“Why not? You don’t give a shit about family. Hit me.”
“Ron.”
“Are you a pussy all of a sudden? Is it because you killed that kid? Your teammate?"
“Ron. Stop,” I scream, pushing between them. “This is—”
“No.” Ron shoves me aside, and I momentarily lose my footing, making it appear much worse than it is. And when Zane stiffens, I panic.
“Zane—”
“How dare you fucking touch her.” He grabs Ron by the shirt, his fingers curling in the material.
“I’m okay, Zane. I promise.”
“Yeah, Zane. She’s okay. Unlike your sister.”
I don’t have time to blink before Zane’s slamming his fist into Ron’s face. Hard. His lip busts open, the blood smearing across his cheek. Zane rears back to hit him again but I jump up.
“Zane, no!” I scream so loud that it hurts my ears, but it’s pointless. Zane connects a second time, and this time, Ron fights back, curling his hands around Zane’s throat, his fingers so tight that he struggles for air.
“Ron, Zane. Stop it!” I scream again as they stumble toward the overgrown lawn, but I may as well be mute. Neither of them listens. Or perhaps they’re too far gone to hear me. “Please.”
“Ron, stop!” My dad’s booming voice slices through the air, seconds before his door slams and he runs toward us.
To my surprise, Ron releases Zane, stumbling backward, his back knocking the tree swing behind him.
I watch the swing drift through the air before my eyes dart back to Zane, noticing his fists clench at his sides, his expression murderous. Running forward, I wrap my arms around his waist, tucking my head under his neck. “You don’t have to do this. Please. Let me help you.”
His stiff body softens, and I feel the moment a little of the tension leaves him before his muscles relax. “Jesus, B. I’m so fucking sorry.”
“It’s okay. That wasn’t your fault. None of it’s your fault. It’s okay.”
Dad and Ron are quiet and when I glance over, they’re talking in hushed tones. Dad must say something he doesn’t like, because Ron shoves him backward, walking away.
I’m about to ask what happened when sirens blare through the silence, and I lose my breath. Zane stiffens beside me, and I slam my eyes closed, blocking out the red and blue lights, praying I imagined them.
But when I finally look up, my heart shatters into a million pieces, Zane’s expression making me buckle.
How could they do this to him?
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
Blair
Ipace the function room of the diner across from the police station, my anger growing with each heavy-footed step.What the hell are they doing?It’s been hours and no one will tell me what’s going on. All I know is that he’s being questioned and that they have the right to hold him overnight.
My body aches from how tightly I’m wound, and it pisses me off that I can’t do anything to help him.
His own fucking father.
As if Zane doesn’t have enough to worry about, now he’s facing an assault charge.
I’m not sure how much time passes while I drive myself insane, but when Ron walks out of the station, looking smug, it takes everything in my power not to get myself thrown in jail with Zane.
I open the door of the diner as Fiona follows behind him, and when our eyes lock, she at least has the decency to show remorse. But it’s too little too late.
Stepping forward, I’m ready to give them a piece of my mind when someone grabs my hand, and I spin to find Dad hovering behind me.
