Her Striker by Charlene Raquel

Chapter Twelve

 

 

“Almost like old times.” Drew strolled up to Gwen and her father. “Richard is still bullying his daughter, but not being as stealthy as usual. Careful, people might see.”

Richard couldn’t release Gwen fast enough. He stepped back and glared at Gwen and Drew.

Gwen didn’t stick around to thank Drew for interceding. She took the opportunity to flee and didn’t stop until she was through the stairway door. Pausing to remove her shoes, she sprinted down the steps and out into the parking lot. Her safe haven had been compromised.

Drew barely controlled his reaction to Gwen running away. He had no idea why he intervened. He should have left her to deal with her father on her own, but he couldn’t stomach the thought of her being hurt.

“Son, you know better than to interfere in family business.”

Senator Oliver Maxwell’s usual expression showed mild annoyance, so Drew expected it. He was surprised to see it turn into flat-out exasperation. He watched his father motion with his head to Richard, who hurried off to give them some privacy.

Drew plastered on a fake smile for his father. He had to play nice since the senator had called in more than a few favors to get him into Stonewall and clearance to play soccer. Drew knew that he would owe his father but didn’t think the man would come to collect so soon. Drew needed to play nicely, when all he wanted to do was tell the man in front of him to go to hell.

Finding Landon’s killer was too important. “I’m surprised to see you.”

Senator Maxwell studied his son. “We had some business to tend to.” He nodded to a couple of men who walked by.

Drew frowned. “About Landon?”

“I told you not to mention him.” Oliver Maxwell’s face turned cerise.

Drew knew he screwed up immediately. “I wasn’t trying to cause trouble. A few people had mentioned a memorial here on campus,” he lied.

“I see it.” He shook his head in disgust. “I was told you were being difficult. I’m here to give you a little warning. This is your last chance. Don’t fuck it up.”

Drew scrunched his forehead in confusion.

“They aren’t convinced about you, but they wouldn’t dare screw with me.” The senator paced in front of his son. “The initiation is soon.”

“What initiation?” Drew wondered if his father was drunk. He wasn’t making any sense.

“You never paid attention to anything growing up. Nothing I tried to teach you.”

“I learned enough lessons from you.” Drew silently added I have the scars to prove it.

“Nearly every powerful man or woman in this country has been a member of the Society. Remember, only the strong survive.” Senator Maxwell handed Drew a small, black, square card and strode away.

Drew glanced down at the card, even more confused; on one side of the black card was an embossed scorpion, and the other had a date. There was nothing else.

“What the fuck was that?” Dean yelled in Drew’s ear.

“I have no idea, but it must have something to do with the Scorpio Society.”

 

~*~*~

 

Gwen didn’t remember driving home or parking along the street in front of her apartment after leaving the disastrous party. She had no idea how long she sat motionless and emotionally depleted inside her car. Her father had come to her school. There had been no emotional reunion, no hugs after years apart. He had been the same evil asshole she fled from three years before. If anything, he was worse.

Stonewall University had been her father’s alma mater and that had been one of the reasons she hadn’t wanted to attend. When she had fled her father’s house, she had been set to attend the University of Florida on a full scholarship, but that had fallen through. The scholarship at the University of Georgia had been given to someone else. The only option she had left for a full ride to college had been Stonewall.

Sighing, she opened her door and stepped onto the sidewalk. The long stone driveway next to Mrs. Hamby’s house led into the backyard where the garage was nestled close to the woods. She trudged past the azalea bushes and hydrangeas. The colorful rows of impatiens filled in the areas under the large oak trees that lined the other side of the drive. Gwen had helped Mrs. Hamby plant the pretty flowers.

The wood steps leading up to her second-floor apartment came into sight. Gwen knew Sam wouldn’t be home. She had taken on a couple of extra shifts at the diner. Gwen couldn’t decide if she was happy to be going into an empty house or upset, she couldn’t cry to her friend.

“I wasn’t finished talking to you, girl.”

Gwen stiffened. Her father stepped out from around the back of the house, blocking her path to her apartment.

 

~*~*~

 

Drew had to pull his car over onto the shoulder of the road so that he could concentrate on what Dean was telling him. He was getting more pissed off by the second and knew he needed to calm down before he crashed his car. 

“It was hidden through multiple accounts, but I managed to trace the money. There is no real scholarship for Gwen Mason. The scholarship is listed on the financial aid roster, but it’s bogus. It didn’t exist before she started attending here, and she is the only recipient. The money originated from Gwen’s father. He set up an account with Coach Stan and feeds the money into the scholarship account. Stan has also been sending Gwen’s father weekly updates; some of them are really detailed. There were photos and progress reports. There were also listings of who she talks to and hangs out with.”

“That’s fucked up. She claims to be here on a scholarship.”

Dean rubbed the back of his neck. “Sam told me Gwen was on a full tennis scholarship and that she was here on an academic award. You need to ask her.”

Drew hit the steering wheel. “Damn it! Who the hell is lying? I came here for answers, and all I’m getting are more questions.”

“She looked terrified when she saw her father.” Dean fiddled with his laptop. “It wasn’t an act. She ran from you and the two assholes and landed in front of her father.”

