Calvin’s eyes flicker with a cold malice that he’s apparently masked expertly our entire lives. I knew he was never fond of me, that he was not a good person, but I didn’t think he was capable of actual evil, but that is all that is reflected in his gaze now. That’s the terrifying thing about masks, some people are so good at crafting them, wearing them, that when you live in such close proximity to them for so long it’s only when you walk away, gain distance and perspective, you start to see them slip to reveal the real monster lurking underneath.
“What a shame that is, isn’t it?” He snarls, leaning into my space.
Sweat slicks down my back. I have no place to run, nowhere to hide from the hate oozing off of him. Slowly, he walks across the room and closes all the blinds granting a view into the hallway.
“What did you do?” I plead.
“I did what any good son would do. Dad neededmeto get you to fall in line, comply, and youfucking wouldn’t. As usual. So I decided that if he couldn’t have you by his side in the flesh, he could have you in spirit. Sympathy is just as powerful in politics. And driven by tragedy?” He chuckles darkly. “Well, that’s something that could inflame his whole political platform.” His grin was twisted, sick,proudof this awful plan.
“Killing your own sister?” I say, a stinging tear rolling free.
“You were neverreallypart of our family. It was just supposed to be me. I was all they needed. All you ever were was a mistake, a disappointment. I had to tolerate you, same as Dad. Now I can be the one standing by his side, like it was always meant to be.”
“I was never going to be by his side, so what does it matter!” I try to raise my voice but it just trembles.
“That’s the fucking point,Lainey. He wanted you, too. And I only want it to beme.”
Stepping even closer this time, he strikes out fast, like the snake he is, wrapping both of his hands around my neck. Cal is only a few inches taller than me, and by looking at him you would think he would be weak, but his rage is making him strong. I claw at his fingers, but he just grips harder. My tired, smoke-addled body can’t fight back like normal.
My eyes roam to the door, praying the officer is there again, will look in here and see this fucked-up family reunion.
“Oh, he’s not there,” Calvin hisses. “Sent him on a nice, long coffee break. On my very generous tip, of course. How could he resist? No cop likes babysitting duty. And I assured him that you’d be safe—I am yourbrother, after all.”
His disgusting grin and wild, beady eyes are the last things I see before his wrath pulls me back into darkness.
50
Remington
She was right, of course. A shower, long and hot, was really nice. It would have been nicer if she were with me, but hospital rules and all that would probably frown on that wish. I lingered under the hot spray, letting it loosen my tight, sore muscles longer than I intended to. My thoughts got lost in the steam, swirling down the drain with the soap and grime from the fire.
Exhaustion swept over my limbs as I toweled off the water droplets from my body as quickly as I could. Pulling on Eli’s grey sweatpants, an FGFD T-shirt, and my gym shoes he picked up from my locker at the fire station, I felt like a new man. Clean and ready to climb into that shitty hospital bed, wrap Lainey safely in my arms, and hold her all night.
Walking back down Lainey’s ICU hallway it’s quiet and calm, but I feel uneasy. I can’t explain it, but something in my gut is screaming at me to move faster. Looking ahead, her door is unguarded.
Unguarded. Where the hell is the cop?
Dread. Panic. Fear.
I drop my bag and sprint down the hall, catching theattention of the nurses at their station. They call out after me, but I ignore them.
Bursting through Lainey’s hospital room door, I can’t believe what I am seeing. I don’t even have time to process it fully before I am moving.
I lunge, tackling Calvin to the floor, and then Iunleashmyself on him. Every ounce of rage that has been pooling in my veins pours out through the bone-crushing punches I deliver.
His eyes.
His nose.
His jaw.
His cheek.
His ribs.
It doesn’t matter where the punches land, as long as they inflict maximum pain and damage to this piece of shit.
He had his hands around Lainey’s neck. He was choking her, killing her.
