If it means men like Conrad and Grant are punished, I don’t care what Orion does.
I know he would never hurt an innocent.
He’s selectively cruel, though most psychologists would say it still makes him a psychopath, as normal people wouldn’t engage in crimes to atone for the sins of his father.
Society punishes those who seek justice on their own, yet so often fails those who truly need it. Is it any wonder that some refuse to wait and act on their desires?
Never an excuse, but maybe I can live with that, as long as he doesn’t lose his head, because then I’d leave and run.
No.
I’d tell the police and watch him get locked up.
My love is not a destructive thing, and I would never want my children to suffer the way I did. My love would never justify bad or abusive behavior. Mom taught me that no matter how much you love a person, if they’re rotten inside, they won’t change.
They’ll just tarnish you until nothing is left of your soul.
I freeze at this, my hands hovering over another arrow as the realization hits.
I love him.
In fact, I must have fallen for him at first glance.
I’ve never loved anyone before. Scratch that, I have never had a serious relationship with any other man. I trusted him enough to share myself with him despite knowing only sadistic men my whole life. What if I choose him because he’s the first man to show me kindness, only to end up exploiting it?
It’s easy to attach an innocent creature to you, right? She doesn’t know any better, and she would believe anything.
No.
I’m not a child. I’m a grown woman, and I know what I feel and want. He didn’t manipulate me into doing what he wanted; he gave me every chance to escape. And he did warn me about crossing the line.
That he won’t let me go once we stepped over it, and I made that decision willingly.
I stand by it still.
What I want is a life with a man who I love and who loves me, but is a man like Orion capable of loving someone?
Obsession is a far cry from love, although they may exist in the same trajectory. Obsession causes a lot of destruction, whereas love is supposed to heal our cracked souls.
Does he even understand the emotion?
“You need to talk to him,” I tell myself, grabbing the arrow and focusing on the fourth target. “An internal monologue won’t give you any answers.”
I’m about to try to score another bull’s-eye when my father’s voice echoes in the evening, mixing with the thunder. “You little bitch!” I spin around to see him walk toward me, wearing a washed-out suit and anger like I’ve never seen etched on his features. “You ruined everything,” he seethes, rolling up his sleeves. The familiar fear in the pit of my stomach starts. Usually, his rolled-up sleeves meant he was about to deliver his punishment to me. “My son is in the hospital because of you. We lost our business and will have to sell all our properties to pay off our debts. You ruin everything you touch. I should have never trusted you to fix anything. You’re this family’s downfall.”
Without thinking, I shoot an arrow his way as he continues to march toward me, and he gasps in shock when it lands by his feet, lightly grazing his calf. “What are you doing, you stupid girl?”
Quickly picking up another arrow, I point it at him and speak, coldness seeping through my words as I decide to do something no one has ever done. Protect the little girl who still exists in me. He doesn’t get to hurt her anymore. “Stay away from me.”
“Or you’re going to shoot me?” He takes another step forward, dismissing my warning, and my arrow pierces his calf this time. Father’s painful yelp is music to my ears. “Have you lost your mind?” He grabs the arrow and pulls it out, blood smearing the tip. It’s just a graze and won’t do much damage. “That’s how you repay me for everything I’ve done for you?”
I notice he doesn’t move another inch when I grab a new arrow. My father demonstrated over the years that his hatred for me is far greater than common sense.
“You haven’t done anything for me. You had an affair and then punished us for your weakness. If anything, you’re the one who ruined our lives.”
He huffs. “You got way more than you deserved, and you proved to me you’re your mother’s daughter. Jumped right into the bed with the man you married and turned your back on us. He wants to give you the company. You! A bastard!” he shouts, and while in the past his words would have hurt me, they don’t mean much to me now. My father is the true monster, and Orion, with all his vices, could never be like him.
He would never hurt his daughter, this I know without the shadow of a doubt. He raised Actaeon despite all the horrible circumstances of his birth, and my father couldn’t even face the consequences of his own actions.
