with a forced calm.

Brad swallowed his own mouthful of water looking at me with confusion.

“Marls left a few hours ago. Said she wasn’t feeling well. I thought she said you picked her up but I could be wrong.”

“Wait. What?” I tried to quell the rising panic in my voice. “When was this exactly?” Yanking my phone from my pocket I furiously typed a message to Wayne, an instant dread sinking in my stomach.

“Ummmm, Gab, when was it? You reckon about four hours ago? Actually, it was after breakfast, so about nine o’clock, yeah? She said you were picking her up?” He tacked on as if he had just realised something was amiss.

“Urgh, yeah, she’s probably at home,” I said, a new message to Arna already opened, my fingers flying across the screen. “Thanks, anyway,” I was already jogging back to the door worried sick that she wasn’t here and now wasn’t answering her phone.

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