Keeley's Fight (The Protectors Series) Read Online Free Page A

nothing but a burden since the day you were born. Nobody wanted you, and I still wish your mother had aborted you when she had the chance, instead of wasting the money on her next fix. You have five minutes to pack your stuff and leave.” He went back and sat down in his chair, grabbing his bottle of vodka. Keeley was surprised at this. She didn’t know what to do. She had nowhere to go, no friends. Nothing. Twenty years old and she’d just been reduced to nothing.
    “I said get out!!” He yelled at her again. Scrambling up she ran into her barren room and went through a few things, grabbing a couple changes of clothes and the fairy music box her grandmother had given her on her fifth birthday. It was the only present she’d ever gotten, and the last time she had seen her Grammy. One thing to be thankful for, though, was Mack had forgotten it was her birthday.
    As she was walking through the living room to the front door a few minutes later, her father looked up and snarled, “Where do you think you’re going, you stupid whore?”
    Stupefied at his question, because he had told her to get out just a couple minutes ago, she stuttered out, “Yo—you told me to get out.”
    Narrowing his eyes he bit out, “Shut the fuck up and sit down.”
    Sitting down, across from him, on the old couch that they’d had since she could remember, Keeley was incredibly confused by his behavior. She knew today would be bad, but he’d never tried to kick her out before, and now he was acting like he never even said it.
    Sitting quietly, watching him from underneath her lashes, she tensed as he leaned toward her menacingly, with a look of intense hatred and rage in his black soulless eyes. Unprepared for his quick movement, she almost wasn’t in time to duck when he threw his empty bottle of vodka at her head, missing her by just centimeters. She felt it swoosh by her hair. “Go to your fucking room and don’t come back out!” He screamed at her.
    Flying to her room in fear, she shut the door quietly. Grabbing the small desk chair she had and wedging it under the door handle, gave her hope it would keep him out should he decide to try to attack her at any point during the day or night.
    Laying on her bed cradling her knees to her chest, she prayed for a miracle. That by the grace of God, she would make it out of her house and maybe one day, have a new life.
    A better life.
    * * * * * * *
    After another night spent tossing and turning, thinking about the situation Keeley was in, Nate got up around dawn feeling restless. Going through his morning routine of showering, he went downstairs to find Ty already in the kitchen. He had the morning news on the small TV they had above the refrigerator, turned down low, while drinking a cup of coffee.
    Grabbing a mug from the cupboard, he poured himself some coffee as well, before sitting down beside Ty at the breakfast bar. Thinking about her and how vulnerable she seemed last night, left Nate with a bad taste in his mouth. He didn’t want to leave her, but knew she wasn’t ready for the way he wanted to take over. To make sure she feared nothing again.
    Being a Marine he was used to protecting people, making sure that they were safe. Realizing he couldn’t do that with her, just yet left him cold inside. He had done three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan over the years, and while he liked to think it didn’t change him he knew that it had. After coming home, like many soldiers, he suffered from PTSD and nightmares from the things he’d done and seen. He wasn’t too proud to admit that he needed help either, which thinking back on it was probably going to be his saving grace in regards to Keeley.
    If he hadn’t gotten the counseling he needed, he probably wouldn’t recognize her for what she was, a chance at a fulfilling and loving future.
    * * * * * * *
    Sitting next to Nate, Ty was lost in thoughts about the past. He knew that in order for them to convince Keeley to give them a