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The lock went green, causing Tobias to turn back, glance at us, and then open the door. My heart leaped as he stepped through. But Nick was there, stepping around me, touching Ali as he followed his brother inside.
Then Caleb went, leaving just me. Part of me wanted to turn away and just not know. But that haunting stare stayed with me, dragging the agony of betrayal back to the surface.
“Holy shit,” Tobias snarled.
I looked down at our son, at his perfect gray-green eyes, ones he carried from my bloodline, and stepped through that open door into a world of machines.
There were rows and rows of servers. I moved between the towering stacks, finding Caleb first, then Nick, and finally Tobias. He spun around, his eyes shining with excitement. “I say it’s the perfect place to put this.”
In his hand was that hunk of C4. One that would tear this place apart.
“We need to get you and Ali safe first.” He glanced at his son.
“I can help with that.”
I stiffened at the soft murmur. One I hadn’t heard in what felt like forever.
“You? You MOTHERFUCKER!” Tobias unleashed a roar.
Movement came all around me. I was grabbed and pushed to the side, spinning to see Tobias grab my father and drive him backwards until his head slammed against one of the rows of servers with a thud.
But my father didn’t fight back. Instead, he stood motionless as Nick rushed forward to search his jacket and his pockets. “He’s clear,” He called, staring my father in the eyes.
He didn’t look like my father.
Not the one I knew.
This man was gaunt and weak, sallow looking. He shifted that piercing stare to me once more, then slowly lowered it to my son. “Ryth.”
“No, you fucking don’t,” Tobias growled as he stepped to the side, blocking his view. “You don’t get to look at her. You don’t get to look at anyone but me.”
The pain I’d suffered at the hands of our family was nothing compared to Tobias’. His own father had not only sold me out, but then he’d tried to make amends, ultimately dying in Tobias’ arms. That hurt more than anything.
“I’m here to help,” my father said quietly. “Just let me help you, son.”
I winced at the word.
“Don’t you dare call me that. I’m not your son and that woman there isn’t your daughter. You lost that right when you fucking betrayed us.”
“I tried?—”
“You sold your own fucking DAUGHTER TO A RAPIST!”
Ali unleashed a scream, kicking and thrashing in my arms. I stumbled backwards, clutching my son. I wanted to see pain in my father’s eyes. I wanted to see anything but utter helplessness.
“Are you going to deny it?” Tobias towered over him, his fists clenched like he wanted to beat my father to death with the fistful of explosives. He’d do it, too.
“How can I?” The words were almost a whisper. “It’s the truth.”
Tobias sneered. “You vile piece of shit. Nick…cuff this bastard to the server there. He needs to die along with the rest of this place.”
Nick glanced at me, then shook his head. “Not going to do that, T.”
Tobias’ rage was a beast of its own, making him wrench that hateful glare toward his brother, until he saw me. Then he stopped, his big chest heaving.
“It’s her dad,” Nick urged. “Regardless of what he’s done. I’m not going to watch her see him die, we know what that feels like, right?”
My beautiful tornado of pain flinched, that rage dying down to an inferno as he turned back to my father. “No, we’re not going to do that. She just won’t watch.”
