And from the way his mouth trembles, the way his eyes tear up, it’s obvious there’s more. But it takes Ezra a second to compose himself enough to get it out.
“You wanna know why I came at you sometimes?”
“Sometimes?” Kai chokes out, stabbing a finger in his father’s direction. “You started beating me as often as he beat you!”
“Because I was preparing you, you ungrateful cunt!” Ezra yells. “I knew—I fuckingknew—Dad would get bored with me one day and go after you! Ithought?—”
Ezra cuts off, clearing his throat and swipe at the tears on his face like he’s wondering where they’re coming from. When he speaks, it’s in a quiet murmur.
“I thought if I got you used to it, you’d be able to survive it when—“ He stops. Puffs out a breath. “When I was gone.”
“That’s enough.” Richard’s deep voice is so carefully controlled, it’s obvious he’s seconds away from violence. “Sit down, Ezra.”
Ezra doesn’t even look at him.
“Isaidsit?—”
“Or what? You’ll hit me?” Ezra turns to face his father, and the look on his ruined face makes my blood go cold.
There’s nothing left in his eyes.
No fear, no anger, no fight.
Nothing.
Ezra spreads his arms, messianic in his calm. “Go ahead, Dick. Take your best fucking shot.”
Richard stares at his eldest son with flat, bloodshot eyes, and for the first time since he walked through that door, I realize he has no power here anymore.
Ezra turns away from him like he’s already forgotten he exists.
His face softens as he gazes at Kai, and for a moment it almost looks like he wants to smile.
“Lucky for you, I was more than enough for Dad.”
Ezra might as well have ripped Kai’s heart out.
I’ve always hated him, but if what he’s saying is true…he was trying to protect Kai the only way he knew how.
“Jesus…” Kai mumbles, his face white. “Why didn’t you speak to me? All you did was?—“
“You didn’t need me,” Ezra says bitterly as he wipes the back of his hand under his nose. “Youneverneeded me. You had her.”
He swipes at another tear racing down his twisted face.
“You had your girl, and your woods, and your fucking fairy tale romance. You didn’t need me.”
My body shrivels up when Ezra turns his father’s dead-eyed stare on me.
“Whatthe fuckmade you so special?”
Chapter 45
Kai
I stare at the ruin of my brother’s face and the tears cutting tracks through the scar tissue I put there, my mind swimming as I try to process everything Ezra just said. But I’m stuck on a single thought that repeats ad nauseam.
He thought he was protecting me.
