22. Chapter 22

My world is spiraling. Tonight was supposed to be the best night of my life. I should be out celebrating with the guys, cheering Maddox on his huge accomplishment, and mentally killing Von, Lula, and Piper because we all know how that's gonna be going—a nasty threesome.

Instead, I am racing across the courtyard to the main building in a stupid dress I shouldn't be wearing. I knew I should've gone and found Dad before I went on that stage. He has never been late to one of my concerts in all these years. I wasn't thinking straight.

The flashing lights coming down the road made my heart sink to my stomach when Florence sent me a message. She didn't say much, just that Dad was in his office and to come quick. My fear is he had a heart attack earlier, and no one noticed.

I race into the office where Florence waits, silent tears rolling down her cheek. When she sees me, she stands, sending her office chair flying across the small space.

"Odette, I'm sorry. I should've checked on him sooner. I haven't moved him. I was waiting for the paramedics."

"I need to see him." I swallow the lump creeping up my throat. I won't believe anything until I see him.

"Jinx, you don't want to go in there. You have no clue what you'll find." Atticus grabs my wrist. "Seriously, Jinx, don't go in there."

I pull out of his grip. "I need to. You can come, but I'm going."

"Baby, I think you should wait for the paramedics."

"Listen to them, Odette. Stay out of there. Please," Florence begs.

I ignore them, moving down the hallway. The wooden doors I've walked through countless times now seem like a brick wall. Once I cross them, my life will forever be changed. The future will be written in stone, and I won't be able to change it. With a shaky hand, I slowly push the door open.

The office is dark, and a coppery scent fills the air. Why wouldn't Florence tell me about the blood?

"Jinx, don't go any further. I think this is a crime scene," Ashton spoke in a strained voice.

I take another step further, and the outline of Dad collapsed on his desk comes into view.

"Dad?" my voice croaking the closer I got to him. My hand trembled as I reached for him. A hand wraps around my wrist, pulling it away.

"Stop. You don't have to do this alone. We are here with you."

I turn and take in a watery vision of Atticus. "Okay," I mutter.

Ashton moves around, placing a finger on Dad's neck. He turned his face, and his gaze slipped to the floor.

My world ended in that second.

The brain is a funny thing. It has a way of protecting you when it thinks it needs to. I need to remember this moment to recall how Dad looked for the last time. But the only thing I can remember is when he came and visited me in my dorm the other day before the concert, telling me how proud he was and how he couldn't wait to cheer for me. He will forever be my biggest supporter.

Atticus pulls me out of the way as the paramedics rush into the office and move to where Dad is resting. When they pull him away from the desk, my knees buckle when I see the hole in his chest. Atticus wraps his arms around me tighter.

"What the fuck," Maddox whispered, gobsmacked.

"Where the fuck is his heart?" Ashton called out.

Atticus crushes me closer to his chest as I watch in horror; somebody has taken my dad's heart.

"Little grim, let's go. You don't need to watch this." He pulls me from the room, and my brain finally kicks in.

"No, you can't make me leave him." I fight back, digging my heels into the floor.

"I'm not doing this with you." He lifts me over his shoulder.

I punch at his back. "Atticus, stop. I can't leave him. He needs me." I cry out.

It hurts to breathe. Why would anyone want to hurt him? I don't understand any of this. He's always been a caring and understanding man. He would never hurt anyone, so why would anyone hurt him?

"Atticus, why?"

"I don't know, Jinx." He slides me down his body, holding me across his arms. "I'll hold you until I can't anymore. The guys will get some answers." Pressing a kiss to my forehead, he sits in one of the seats by the main office door.

"Oh, Odette. I'm sorry, dear. What can I do?" Florence drops to her knees, brushing my hair away from my eyes.

"What do you know?"

"I don't know much, dear. I left early because everyone was preparing for the concert. I wasn't needed. Your dad was staying behind to finish some paperwork before heading over to the hall. I came back because I forgot my glasses. That's all I know." She rubs her nose and sniffs.

I reach for her hand, giving it a tight squeeze. "It'll be okay, Florence. I won't stop until I find out who did this to him."

"I'm going to go if you need anything at all. Call me." She kissed my forehead and rested a hand on Atticus's shoulder. "Call me if anything happens, sweetheart."

"I will, Florence," he tells her.

Maddox and Ashton appear, looking grim. I sit up, expecting them to tell me anything. But they shake their heads.

"You should look away, baby. The paramedics are bringing your dad out."

As the gurney turns the corner and the black body bag lies on top, I push out of Atticus's arms and fall to the floor. Numbness it's all that's going through my body. I want to wake up from this dream; it must be a dream.

"Are you Odette Hawthorne?"

"Who the fuck would she be?" Ashton exploded.

"Son, you best take it down. We need to talk with her, not you."

"Ash, it's fine." I stand on shaky legs. "I can talk with the officer."

Atticus helps me walk out of the office with the officer and Ashton following behind. The halls of the school I once loved now echo with footsteps of grief.

Ashton stands next to Atticus and me while the officer stares at us. He clears his throat.

"Miss Hawthorne, I need to ask a few questions if that's okay?"

I nod, not trusting my voice.

"Did your dad have any enemies that you know of?"

I drew in a harsh, deep breath. "No. Everyone loved him."

"Officer. Prescott is—was generous," Ashton said with a shake of his head. "You should call his wife if you need these kinds of answers."

"What's her name?"

"Serena," I spit out.

I swear if she had anything to do with this, she better start fuckin' praying.

It's been a week without Dad. Every day, it gets harder and harder to hang on. I made the decision to keep the school open, knowing Dad it's what he would've wanted. I just don't know how I'm going to survive without him. He's been my entire world. And tomorrow, I'll be laying him to rest. It's too much for me to handle. I want to disappear and never return. On top of that, Edgar hasn't been back.

I got Spence to drive me back to the house. I needed space from the guys. The more they crowd around me, the more suffocated I become. Sitting on the back deck reminds me of when I first got my cello. Dad would sit in the chair drinking his coffee as I practiced for him. I was a shitty player, yet he smiled through the entire thing. That's where he sat every afternoon when he got home, and I dragged my cello out here—always supporting my dream of getting into the symphony.

Now, I don't even care. I haven't even bothered to see if Von had chosen anyone. The announcement of a new dean won't be made until next week. The board members want a meeting with the new owner. I'm not ready for that yet. I'm not prepared for any of this.

I just want answers. The cops haven't been much help to find Dad's killer, and Serena keeps nagging me about Dad's will. He was murdered, and she's worried about what she's walking away with. The only nice thing is my stalker hasn't reached out since. I'm hoping that's a good sign.

The back gate opens, and Maddox comes walking through. He's dressed in a black leather jacket and a black beanie. His lazy smile sends butterflies dancing in my stomach. He stops at the bottom step.

He reaches for my hand, and my body tingles from his touch. I wrap my arms around his waist, pressing my face into his chest. A small sob escapes, and I tighten my grip.

"Shh, baby." He pushes his fingers through my hair, rubbing at the base of my nape. "You cry whenever you need to, mourn when you want to. There is no time frame."

I nod against his shirt. I want the pain to go away, to wake up without having a knife in my chest.

"Did you need help to pick out a suit for him?"

"No." I sniff. "I did that already. I was just remembering, that's all."

Maddox tilts my head back, wiping my tears away. "He loved you. Your dad was an amazing guy. I loved him like he was my own." Tears swarm his eyes. "I owe him so much."

"I won't stop until I find out who did this to him."

"We all won't, baby. But I need you to come back with me. Tomorrow is going to be a hard one, and you need to be with people that love you."

That's not what I need. I need names and revenge.