Page 69 of A Haunting at Keystone Manor

“If you don’t stay down, the next shot I take at you won’t be with a taser. You’ve been good to my family Sasha, which is why you’re not dead. Don’t force my hand,” my dad says. Sasha holds his hands up in surrender, still trying to catch his breath.

“Leave him alone, dad,” I say with derision, still trying to portray a confidence I don’t feel. “Walk out of here while you still can.”

“Wow, have you finally found a set of balls? I shouldn’t be surprised it would be for another man. I don’t know how you’re not burning in hell right now.”

“You’re one to talk,” I quip. He fires a round at my head and I duck, narrowly missing getting hit. “What the fuck!” He walks towards me and puts the gun flush against my head, face turning purple in rage. Alex’s fingers tighten on the back of my shirt. He’s scared for me, but he can’t do anything against a silver bullet. I use a hand to keep him firmly at my back.

“Step away from him, boy,” he commands, and Alex backs up a step, but he doesn’t let go of my shirt. I can hear him sniffle softly, but I don’t want to take my eyes off my father to check on him.

“Please don’t hurt him,” he begs. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard Alex beg for anything. My dad ignores him and keeps his attention focused on me.

“Why don’t you get on your knees like the sniveling coward you are. Beg me not to kill your little boyfriend next.” Gun still flush with my head, I give it a shake.

“I only get on my knees for Alex,” I say, knowing it’ll piss him off. He smashes the gun into the side of my face, and my head snaps to the side, sending me off balance and crashing down on one knee. Behind me, Alex cries out.

“Don’t touch him!” Alex pleads again. My dad points the gun back at him.

“If you move another muscle I’ll make you regret it before I kill you.” I use his momentary distraction to launch myself at him. I catch him around the waist and use all my strength to bring him to the floor. The gun goes flying out of his hand and lands in the corner of the room.

“Get the gun!” I scream at Alex, but he’s already running for it. I turn to make sure my father’s goons aren’t around to grab him. The movement costs me as my father is able to wrap an arm around my neck, pinning me to his front. He tightens his grip on my neck, cutting off my air when I struggle. I freeze before wrapping a hand around his forearm and doing my best to relax in his hold. I need him to drop his guard so that Alex can finish this.

Alex grabs the gun and points it at my father, hand shaking.

“You confident in your aim boy?” my father taunts. “If you’re off by an inch you’ll put a bullet right in his head. Put the gun down, now.”

Alex shakes his head. “Let him go!” His hand is shaking so hard he’s not going to be able to aim the gun. “Just stop.”

He’s never killed anyone before, and despite his murder journals I know he doesn’t have it in him to pull that trigger.

“Alex, look at me. Breathe. In and out. Good boy. Do you trust me?” He nods. “Okay, put the gun down. On the floor.”

“No!”

“Yes, do it now,” I tell him, trying to keep my voice firm.

“Listen to him, boy. Come on now, on the ground before I snap his neck,” my father says. Alex slowly lowers the gun to the floor and the grip on my neck loosens a fraction as he backs away from it.

“Jake, I—” he starts to say but as soon as my father lets his guard down, I throw my head back as hard as I can, catching him in the nose with a satisfying crack. He howls and loosens his hold on me enough that I can wiggle out of his grasp. I dive for the gun and grab it before twisting around and aiming it directly at my father.

“Don’t move!” I yell at him. He’s trying to get to his feet while holding a hand over his broken nose, dripping blood all over the floor. He sees me still sprawled on the floor with the gun and laughs.

“You don’t have the balls. You might as well give the gun back to your boyfriend there.” I get to my feet and move in front of Alex.

“You don’t get to talk about him. Why couldn’t you just leave us in peace? ANSWER ME!” I scream at him.

“Because you ruined my life.” He spits at me.

“Your whole life is built on lies. And once you’re gone, I’ll make sure everyone knows what your real legacy is. You’re nothing more than a low life criminal and I want nothing from you. Not your name, not your money, not your businesses, not your legacy. And you will never get a thing from me.” I run a hand down my face and realize I’m crying too. Crying for the father and the life I don’t have. “The only thing I ever wanted was your love, and you couldn’t even give me that.”

My father just stares at me, practically snarling. He looks crazed. Has he always been this way? “You may as well pull the trigger boy, because you’re never going to get it. My biggest regret is not doing enough to knock some sense into you. You needed a firmer hand. Maybe with more time Andrei could have actually made a man of you.” He looks me up and down with undisguised disgust. “Or maybe he’d have just kept you locked in his basement. You seem to like that kind of thing, always throwing yourself at him, begging for his attention. You probably begged him to fuck you, you little degenerate. Did he finally give you what you wanted? Is that why you really ran away? Couldn’t handle it after all? I was hoping his daughter would straighten you out.”

“You motherfucker!” Alex screeches behind me. Sasha gets to his feet unsteadily, looking between me and my father. The gun is shaking in my hands as he walks over to me and holds out a hand.

“Give me gun,” he says quietly, and I shake my head. I’m frozen to the spot, unable to move.

“Jake, trust me when I say, you want no part of this. Taking a life is not a small thing. It changes you. Do not let him do this to you.” He’s practically pleading, and a tear rolls down my cheek.

“What about you?” I ask him.