“Disobedient girl!” He barges into the room, lifting the Bible to strike Pepper.
I snatch the book from his grasp and bash him in the forehead with it, sending him tumbling to the floor. I prepare to thrash him again for good measure, but Pepper grabs my arm.
“Dom, don’t.”
“Raise a hand to her again, and no force on Heaven or earth will be able to save you from my fury.”
“I’ll have you arrested for assault,” he threatens, clambering to his feet.
“If you do, the congregation will learn of your dirty little secret,” Pepper says.
“What secret?”
“The child you fathered with your best friend’s wife.”
This scenario hits too close to home for me. Not long ago, I was on the receiving end of an unfaithful fiancée and backstabbing best friend.
“That is a lie.”
“Patrick knows the truth too, and a simple DNA test will confirm it.”
“You’d blackmail your own father for this white serpent?” he spits.
“And you’d destitute your own daughter. We’re even.”
“You’re dead to me.”
Her bravado falters, and sadness fills her eyes.
“Watch it,” I growl, taking a step towards him.
He hastily backpedals.
She stiffens her resolve and pushes on. “I’m moving soon, but I expect you to continue paying for college.”
He storms out of the condo in righteous indignation.
“This situation could’ve been prevented if you had let me talk to Lester,” Pepper says in a voice thick with emotion. “Are you purposely aiming to sabotagemy life?”
“I would’ve made sure you had a place to live and paid for school.”
“And that exonerates your actions?”
“I don’t regret what I’ve done.”
“You’re cold-blooded.”
“As a fucking snake.”
“Is this some sick twisted game to you? Please help me understand.”
“It’s not for you to understand.”
“I care—”
“Enough, Pepper!” I boom. “Goddamn it! No more questions and no more trying to get inside my head!”
“I’ve never met a person more self-serving than you,” she cries, lying on her side.
