The Secret I Tried to Keep

Chapter 32

The next day, I woke up in an empty bed. I sat up and looked around the strange room confused before yesterday came flooding back to me. I was still in Presley's room, but Presley was gone. I pushed the covers aside and stretched before going downstairs. I found Zane and Presley in the kitchen. Zane looked like hell and Presley looked furious.

"What's going on here?" I asked. Zane began pouring a bottle of Scotch down the sink.

"Presley saw the bottle in my room this morning. She's making me pour out my stash," Zane explained in a hoarse and husky voice. He sounded and looked like hell. He had dark bags under his bloodshot eyes, and his face was pale. I shrugged and turned to Presley.

"I put him to bed last night; it was no big deal," I tried to salvage the situation. They both froze and stared at me before they made me tell them everything. I told them about my conversation with Michael and everything he wanted me to relay as well as my conversation with a very drunken Zane.

"Oh God," Zane muttered as he hid his face in his arms on the counter. I'm so sorry, Dria," he apologized profusely when he finally lifted his head. His face was beet red. I shrugged.

"Ari always said that drunken thoughts are just uncensored, unedited truth," I recited. "Zane, don't beat yourself up over it. I meant it when I said you're not your father," I explained. I offered a small smile before I rounded the island and kissed his cheek. Plus, your father seems like he realizes his mistakes and is trying to make up for it," I added. Zane only glared into the sink as Presley's face became unreadable.

"You should have never met him. He's a businessman, he's good at being manipulative. I don't want you around him," Zane said as he moved away from me. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my stomach.

"He's your father! Fine, whatever. can we drop this please? I wasn't supposed to spend the night last night anyway," I snapped. I turned to Presley on the bar stool. "Can you take me home... please?" I asked her. She glanced at Zane before she nodded.

"Sure... Domi!" Presley yelled across the house. Apparently, he found a hiding space upstairs and kept sleeping. A moment later, he came trotting down the stairs to lick my hand. Presley grabbed the keys as I turned my attention to Zane. He looked away from me and continued pouring the liquor down the sink.

"No goodbye?" I asked. He stayed quiet and pretended like I wasn't even there. I raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You're ignoring me now?" I said sarcastically. I already knew the answer to that question. He stayed quiet and started on dumping the next bottle. I sighed and shifted my weight as Presley handed me my purse. She looked between the two of us before she backed away slowly.

"I'll just, um... I'll be in the car," she said, confused on what to do. I stood right next to him and pressed my chest against his shoulder as I pushed up on my toes to get closer to his ear. He still moved as if I wasn't there.

"Now... you are acting like your father," I said before I headed towards the front door. Domino trailed behind me as I met Presley out my her car. I let Domino in the back before I got in the passenger seat and shut the door. Presley was already in the car with the engine started.

"Are you okay?" she asked hesitantly. I shrugged and settled for looking out the window silently. "Just give it some time. Besides, a few emails and the money he wires into out accounts, we haven't heard from our dad since he got remarried. We weren't even invited to the wedding. Zane was really close with Mom, too, before... All of this is throwing us both into the past and it's hard," Presley tried to explain as she drove.

"That's no excuse. I'm trying... I really am," I said with an exasperated sigh.

"So is he," she replied. "He's just never really had to before so it's all new to him. Just... cut him some slack and give him some time to get over it," she asked. She parked in front of my house.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Prez," I said before I got out and let Domino out of the backseat. Presley waited until I was safely inside before she drove away. Thankfully, Fehtra and Ben were still at work, so they weren't here to question my absence from school today. I fed Domino before letting him out to play and use the bathroom in the backyard. It was kind of weird being home alone. Ever since I moved in with Fehtra, someone was always here with me; whether it be Zane, Presley, or Aria. Cassie used to come but she was more preoccupied with keeping secrets lately.

The house was too quiet... it irked me and made me uneasy. I hated how it made me feel alone. Aria was at school. I'm sure she would ditch to keep me company, but I didn't want to give her another reason to get in trouble. Presley just left and Zane wasn't talking to me so they were both out of the question. After letting Domino back in and making a grilled cheese sandwich, I'd finally had enough. I sat on the couch to finish my sandwich as I pulled out my phone.

ME: Hey, are you busy?

The reply was almost immediate.

TYLER: Not at all. Why? What's wrong?

ME: Nothing... well...that's a lie, sort of. It's too quiet at my house.

TYLER: Want me to swing by to keep you company until your sister gets home?

ME: Please?

TYLER: Okay, I'll be there before you know it.

"I sighed and locked my phone back before I took a quick shower. I put my wet hair up in a messy bun before putting on a pair of maternal yoga pants and a bog hoodie. I went back downstairs just in time to hear Tyler at the door.