AllFreeNovel
Share Us
From across the courtroom, Nero nods to me, his eyes sparkling. Beside him, my mother squirms uncomfortably in her seat.
As the hearing commences, I’m a ball of nerves. I hardly hear a word the lawyers say. All I can do is stare at my father at the defense table. He looks so different from the broken man I’d visited behind bars – his hair is slicked back, his suit is immaculate, and there’s a little of his famous showman’s swagger about him.
Walter Hart has to give the performance of his life today, and he’s ready for showtime.
I watch every twitch of his eye muscles, every shuffle of his papers, waiting for the clue that will give me answers. How did you get mixed up in this, Dad? What the fuck is Nero doing?
I'm so busy watching him that I don't hear a word of the trial. Even Nero’s testimony – a rousing speech about my father being a victim of an unscrupulous man named Constantine Dio – is swallowed by the hole in my heart. The only thing that breaks through is Claws jabbing me in the gut with her sharp elbow.
We haven’t talked about Berkeley, or my other college acceptances, since that day at school two weeks ago. She gave me a cake from a local bakery decorated with the three college mascots and a ‘bloody knife’ dipped in strawberry coulis stabbing the center. “To help you decide,” she grinned, licking icing off her finger.
I don’t want to tell her that every time I get close to a decision, I can’t pull the plug. Every answer is a betrayal of her.
I turn to Claws just in time to hear the judge utter the words.
“—free to go.”
There’s movement in the courtroom – harsh whispers, cries of shock and outrage. My father grinning his showman’s grin. I tug Claws’ sleeve. “Wait, what did he just say?”
“Weren’t you listening? Didn't you hear Nero blame every aspect of the body brokering business on Constantine Dio?" She knits her fingers in mine. "Your father is free.”
“What?”
That's impossible. He can't be free. He's guilty. He did this.
“His conviction is overturned with the court’s apologies. I don’t entirely understand the reasoning, but I don’t think it matters.” Claudia glances across the room. “I think we all know who’s behind this.”
Nero flashes us a wave and a dazzling smile. I ball my hands into fists, longing to punch that smile off his face but knowing he’s untouchable.
“Why does he give a shit about my family?” I repeat the same question we’ve asked ourselves a hundred times already. “He can’t possibly think Dad will be some kind of asset.”
“I don’t know what he thinks, but you’d better get over there before you become the lead story in tomorrow's paper.”
I don’t want to be anywhere near Dad, but Claudia’s right. If I don’t get over there, my snubbing of my father will be all over the papers, and things will get worse. My feet carry me onto the steps of the courthouse, where my father waits with a shit-eating grin on his pale face. "This is a good day for justice," he says to the cameras, pointing to the flag pin on his lapel. "I'm proud to be an American citizen, knowing that the truth will win out in the end."
Nero hovers beside him, his fat fingers sliding over his lapels. My mother threads her arm through Dad’s, but she only has eyes for Nero Lucian.
I step over to the group. I’m not in control of my body. I’m back on the sofa in the media room at Malloy Manor, stuffing popcorn in my mouth as I watch the film of this horrific moment playing out in HD.
Cameras snap as Dad wraps his arms around me. “I’m back, son.”
My hands move from my side to pat at Dad’s shoulders in one of those ‘man’ hugs he taught me. He feels like he’s made of cardboard. He’s not real.
Dad says a few more platitudes, then the three of us crowd into the back of a limousine with Nero, his bodyguards, and Dad’s lawyer, Sanderson, who is grinning like the Cheshire Cat as if he had something to do with Dad getting off scot-free. As if this wasn't all part of Nero Lucian's master plan.
Just as the driver starts to pull away, Claudia slides into the limo.
I expect us to drive back to our house, but instead, Nero takes us to Vault. He pats my father on the knee as we pull up. “I thought you might like to see where your son has been getting his lessons in business.”
“Wow, son, look at this fancy joint. You’re moving up in the world, eh?” Dad squirms in his seat like a kid in a candy store. Why is he acting all buddy-buddy with the guy who stole Mom from him?
I don’t like this. I don’t like it at all.
Claws grips my hand, squeezing hard. She’s got my back, always. That’s what matters – not college, not Nero, none of this bullshit. Me and her and our family looking out for each other.
Nero leads our group upstairs to a private room. He takes our drink orders – a Long Island ice tea for Dad, dry martini for Mom, Macallan neat for Nero, nothing for me or Claudia – and rings down for service. I’m surprised to see Livvie arrive with the drinks, Essie wrapped around her shoulders. Mom startles when the snake turns her head toward her, and splashes her drink down the front of her low-cut court blouse.
Nero accepts his drink from Livvie with a fatherly smile. “I’d like you to stay.”
