Page 121 of Striking Range

“Evie,” Skylar whispers, stopping short of the concrete step before us as he pulls out his phone and hits record on a new voice memo. “You’ll be okay. I’m here.”

He’s here. Yes, I guess he is. And as long as Ash doesn’t ruin everything, he always will be.

“Let’s go in,” I reply.

Opening the front door, I push inside. Skylar trails behind me, still clinging to my hand as we listen for movement.

I can hear Ash’s voice coming from the den, so I head in that direction. Every step closer reveals a neon warning sign—my nervous system is detecting a new threat, another punch to the gut or slap to the face.

False alarm, I tell myself. He can’t touch you now.

But he can, if he wants to. I can’t stop him no matter how strong I am. Once I stand before him, I am a child again.

I round the corner and stand in the archway of the den, spotting Ash where he sits on the leather couch. Felicita is next to him, mid-laugh. It’s cut short as they notice us, eyes darting between me and where Skylar is half hidden behind me.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Ash snaps, standing up from the couch in a hurry.

“I’m not leaving,” I tell him, and despite my fear, I sound relatively calm. “I want to know why you’re so insistent that I go.”

“Why?” he sneers. “Because you’re a queer, and a disobedient son. How many times must I explain it to you?”

“Apparently several times,” Felicita mumbles, glaring at us around her husband’s towering form.

“You’re blackmailing me into leaving Florida because I’m bisexual? Because I won’t act as your puppet anymore? Because I won’t let you hit me again?”

I hit all the buzzwords, doing my best to collect the right evidence. I feel Skylar shuffle closer, his phone in his free hand.

“I’ve said a million times,” Ash says. “Get out of my house and leave that boy in Sinclair; otherwise, I’ll make sure he never lands a stable job.”

“Blackmail is illegal,” Skylar cuts in, his tone hostile.

“I’m a fucking lawyer, kid. I know that. I also know how to get what I want,” Ash boasts. “How do you think I got my hands on those documents in the first place? If you think you can fuck with me, you’re sorely mistaken.”

“Being a lawyer won’t stop you from going to jail.” I square my shoulders, anticipating a potential blow as I add, “You are not invincible, Ash.”

“You don’t understand shit,” he spits out. “I’m not going to sit here and debate my abilities with you. You should know better than anyone, Everett, just how invincible I am.”

An ugly, spiteful smile curls at his lips as he takes a menacing step forward. I feel Skylar go rigid beside me.

“Come on,” Ash taunts, “show me what you got. Are you finally ready to hit back? To defend yourself? You’re a fucking pussy, Everett. If you’ve finally found your balls, I can put you in your place again.”

We have enough. Between admitting to blackmail and threatening me, insinuating his previous abuse, we have more than enough. If this audio were to ever leak, Ash would be done for, not only in his social circles, but legally as well.

“There’s no need,” I reply. My hands are shaking, and my heart is pounding, but with Skylar next to me, poised and ready for anything, I find that I no longer feel as afraid. “We’ve got enough.”

“Got enough?” Felicita squeaks, her confused eyes darting between the current company.

“What does that mean?” Ash grits out.

“It means,” Skylar says sweetly, “that we have all of this on audio. You’re fucked, bitch.”

Ash takes one angry step forward before the words really settle in. He pauses, his eyes falling to the phone in Skylar’s hands. “Are you… Did you record me? Without my consent?!”

“We did. And I’m fairly certain that the nonconsensual recording won’t mean much in the face of all the crimes you just admitted to.” Skylar smiles smugly. “What was it, Evie? Blackmail, assault, general assholery?”

“Delete it!” Ash screeches, taking another large step toward us. “Delete it now, or else!”

I move to speak, but Skylar beats me to it, his manic laugh echoing around the room. “Or else what? I’m still recording, dumbass!”