Page 145 of Hate So Deep

My fingers still itch to feel the silky dark strands of her hair once more, but I shove that shit away as I park behind the warehouse and exit my truck. What she deserves is a goddam spanking for getting wasted and allowing her friend to take her to a known drug house.

What was shethinking? Oh right, she wasn’t because she chugged tequila like it was water before staggering off into the night.

Despite warning her over and over a-fucking-gain, she still puts herself at risk and goddamn I shudder to think what might happen if I don’t drill it into her fucking skull.

I don’t even know why I’m here. I should leave her to it because then she might actually learn a goddamn lesson from this.

The problem is, I can’t just let this go even though everything in me is screaming to drive the fuck away and let this stupid story end.

We’re different people from different worlds. She grew up in a ridiculous mansion on a hill with a silver spoon shoved down her throat, while I spent the same time in hell.

The problem is, Lauren is spiraling and if something doesn’t change and now, she’s going to get hurt. The worst part is, I won’t be here to catch her before she falls.

It’s not my job but fuck me, the sappy, stupid dick who tried to save another princess locked in a tower wants to be.

That worked out real well…

It doesn’t help that I’ve told my brother countless times to bar Lauren at the door. The last time I did, he laughed in my face, informing me in a sneer that I didn’t appreciate, that it wasn’t my home anymore, since I fucking ran away.

Asshole.

I know this place well, since this is where we used to party, but the huge ass G-Wagon parked four rows up gives me pause.

Is that Buck’s vehicle? Why is he here?

He’s bound to get his ass kicked for it which means he’s up to no good. I should just keep going. This isn’t my problem but my spine tingles with awareness as I push through the crowd.

“Hey Dirk,” someone says, and I nod, accepting a few high fives and handshakes as I weave through the masses.

Stupidly, these kids view me as a god but it’s not my job to inform them otherwise.

Eventually they’ll learn the truth. We’re all just fucked up kids trying to survive in a shitty situation.

I’m not god. I’m just me.

The giant building is empty but for the broken glass raining the floor, a few barrels we used to light up when it was particularly cold outside and the machinery abandoned when the factory closed down.

It’s been so long that no one knows what was created within these dank walls but that’s the least of my worries when I turn the corner and find Lauren sitting on the floor.

My heart stops when she looks up, tears falling from those wide green eyes and I follow her hand outstretched toward her brother, laying against one of the now defunct machines.

“Dirk,” she whimpers as I step closer.

Buck’s eyes flicker open but when he tries to speak, the blood clogging his airway bubbles and foams on his lips.

“What happened?” I ask and Buck begins to thrash but either he doesn’t realize it, or shock has taken over because he’s not going anywhere.

He’s impaled on a long-jagged piece of metal which I suspect is slowly taking his life.

Fuck me but as I take in the scene, I hope to my goddamn bones Lauren was here by accident.

Maybe he tripped?

Kneeling before her on the concrete, I touch her chin, and she meets my gaze, her teary eyes wide and the pupils dilated.

She’s in shock. She must be because she only burrows into my hand while rocking on the cold hard ground.

“What happened?” I ask again and she shudders.

---