“We’ve heard you’re kind of a sicko.” Declan cracks his knuckles.
“And you like to play with little girls.” March removes his jacket.
My father takes a step back with alarm in his eyes as they take a terrorizing step forward.
“That was a long time ago, and I’m reformed. I went to counseling,” Liam tries to talk his way out of it.
“Bullshit,” I call him out. “I saw the way you looked at me at the hotel. I heard what you said. You’re exactly the same. You’re disgusting.”
“Do you know what they do to pedophiles in prison?” Declan strikes his arm out like a snake and wraps his hand around Liam’s throat.
“A lot of bad shit,” March continues. “Too bad you’re never going to see the inside of a jail cell. Because we’re going to take care of society’s problems right now. And we’re way worse than inmates.”
“We’re going to enjoy breaking you.” Declan squeezes harder, and Liam gasps with terror in his glassy-green eyes. I won’t say I'm not enjoying this. I kind of want a bucket of popcorn and a pair of 3-D glasses. A lounge chair wouldn’t be terrible either.
“I thought you weren’t here to kill me.” Liam strains to talk.
“Oh, me? I’m not. I can’t speak for them, though.” I shrug aloofly.
“You’re a disgusting piece of shit.” Declan raises his fist. “And I am going to enjoy putting you in the ground.”
Liam squeezes his eyes shut, bracing himself for the hit.
“Stop.” I elevate my voice, and Declan halts.
“You sure?”
“Yes, let him breathe.”
“Bummer.” Declan lets go, and Liam chokes for air. A creature inside my sick, dark soul eats every second of this up. Seeing my father’s fear. Watching him crumble under another man’s power. It’s like I don't even recognize the man in front of me. He’s not my proprietor anymore. He’s just pathetic.
“The only reason you are still alive is because of Farrah. Because she is happy. And ignorant of all your atrocities. But I promise you, the day she stops needing you is the day I will come back and get my revenge. So continue on your corrupt path. Do all your evil deeds. Just know, I will be the one who comes and ends it all.” That's all I need to say. It’s enough. It frees me from the bonds of him. “We will be gone in the morning. A helicopter is picking us up. Stay out of our way, and we’ll stay out of yours.”
“Fine.” My father tries to regain as much poise as possible. But it’s not really working. We can all see through him. Underneath all his money, his big house, and political power is a puny man who can be easily intimidated. Who can be influenced. Who can be broken.
“’Night,” I sing. Striding off in my sexy dress, with a drop-dead gorgeous man by my side, and a business partner who is more than just that. He’s my best friend. I haven’t felt this confident walking through the halls of this house ever. Not in my entire life. And it feels pretty fucking amazing.
* * *
“Now I knowwhere you get it from.” Declan unzips my dress and kisses his way down my naked shoulder. I’ve been jonesing for this. To get off. When I went in to say goodnight to Farrah as promised, I wasn’t prepared for her to chew my ear off for another hour. Although, in hindsight, I should have anticipated it.
“Get what from?”
“Your balls. Your mom looked pretty fierce with that butcher knife.”
“Ew, Dax, don’t talk about my mom while you're getting me naked.”
He finds my revulsion hysterical.
“Did you and March plan that little stunt?” I help him lift his T-shirt off.
“The plan was to put him in the ground. But you stopped us.”
“If the circumstances were different, I wouldn’t have.” Declan lifts me onto the dresser in the spare bedroom we chose. “Farrah needs stability. She’s so close to graduating. To going to college. Killing our father would rock her. I don't want to do that. I want her to have more of a future than me.”
“You’re a good big sister.” Declan slides off the last of my clothes. My black lacy thong. In an attempt to be humorous, he slingshots it across the room.
“You’re a friggin’ teenager.”
