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“How did she die?” I ask. “When did it happen?”
My dad looks stricken. He pulls at the tie on his neck ripping it away before shoving his hand into his thinning dark hair. My dad has always been a strong man. But right now, he looks scared, like a rat caught in a trap.
“Anthony, I need you to understand that I had no choice. This wasn’t something I planned on doing. But over the years, the lies,” he pauses and takes a deep breath. “They have a way of piling up and I found myself in a position where I would lose my family if the truth ever came out.”
I stare numbly, not understanding what he’s saying.
“Well then I guess today’s the lucky day,” I murmur. “Continue. Tell me what happened to her.”
“Tony,” he says my name in a hushed whisper. His eyes well up with tears. He looks like he’s struggling to say the words, but he finally manages to, “Your mother died fifteen years ago. She never abandoned you. She was murdered and I covered it up.”
“What the fuck!” Roman yells.
When you’re underwater, there’s this feeling of weightlessness that accompanies it. Water envelops you, muffling all the sounds around you. You can’t hear anything except the liquid sloshing in your ear. That’s what I feel like right now. Like I’m underwater.
Roman advances on my dad. I can’t hear what he’s saying or shouting. Meanwhile, Michael comes to stand in front of me. I think he’s saying my name. I’m starting to breathe heavily.
Is it possible to drown without being in water?
Michael’s grabbing my shoulder now, shaking me. That helps. I slowly start to focus, I blink once, twice.
“Tony!” he shouts.
I exhale softly, “I’m okay. I’m okay. I just- I need to get out of here.”
I can’t even look at my father right now.
Michael nods. “I’ll go with you.”
“No.”
“Tony-”
“I promise I’m not going to kill anyone.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Michael says softly.
My jaw tightens, “I need to leave. I’ll come back. I promise. But I can’t be in here.”
I shrug his arm off before turning around and stumbling out of the door. My sister’s standing a few feet away, leaning against the wall.
Fucking stubborn ass Legan, I think.
She immediately walks towards me and her eyes widen at whatever expression’s on my face.
“Tony,” she breathes. “What’s wrong?”
She tries to touch my arm but I shift out of her grasp. I don’t want that.
“Just, no,” is all I can say before I’m walking away.
I hurry out of there and head for my car. I’m trying to take advantage of the fact that I’m still numb. The rage’s not there yet. Which means I just need to get to my pool. Once I’m underwater, these emotions inside of me will subside. I can finally think straight. The drive takes twenty minutes. It’s already dark outside which suits me perfectly.
Once I arrive at the hotel, I head straight for the elevator and use the keycard that grants me special access to the roof. The pool beneath me glints in the moonlight, beckoning me. I pull my shirt off and I’m about to do the same to my pants when I hear a crunch.
Very slowly I turn towards the lounge chairs and find a woman eating chips. The sight is so ludicrous I almost laugh. The first thing I think is that if this were any other moment in my life, if my world wasn’t practically crumbling right now, I would have been blown away by her beauty.
Even now I can’t ignore the fact that she’s fucking hot. Long toned legs encased in a short skirt that’s ridden up as she lies on the chair. Long blonde hair and the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. They look dangerous, like they could reel a man in and trap them.