“I need to go talk to her.” Drew pulled back onto the road. He was going to get answers from her whether she wanted to provide them or not.

They parked behind Gwen’s car and started up the driveway when they heard a man’s raised voice. Drew motioned for Dean to go around the other side of the house while he crept forward, hiding behind the rows of bushes. He stayed far enough away to not be seen but could still hear their raised voices.

Richard Mason gripped Gwen’s biceps in his beefy hands, bruising her as he shook her. “I’ve had enough of your disobedience! You will do what I tell you!”

“Let me go! You’re hurting me!” Gwen struggled, but he was too strong.

“I’ll do whatever I want with you! You belong to me!” Richard was shaking her so violently her head was flopping back and forth.

Tears brimmed her eyes. She needed to get away from him before he really hurt her. She shifted her weight to her left foot, brought her right back, and thrust her knee up and into his groin.

He released her but swung back with his left hand and backhanded her across the face. “You bitch!”

Gwen sprawled onto the driveway, causing stones to cut into her hands and thigh. She scrambled backward to get out of his reach.

Richard doubled over, clutching his injured package, but was recovering quickly. “You’re going to pay for that!”

Gwen pulled out her phone. “I’m going to call the police, if you come any closer.”

Richard glared. “You wouldn’t dare! I’ll cut you off completely. You’ll be out on the street today, begging me to take you back!”

“You don’t support me. I have a scholarship and I work my ass off to pay for this place and everything else I need. I don’t want or need you. I never want to see you again.”

Richard started laughing maniacally. “You don’t pay for shit. Everything you have is what I give to you. What I allow you to have. You go to this school because I wanted you to. You live here because I decided this is where you would live. I pay for this place. I even allow you to have that low-life trash live with you.”

Gwen stumbled back a step. “What?”

“Your mother thought that if we gave you a little perceived freedom, this ridiculous rebellious streak of yours would end. She was always a stupid bitch. I should have done what I wanted from the start and given you to Dominic.”

“No.” Tears brimmed in Gwen’s eyes. Her whole life was a lie.

Richard stalked closer. “Now, you listen to me. This is it. You will be sweet and nice to Dominic when he comes to see you. You will do whatever he wants. Do you hear me? Whatever he wants. I don’t care what he asks you to do. Do it. You better not fuck this up, or I will cut you off, and you will be so sorry you ever disobeyed me. Dominic will break you in for Carter. He’s good at training his women.”

“No! I’m not doing anything for you or your disgusting friends. Leave me alone. I’m calling the police!” She fumbled with her small purse, trying to get to her phone.

Richard raised his fist to punch Gwen, but his hand was caught in the air by someone much stronger.

Drew pulled Richard’s hand down and twisted his wrist behind his back, pushing hard. “Don’t ever touch her again. Get back into your car, and leave, or I will kick your ass.” Drew pushed him down the driveway with Dean by his side.

Drew pushed Richard in front of him.

Richard swung around, glaring. “I should have known she would be fucking you. You’ve always been an interfering little shit. Even your own father couldn’t stand you. I’m not going to allow you to ruin everything. She’ll do what I want, or I’ll make you both pay.”

Drew let his temper fly, swinging with a full-force punch to the asshole’s mouth, knocking him to the ground. “Don’t ever come near her again.”

Richard pushed himself up from the ground, glaring. “You’ve made a grave mistake. You’re done, girl, I’m not paying for anything anymore.”

Gwen had been stunned when Drew came out of nowhere and prevented her from being punched in the face. Her emotions were all over the place, and she knew she was about two seconds from having a complete meltdown. Everything had been a lie. “Leave now. I don’t want anything to do with you or Mother. I don’t want you or your money.”

“You’ll come crawling back, and when you do, I’ll be waiting.” Richard stormed off.

Dean followed Richard back to his car and watched him as he fled down the street.

Gwen sank to the grass next to the driveway as tears ran down her face. Strong arms encircled her as her body shook with sobs.

Drew held Gwen close as she cried and let out her overwhelming emotions. Neither said a word. There would be time for that after Gwen’s tears were spent. She hadn’t lied to him. She had no idea her father had been paying for everything. There were still so many questions running through his head, but he would wait. She needed his support, not an interrogation.

Gwen pulled away and scrambled back from Drew. He had saved her from her asshole father, but after what she had just experienced, she wasn’t going to trust anyone.

“Are you okay?” Drew sighed and stood. He could see Gwen shutting down. He needed to clear things up before she shut him out. “We need to talk.”

Gwen shook her head. “I can’t. I can’t right now. I don’t trust you. I don’t trust anyone right now.”

“Gwen.” Drew reached out a hand.

Gwen shook her head and backed up away from him. “No Drew! You’ve been awful to me since you got here. I just found out that I don’t have a scholarship and now won’t be able to pay for school, books, food, or even this apartment. I knew it was too good to be true. I’ve got nothing! I’m going to have to leave here, and I have nowhere to go and no money!”

“That’s not entirely true, my dear.” Mrs. Hamby stood on her back porch watching them.