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"She's unwell, Valentino," Santorum growls.
"No, she isn't. You just don't like knowing that she could bring your world crashing to the fucking ground," I snap, taking a step toward him. "You murdered her father."
"Oh, for fuck's sake. Is that what she told you?" He shakes his head as if he's disappointed. "He broke into my house with a loaded weapon that he stole off one of his neighbors. I shot him in self-defense. I've been cleared in the shooting." He looks at Genesis. "This is why you need help, Genesis. You've lost touch with reality."
"Don't speak to her," I growl. "You don't get to say a goddamn word to her."
"She's delusional, Valentino. Why would I murder Gavin Burbank? The man was my lawyer and my friend for decades. We went fishing together, for fuck's sake."
"Why did he break into your house?" Rafe asks.
"She told him I tried to force myself on her." Santorum shakes his head again, acting like the aggrieved victim. "Like I said, she's delusional. She needs help. But all Gavin saw was his daughter. Can you blame him? I certainly don't. I wish like hell things had gone differently, that he'd listened when I tried to tell him that she wasn't acting like herself." He passes a hand in front of his face, putting on an award worthy performance. "Instead, I lost a friend, and she lost her father."
"And you're just looking out for her, right?" I ask, my voice soft. "That's what the conservatorship is about, you looking out for her best interests?"
"Despite what she said about me, I still care about her," he responds. "I still worry for her. I've been worried out of my fucking mind for the last year, praying to God nothing happened to her. If there had been anyone else to oversee her care, I would have asked them, but she has no family left."
"You are such a liar," Genesis hisses, finally fed up with his performance. "The day I turned eighteen, you tried to shove your hand down my pants. But I kept my mouth shut because you convinced me it was just the alcohol talking. I kept my mouth shut when you tried again two years ago. I even kept my mouth shut when you backed me into a corner and refused to let me go until I threatened to scream for help. I never told my father because I didn't want him to know what a pig you are. I didn't want him to know how much I loathed someone he loved."
"That never happened, Genesis," Santorum snaps, his façade cracking. "None of it."
"Yeah, it did. And it's disgusting that you can stand here now and pretend that my dad snapped over something he didn't even know about," she growls, looking at him like he's a bug beneath her shoe. "You disgust me, Alexander."
He takes a step toward her.
"Take another step and it'll be the last one you ever take," I warn him.
He stops, flicking his gaze in my direction. "I don't have to listen to this shit. If she doesn't want help, that's her prerogative. The streets can fucking have her."
"You aren't going anywhere," Rafe says, moving to block the door. "Not until I decide."
Santorum narrows his eyes. "Don't push me, Valentino."
"You don't push me, motherfucker," Rafe growls. "Everything you just said is bullshit. Everyone in this room knows it." He reaches into his jacket and pulls out the copy of Gavin Burbank's records, flinging them at Santorum's feet. "The truth is in there."
Santorum's gaze flickers toward the file but he doesn't make a move to pick it up.
"Take it if you want it," Rafe goads him. "Burn it. You'll still dance on my fucking strings long after the smoke clears. I own you now, motherfucker."
"Everything in there is a lie."
"Yeah? Then maybe I'll just hand it over to the FBI and let them do a little digging. We'll see who is telling the truth then."
Sweat beads on Santorum's upper lip.
"I own you, motherfucker," Rafe repeats. He's not gloating. He's simply speaking the truth as it now stands. Santorum's miserable life belongs to us. He's ours to do with as we wish. We hold his future in our hands.
"What do you want?"
"For you to kneel."
He balks at that.
"Kneel," Rafe growls.
I don't watch Santorum as he slowly bends to his knees. I watch Genesis. She keeps her eyes locked on him, watching this moment as if she's been waiting for it for years. I think maybe she has, long before he killed her father. Long before he sent her into hiding.
"Now, crawl to Genesis and plead for her forgiveness."
"No."
Rafe looks at me.
"He can apologize from there. He isn't getting close to her, not now, not ever again."
Rafe jerks his head in a nod. "You heard him," he says to Santorum. "Beg."
