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His brows draw together as though he is tormented by our father as I had been. “He talked about you with so much respect and love. Everything was Xander this and Xander that. He’d told me once that you weathered the storm of his parenting. He knew he was hard on you, but you passed his tests and were better for the harshness in which he treated you. I was raised by a loving parent who didn’t push me like he would have, and because of that, I wasn’t worthy like you were. Oh, and by the way, it’s Nicolas, not Nick.”
A feather could knock me over. “He loved you, Xander. I don’t know if Lyle knew how to say it, but in his way he loved you and was very proud of you.”
My dad wasn’t a good person but something about knowing he loved me instantly brings me peace, and I know Nick has given me a gift. Closure. My dad loved me. Of course, he was the kind of man who wouldn’t say it out loud, it was a sign of weakness but it was still there.
“See, Xander, it’s what I wanted. Him to love me and be proud of me. It was going to be a long haul to earn it, but I’d only earn it through time.” He stops as a tear runs down his face. “And it’s why I was such an ass to you. I didn’t want to set myself up for failure, if you were the same way as our dad.”
Clark’s hand connects with my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. And we both know unless Nick is the world’s best actor, he’s telling us the truth.
The lights dim, and I’m unable to speak further with my brother as the mayor of the city climbs the steps of the stage to begin the gala celebrating my parents.
“Good evening, you wonderful citizens of Minneapolis. We’re all gathered today to honor Lyle and Liz Lynol and the mark they left on this city. First, I’d like to express my sympathy to Xander Lynol, the son of both Liz and Lyle but also to Nicolas Starling, Lyle’s son from a previous relationship. I’m honored to have you both with us tonight.”
Before I can lean over to say something to my brother, a man enters from the darkness of the right side of the stage, pointing a gun at the mayor. My first instinct is to get in front of Clark, but I stop as understanding passes and his eyes make contact with my own, and he points the gun at me. And my world stops.
33
CLARK
The entire room breaks out in panic as this man I don’t fully recognize points his gun at Xan. The room explodes in loud thunderous roars but when he aims the gun back at the mayor, the room stills.
“You all are here to honor that shithead we all know as Lyle Lynol. Let’s face it, Lyle is in hell where he belongs, probably with a life sentence of sucking the devil’s cock. I did as he asked, siphoning money for him. Then come to find out, the motherfucker was going to turn himself in. Yeah, I killed him, but I didn’t expect his wife to consume most of his drink full of fentanyl.” And just like that, he confesses to the Lynol murders. “And while he’s being celebrated, my entire life has fallen apart, all because of the man and his worthless son. Lyle had an affair, producing a bastard child. Are you all fucking crazy? He was a narcissist and a psychopath and he has two sons that are the product of their dad.”
The gun is no longer trained on the mayor, and the mayor takes the opportunity to calm the man. Fuck, he looks so familiar, and I can’t place him.
“You have legitimate concerns, Sir. Could we clear the room of all the women and children and discuss this in a calm manner?” The mayor is diplomatic and attempting to shield everyone from tragedy.
The man with the gun isn’t having it, moving his aim back to the mayor. “Fucking shut up. I have no problem emptying a round or two into your worthless brain.”
The crowd begins to scream and he aims the gun at the ceiling, expelling a bullet in the air, and it quiets everyone, as I’m sure it had been his plan.
Xander stands and my heart stops. “Braydon, you want me. You don’t want the mayor, or anyone in this room, but me. Let them go, and I’ll come with you.”
I tug at the bottom of his suit jacket, but he ignores my silent pleas.
“I don’t want you, I want to uproot your life, take away your freedom, and maybe those that are dear to you.” The gun moves over a few inches toward me, and Xan moves in front of me. “Again, you want me. No reason to make this worse. Take me, and I’ll give you what you want.”
“How about I kill your boyfriend right now? Then I can leave and drive out to the little farm he grew up on and do the same to his mother and brother. Then I can find his girlfriend, shit, you really do pick the kinky ones. I’ll take everything you hold dear. And because your brother is a bigger asshole than you, I’ll let him live, so you both can live in your misery together.”
At the thought of my ma, brother, and Jen in danger, my heart drops, and I’m useless to do anything to protect them.
“Timothy,” Xan begins as he employs familiarity with him. “I’ve known you a long time. You’ve been with my dad for a while. You don’t want to do this. I know you don’t.”
He moves the gun back to Xan. “Wrong, asshole, I can’t wait to do this.”
It’s so quick, yet so slow, as the flash of the bullet fires from his gun, and the next thing I know, a body drops to the floor and everyone begins to scream, including me.
34
XANDER
Ilook down at my stomach. The bullet was coming at me.He aimed it at me, and yet, he missed. I search around and there’s a body, blood seeping from it. I fall to my knees. This isn’t happening. It can’t be.
“You jumped in front of me?” It’s a question because shock is setting in and I apply pressure to the wound in his abdomen.
“Of course, I did. That’s what brothers do, right?”
The touch of Clark next to me jolts me back to reality. “Xan, let me get in there.” He’s immediately on his knees taking over for me.
