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“How about a fractured arm or a bruised face?”
“I’ve spoken to him about the matter—”
“You’ve spoken to him,” I cried. “You’re my father. And you watched him force himself on me.” I thrust my finger at him. “You should’ve defended me. Or at the very least had him put in jail.”
Why hadn’t I?
I could walk into the station and press charges. My injuries were still fresh.
“Think about how a scandal will harm your brothers.”
My mouth dropped open. I shouldn’t be surprised by his tactics. They weren’t new. But they were effective.
“You mean how it will affect you.”
He folded his hands on his desk. “Stay out of the public eye. And you’ll be staying with me from this point forward. I’ll have Winston collect your things.”
I blinked a few times. I didn’t know who was crazier. My father or Alex.
“I don’t think so. Behind the walls of your house, you might allow Alex to rape me. Did youspeakto him about those rules?”
His jaw tightened. “That’s enough.”
“Funny thing. I thought the same thing when he forced his tongue into my mouth. It didn’t make a damn bit of difference.”
I spun on my heel and strode across the plush rug.
With my hand on the door, I glared back at the man who should’ve defended me above all others. “When I asked you the first time what you’d do if Alex hurt me, you said you’d hurt him in return. You lied, Father. You watched him hurt me this time, and all you did wastalkto the asshole.”
And that was what was as painful as my physical injuries. He’d told me he’d hurt him, but not only did he do nothing, he failed me. He would always fail me. “In case it wasn’t clear, I’m not marrying that son of a bitch.”
He sighed as if I were a petulant child. “Your brothers are quite happy, don’t you think? More so than I’ve ever seen.”
My blood ran cold.
“I’d hate for that to change. Tragedies are so common now.” He sounded like it was such a shame.
He’d allowed a tragedy last night.
Why couldn’t you have been killed instead of Mom?
“I will not see him again,” I said through my teeth. I loved my brothers. They were my weakness, but they wouldn’t stand for this.
Father tapped one thumb on top of the other. “I do wonder if those people were wrongfully put in jail. Maybe your friend did harm that special brother of hers.” He picked up his phone. “My conscience won’t allow that to stand.”
“What are you going to do?”
Evil spread across his face. “The authorities need to know the truth. Abuse against those who are . . .” He pressed his lips together as if searching for the right word. “Vulnerable is such a travesty. Abuse against those poor dogs is too.”
He swiped the screen of his phone.
He’d do it. He’d lie and do something awful to Lexie and Pepper. And it would be my fault. They were my friends. I loved them. I loved my brothers.
I could be strong so they could be happy.
Lincoln had done that all of my life for me. It was my turn to let him have the joy he deserved.
“I’m not living with him. And if he ever lays a hand on me—”
