Chapter 59: Chapter 59

/Amber's pov/

The little boy broke down and sobbed once more. Abigail's pupils dilated as she locked her gaze on Stephen. "I'll just give him some medicine and put him down for a nap," she said as she walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a medicine bottle and a wooden spoon.

The moment my father took a couple of steps towards me, I shrank back against the door, my breath coming out in short, weak gasps. I flipped up my phone and dialed Josh's number - he was the nearest person, and if I could just contact him and somehow convince him to hurry the heck downstairs, we'd be good to go.

"Hey, Amber! How have you been doing? The term "brother" was spat at by him as he remarked, "I've been wanting to visit you for years, but your brother wouldn't allow me," he said.

Jake didn't tell me that he'd been attempting to get in touch with me. What the heck was he thinking when he didn't tell me anything like that? Knowing Jake, he was probably under the impression that he was defending me. I glanced to Josh's mother for assistance; she was now placing the medication bottle back where it belonged.

"I've been great, thank you," I said when he asked how I was doing. The phone was still attempting to connect, and Josh wasn't responding. I looked down at my phone. It's a damn shame!

"I'll just put Stanley to bed, then I'll come back and make some coffee or something," Abigail said, a kind smile on her face as she looked at me with interest.

"All right, sweetheart," my father said, his gaze never leaving mine.

I gulped hard; I couldn't possibly be here with him on my own! "Can I accompany you?" I inquire. I was desperate, so I asked. Abigail seemed a bit taken aback by what I was saying. When I asked if it was okay, I lied and said, "I'd want to visit Stanley's room." There was no way in hell I was going to remain here with him.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Amber. I think it's a bad idea." Stanley isn't feeling good. The opportunity to view his room will present itself another time," my father interrupted before Abigail could respond.

Abigail cracked a grin. "I'll be right back," she made her way out of the room, the small child clinging to her neck as she did so.

I took a step to the side and came close to sprinting out of the room after her. Just as I was about to pass him, he grabbed my wrist and yanked me to a halt, nearly causing me to tumble. When the scream tried to escape my throat, I gulped it back down because I couldn't afford to show him how much control he had over me.

"You have a lovely appearance, Amber." In the same way that your mother was when she was your age. His lips tinged with saliva as he stroked his fingers over my face. "You've always been an absolute f**king peach," he said, licking his lips.

I pulled my knee up and kneed him in the crotch as hard as I could, ripping my arm out of his grip and sprinting down the corridor as quickly as my legs could take me. I was out of there in seconds. I had no notion where I was supposed to go, though. It was important to me that I didn't simply dash out of the home with nowhere to go since I had arrived in Josh's vehicle. Instead, I raced up the stairs, dashing along the corridor until I came across a door with an 'Enter at your own risk' danger notice affixed to the frame.

That one had to be Josh's, couldn't it? The door was slammed in my face as I rushed through it, breaking into frantic cries as I leaned against it. I didn't bother knocking since it was too late.

“Amber! "What the heck is going on?" Josh let out a gasp. His body was still damp from coming out of the shower when I glanced up. He was standing there in just a towel, his face was flushed. Despite the fact that water was raining on me from his hair as I cried into his neck, I moved aside from the door and hurled myself at him, clutching him hard and disregarding the water dropping on me from his hair. "Can you tell me what's wrong? Amber, for the love of God, don't do it! "What happened?" he pleaded urgently as he massaged his hands up and down my back in an attempt to calm me.

"I have to return home." "I have to get out of here right now!" I burst into tears. My legs were barely keeping me up; he was bearing the whole of my weight on his shoulders. I was undoubtedly inflicting pain on him as a result of how firmly I was grasping him, but he didn't say anything.

"Can you tell me what's wrong?" he said, drawing back to look at me.

"Josh, could you please?" I couldn't speak because I was choked up.

He nodded and dragged me over to the bed, where he forced me to sit down. "I have to get dressed," he murmured, his face flushed. I nodded and closed my eyes, trying to imagine Mike; I needed to calm myself; I couldn't let myself go into a full-blown breakdown in this place. As he got dressed, I could hear him moving about the room. He grasped my hand in less than a minute after that. "I'm all set. "Let's go," he said, gently bringing me up to my feet. The way he took me across the room to his door, where he paused with his palm on the doorknob, had me clinging to his hand hard.

"Do you promise me you'll explain to me what this is about later?" he inquired, his eyes pleadingly fixed on me. I smiled and nodded. He could ask for whatever he wanted, and I'd agree to everything if he'd only get me out of here. He threw his arm over my shoulders, bringing me close to his side as he unlocked the door and led us down the stairwell in record time. As his mother moved out of the living room, I tensed up a little. “Shit! "What are you doing at home?" he inquired, perplexed.

She had a sorrowful grin on her face. "Stanley isn't feeling good. Because he had been unwell last night and had been acting strangely throughout the day, we decided to come home early," she said, spreading her arms up for him. I felt my breath stop in my throat as he walked away from me, and I realized I was on my own. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. "I've missed you," she said as she patted his back.

He kissed her on the cheek and grinned. "It goes for you as well. "Look, Mom, I have to get Amber back home because her brother needs her," he said, swiftly returning my attention to me.

She had a sorrowful grin on her face. "Are you sure you won't be able to remain for dinner?" Stephen would welcome the opportunity to spend time with you."

Would you want to spend some time with me? Is she serious? Is she freaking kidding me? I made a shaky motion with my head. "I'm sorry," I said in hushed tones.

When my father came around the corner, I sank into Josh's side, squeezing against him so firmly that it literally pained my shoulders and back. Even though he had no idea why I was behaving in such a strange manner, his arm tightened around me. He was a wonderful stepbrother, in all honesty.

"How are you, Stephen?" Josh met with a hard handshake.

"Hello, Josh. "So you getting cozy with my daughter, are you?" Stephen inquired, his tone firm enough to make me cringe.

"I have to get away," I said furiously, pushing my fingernails into his side.

"I'll see you guys later," Josh said, turning and pushing me in front of him, putting himself between me and my father as we headed to the door. "I'll see you people later," Josh said, turning and pushing me in front of him, putting himself between me and my father. I virtually ran to his vehicle, keeping an eye on the front door in case he chased me down the street. I was certain he wouldn't, however. While he knew he had to keep up the appearances for his wife and Josh, the terror that was swelling in my chest didn't go away.

Josh was looking at me with a troubled expression as he rushed down the street. "Do you think you're okay, Amber?" "You seem to be quite pale and trembling," he observed, grasping my hand in his.

I smiled and nodded. "I really want to go home," I said through my tears.

"All right, keep it quiet, I'll take you home." On the way to my home, he massaged the back of my hand with the tip of his thumb. I clenched my pupils together. It was clear that he hadn't changed at all, and the way he stared at me made my stomach churn. Oh my God, I was in desperate need of Mike!

Having spent the last 10 minutes trying to think about anything other than my father, we finally arrived at my house. I jumped out of the vehicle and dashed towards the house, hoping without hope that Mike was still there. When I opened the door, he was sitting on the couch, playing PlayStation with Jake. I yelled at him and he walked away.

When I walked through the door, they both looked up. Mike flashed a bright smile at me before his face sank into his hands. As I approached him, he leapt up from the couch and rushed to me. "What the heck is going on?" he said furiously, gazing at Josh, who had entered the room behind me. As I sobbed on his shoulder, I hurled myself at him. Jeez, I needed him; he was the only thing that kept me sane when everything around me began to crumble around me. He put his arms securely over me, moving me away from Josh, his entire body tense and freaked out by the situation.