Page 53 of Savage Salvation

“Make me understand, Ryan!” Danielle shrieks, her head shaking, her hands covering her face. “No. No. What did you do?”

While I’m glad some of her anger is at him, I’m having trouble processing it. He usually gets away with everything and doesn’t even care when he does get in trouble, but he’s almost in tears right now, begging for his mom to hear him out. She won’t stop wailing as Steve steps up, shouting at his son.

“This is new,” I mumble to Gage, watching the scene unfold. It’s almost as entertaining as watching the car go up in flames, which Steve has unfortunately pretty much put out. Although, the car didn’t fare well. Thankfully.

“You know better!” Steve shouts, his finger pointed in his son’s face.

“I didn’t screw her!” Ryan shouts, but his parents are too busy shouting at each other to listen.

Steve slings the fire extinguisher at the charred car, and it smashes into the heaping pile. He turns his rage directly on Danielle, his finger in her face as he shouts, “This is your fault. You should’ve told her.” His hand points in my direction. “She’s your goddamn sister and you put her in that position.” Steve grasps his son’s shirt, hauling Ryan to look him in the eye. “You knew better.”

“We didn’t have sex,” Ryan hollers, struggling to get out of his father’s grip.

I’m gonna be sick. “No, we didn’t have sex.” I look at Ryan. I’d only thought he was vile before. “He tied me up for his friend to fuck me, but your son planned on shoving his dick in my mouth first.”

Bile rises in my throat—the thought of it before was bad enough. This is even worse. And Steve yells what I’m putting together. “She’s your aunt. Your family.”

“I was just scaring her so she’d stop waving her ass in front of me, thinking I wanted her. I never would’ve screwed her. She needed to learn a lesson. The stupid slut deserves it for everything she and her mom did to our family.” Ryan turns his fury on me. “All because that stupid cunt’s mom couldn’t keep her legs closed.”

“Of course it was only her fault,” I utter, shaking my head. There’s no talking logic with Ryan. Everything is always somebody else’s fault. Somehow, me hating him was me teasing him in his world. But Danielle … she’s the one I don’t understand. My sister? She remains motionless, her eyes avoiding me. Ryan is still in a panic, trying to get away from his dad. And all I hear are the words, sister, aunt, and family echoing through my head.

Steve is shouting at Ryan, telling him to shut his mouth. Who ever would’ve guessed that the burly guy who seemed to be annoyed by my existence would become my favorite in the Wagoner household?

“Kinsley,” Gage says quietly, brushing a comforting hand up my back. Nothing is going to make this better. But something could make it worse.

I look to him and ask, “Did you know?”

His head emphatically shakes. “No. I swear. I didn’t.”

I step to Danielle and look at the woman who was supposed to be my mom’s best friend but is actually my sister. “I don’t understand. My mom said you were her best friend. You lied to me all these years about a fucking letter from her? I’m your sister.” I have no cohesive thoughts …they’re all just tumbling out as they pop into my head.

“She was my best friend, until I found out she screwed my dad and got pregnant with you. I tried to forgive her, but I couldn’t. She didn’t even tell me the truth. I had to find out after her death.”

“How did you find out? How do you even know that’s really true?” I ask, praying this is all some big misunderstanding. But I know it’s not.

“After the sudden loss of your mom, I didn’t know what to do. I was still reeling from the phone call that I’d lost my best friend in a car crash. Then I found out she was a different person than I’d known. My dad kept pushing to assume custody of you. I couldn’t understand why. Ashley had been close with my family. The two of you even spent holidays with us, but it didn’t make sense. So, he had to explain why he was so enthralled with the well-being of a child he’d barely spoken a few words to. That’s how I found out they’d been fucking the entire time behind my back.”

“No. She wouldn’t.” The denial that leaves my mouth in a breathless sob only ignites Danielle’s anger as she surges forward, standing in my face.

“She did. And I had to sit back and watch my father arrange custody for a bastard child. And he almost had everything finalized before he died. And to my surprise, his death revealed another shocker because he made sure to leave part of my inheritance to you. Your mom didn’t leave you shit, my father did.”

My head is spinning. I’m angry at my mom and the man I’ve just discovered to be my father. But mostly, I’m mad at the woman in front of me who’s held me accountable for their actions. “Wouldn’t that make him my father too?”

She glares at me then turns and stomps away.

When I wished for a sister as a child, that bitch is not what I had in mind.

Sirens sound in the distance, getting closer. Ryan avoids looking to me as he follows behind his mom and disappears into the house.

“You should go,” Steve says, looking to Gage. “Both of you, before they get here. I’ll take care of it.” Steve looks to me. “You’ve suffered enough.”

When he turns his back to me, I call his name. I have to ask. I have to hear the truth one final time. “The letter? There was never a letter?”

His head shakes as he turns to look at me. “No. She wanted you here to keep collecting the inheritance until the final payment upon graduation.”

“From Sacred Creed.”

“From any school. Danielle knew you’d never be able to afford it without her help.” His head hangs down, “Which was your money paying it anyways. She needed you here and clueless to keep access to it.”