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“D-Dad?” He nodded. “But… but you’re… dead.”
An unamused chuckle fell from his lips. “Yeah, that’s what he wants you to believe.”
“He? Who’s he?”
He leaned into me and whispered, “Give me what I need, and I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
I should have known better than for him just to turn up out of the blue and tell me all his secrets.
I handed him the bag, assuming that was what he meant, but it seemed he was after more. That’s if there was anything other than a couple of bricks in that bag. As per Donny’s rule, I never looked.
“Happy?” I asked as a cold, vacant expression washed over his face. I remember the shudder that ran down my spine. He was meant to be my father, yet in that moment I was more terrified than I think I’ve ever been in my life.
“I need money. Every penny you’ve got, kid, or I’m coming after the one weakness have left.”
“I don’t have one. You’re going to need to try better than that,” I said, puffing my chest out. It was almost true; I cared about very little in life.
“I’ll start with your whore of a mother. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll move on to your bastard brothers.”
I opened my mouth to argue, to tell him that he’d never touch his own sons. I knew he had a temper, but up until that moment I never thought he’d hurt his own flesh and blood.
“All of you are just as worthless as her. Fucking cheap whore who opens her legs for any bloke who looks her way.”
“What are you—”
“I’m not your fucking father, boy. I never could have fathered three pathetic boys like you. You’re all nothing to me, fucking nothing. Now get me what I need, or I’ll be coming back for her.”
I sit up and suck in lungfuls of air. My stomach turns over, making me heave. Thankfully the lack of contents means there’s nothing to throw up.
“Fucking lying asshole,” I scream into the silence around us. My heart races and my fists curl, the tidal wave of emotions I felt that night as I stared at my dead father, hitting me. The confusion over what he was telling me. The anger that burned through me as he spoke about those I loved like that. The regret that I didn’t do more, that I didn’t force all of the truth out of him.
He didn’t wait for me to give him everything I had. He had already seen our mother and set his plan into action. I have no idea if he drove her to the overdose or if he forced it.
There’s a chance I’ll never know.
When he’d come back, I had given him the money as requested, hoping like hell he was going keep his promise, unaware that it was already too late. He whispered one single name to me as he disappeared.
James.
I still don’t understand it. James wanted him dead. Why? And why couldn’t he have found someone capable of getting the job done?
Unable to sit there any longer with my head full of questions and wondering what kind of disaster is happening at James’ house, I push up and make the short walk back.
I have every intention of slipping around the edge of the grounds and disappearing into the pool house, but that’s all ruined when I find Remi standing around the pool, dressed in a skin tight, short little black dress with her hands on Bexley.
He’s standing in her personal space and smiling down at her like a lion who’s hungry for his lunch as she rests her tiny hand on his forearm and laughs at whatever dumbass comment he just made.
A red mist descends over me, and before I know I’ve moved, my feet have carried me halfway toward them. The few people who were loitering around jump out of my way, and a couple of members of the football team shout the motherfucker’s name to give him a heads-up about what’s coming for him.
I pass the screen that Sarah demanded was here so she could show cute baby pictures of Remi—as if anyone really fucking cares. That woman’s heart is in the right place, but she’s a clueless
idiot sometimes.
“Get your fucking hands off her,” I bark, wrapping my arm around Remi’s waist and pulling her away from his body.
The music that was booming around the yard is turned down, and more kids spill out of the doors to see what’s about to kick off.
My skin burns the second Remi’s angry stare lands on me, but instead of ripping me a new one like I’m sure she was intending to do, a gasp falls from her lips.
