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Back Losers: Part I Save as PDF
Chapters (58)
  1. Table of Contents
  2. Content Note
  3. A Note From The Author
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. Acknowledgements
  57. Also By Harley Laroux
  58. About The Author

“That’s better,” he said. He looped his arm around my waist and rested his head against the side of mine, his voice husky with sleep. “I woke up and you’d left. I don’t remember giving you permission to leave bed.”

I giggled. “You couldn’t exactly give permission if you were asleep now, could you?”

Jojo barked from inside the house, and Jason suddenly sucked in his breath. I looked over as Lucas slowly stood up, and at the same moment, Manson’s entire body went rigid beneath me.

Someone was standing at the gate — a tall skinny man with gray-streaked hair. The smoke from a cigarette slowly curled into the sky above his head.

“Oh my God…” My words came out in a disbelieving whisper. “Is that…”

Manson stood up, bringing me with him. The moment I was on my feet, he stepped in front of me, physically blocking me with his body. Vincent was on the edge of the bench, his face grim. Lucas’s fists were clenched as he stood there staring, and Jason was on his feet now too.

“Lucas, take Jess inside.” Manson’s voice was hard, his gaze fixated on the man at the gate.

“Manson.” Lucas’s voice was tense. “I don’t think I should leave —”

“Lucas, now.” The viciousness in Manson’s tone shocked me almost as much as the look on his face as he turned. I had never seen Manson look like that before.

Terrified. Completely terrified.

Lucas nodded, taking my hand and pulling me from behind Manson. “Come on. Stay close.” He kept his body between me and the yard, ushering me toward the door.

Blocking me. Hiding me.

“Manson?” I tried to reach back for him, fear beginning to spread through me.

“It’ll be fine, Jess,” he said, but the smile he offered was weak at best. “Don’t worry. Lucas…”

“I’ve got her.” Lucas’s voice was firm, his hold on me unbreakable as he opened the front door and pushed me ahead of him inside.

49

49

Manson

I told myself I wasn’t afraid of my father anymore. Vincent and Jason were right behind me as I walked across the yard toward the gate, but even with them right there, the panic was closing in. Every step I took was too loud, adrenaline pumping through my veins as I forced myself to suck in a slow breath.

I’d memorized which floorboards creaked in the house. I used to know exactly how wide I could open a door before it squeaked. I’d trained myself to walk silently, to breathe softly, to lower my voice. Like my dad was a bomb and the slightest sound would set him off.