Secrets of Mine

Chapter Thirteen - Freya

Freya's POV

Coming out of doing a deep dive into a nightmare probably isn't the best time to hear your father has killed another innocent woman. But then there's never really a good time for that, is there? Still, my hands tremble as I pack my bag in Oz's room, ready to fly to LA over night. I can't shake the feeling that the memory of those footsteps left behind. The feeling that I'm in danger. That something really bad is about to happen.

I'm glad Oz pulled me out when he did. I know I didn't see enough to be of any help, didn't remember enough about my mother. It means we'll have to do the whole process again, but I don't think I'm ready to remember whatever happened next. I'm not sure I ever will be. I grew up with a serial killer for a father. He made me watch as he tortured and killed women and then he made me carve into their chests.

I remember every second of every time his knife cut my skin. So, what the hell is worse than that? What is so bad even my messed-up mind has locked it away?

I shove my jacket into my duffel bag and yank the zip shut. I breathe slowly through rounded lips. Bury the fear so deep I can pretend it isn't there. For a little while at least.

I hike my bag over my shoulder and head to the door. The guys are getting ready to leave downstairs and if I take too long one of them will come up to find me.

I pull the door open and find Layla on the other side, her fist raised like she was about to knock. "You looking for Oz?" I ask.

"You actually." She fiddles with the silver phoenix pendant on her necklace. Oz told me it was a gift from her birth mom. I quickly learned Layla isn't the nervous type but she's lacking her normal confidence right now.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine. It's just..." She chews on her lip. "Oz likes you. A lot. He doesn't really do girlfriends and he's never brought anyone home before. Plus, the last three times he's visited we've ordered pizza. So that dinner he cooked, it wasn't for us. He's showing off to you and he's showing you off to us."

I adjust the strap on my shoulder, shifting the weight of the bag. I don't exactly have experience with this but I think I'm getting the protective sibling talk right now and I resist the urge to smile. "I like Oz a lot too."

Layla curls her fist around the phoenix and pins me with the type of look only a teenage girl can pull off. "Don't break his heart, okay?"

I swallow, a sudden swell of emotion making my eyes go glassy. I never thought I'd have this. Never thought I'd be in a position to break anyone's heart. Never thought somebody could love me enough to put their heart at risk. But Oz sat by me tonight and walked through hell with me. Is it possible he loves me too? I meet Layla's stare. "Your brother and his friends are the best thing that's ever happened to me. I'd be a fool to let that go."

Layla nods. "Good. We're in agreement then."

Now I do smile, letting my amusement shine through. "You should come visit us in Virginia," I say. "If you think River can teach you cool tricks, he's got nothing on me."

Layla's hand leaves her necklace. "I'd like that." She smiles at me but then River calls me from downstairs.

"I'd better go," I say.

Layla steps back to let me pass. I'm halfway down the corridor when she calls after me. "Oh and Freya, did you and my brother have sex on the kitchen counter? Just so I know how much disinfectant to use."

"Layla!" Heat burns my face.

Layla cackles and skips off into her bedroom.

I shake my head. "Your sister is a menace," I mutter to Oz when I join the guys downstairs.

"Oh yeah? You two should get on well then." He pokes me in the ribs and I squirm away from him.

Jude hooks his arm around my front and pulls me into his chest. He presses a kiss to the top of my head. "Ride with me in the back?" he asks, his voice quiet.

I squeeze his arm and gaze up at him. "Of course."

Jude still hasn't told me much about his family, but I get the sense from how nervous he is about going to LA that he didn't get as lucky as Oz.

He holds my hand the whole way to the airport and once we're on the plane he pulls me onto his lap.

I sit with my legs up on the seat next to us and my head resting on his shoulder. He locks his hands together around my hips, keeping me in place. I hate how stressed he is. Jude is my happy, golden retriever one.

"I'm sorry my dad's targeting you guys," I say, my cheek pressed against his soft hoodie.

"Shh." Jude rubs his hand up and down my arm. "It's not your fault."

I shrug. "Still."

He presses his lips to my head and nuzzles into me. His sigh waterfalls over my hair. "I'm going to stay with my parents when we get to LA."

I lift my head so I can look at him. "I'll stay with you."

He shakes his head. "My parents..." He grimaces. "They're not like Oz's. They can be vicious. I don't want them near you."

I cup his cheek. "Jude, you've barely let me go since Zach called. I'm staying with you."

"I–"

"Shh," I cut him off, twirling a soft coil of his hair around my finger. "I'm coming with you."

He huffs out a laugh because it's usually him telling me to shush.

I stick out my tongue and he gives me a wry smile.

Sitting at the table across the aisle, River speaks without looking up from his phone. "If you're staying with your parents then so are we."

Oz nods.

"And me," Eli calls out from where he's back lazing on the sofa seat at the front of the plane.

Jude runs a hand over his afro. "You don't have to do that."

River looks up from his phone this time and pins him with a stare. "There isn't a chance in hell you're setting foot in that house alone."

Jude swallows and sitting this close I see the sheen that comes over his eyes. "Appreciate it," he says, his words a little choked.

I don't know how we're all going to fit in his parent's house, but Jude doesn't question it. He just loops his arms around me again and holds me tight as he rests his chin on my head.

I bring my knees in close and snuggle into him. After a little while he gets out his headphones, gives one to me and puts the other in his ear. We listen to music together for the rest of the flight and it's moments like this that make me feel like a normal twenty-three-year-old. The me from my nightmare would never have believed I'd be cuddling with my boyfriend, singing along under our breaths to Noah Kahan. I'm still not quite sure I believe it, but I'm determined to hang onto it for as long as I can.

When we land, the moon is bright in the sky and the air is a little cooler than in Danville. This time, instead of getting a rental, a driver picks us up from the airport. He tips his hat at Jude, and I frown but it's not until we drive through a large white gate and up to a glass mansion that I realize why River wasn't worried about all of us staying here together.

Jude's parents are rich.