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Prologue
Villains are born, they are blooded…
Mathias Shelby (agetwelve)
The soil underneath my body is so moist it’s almost soaking through my shirt and Wranglers. My boots are sinking and if anyone catches me hiding under this barn I’m not going to be able to get out fast enough.
But I have to be here tonight. I need to know what’s going on. My dad’s been way too nice since mina mãe’s accident. I’m forbidden to say what really happen by Mãe most of all. I can deny her nothing. It’s mostly my fault anyway. I gave the wrong answer and my beautiful mother paid the price.
The only thing good that came out of it is that he stopped hitting her. I guess there’s no fun it anymore. Mãe says he’s changed but I know better. He’s a monster.
Something crawlingon my face wakes me. Scrambling, I swipe it off bumping my head.
The thud has my ears ringing and my head hurting. I rub the knot I feel starting to form, noticing the light is brighter now. They must mae back from the pick-up points.
Crawling forward, I stop to see a pair of booted feet leave. It’s Lester if the heavily scuffed toes of the boots are any indication. The other field foremen always rag him about his old boots. That’s as far as it goes though. because he’s the meanest som’bitch on this land besides my father and that’s saying a lot.
A lot of people wonder why my dad is so hands on when he’s a billionaire and has hundreds of people looking after his interest on thousands of acres between here and South America. I could’ve told them the reason — he likes nothing better than bossing folks around.
Getting as close as I can, I stop just beyond the point where they can see me. I’m an expert at hiding. I have to be. Been good at it since Mãe whispered to hurry and find a safe place when I was three.
My stomach drops when I hear groaning. I squeeze up just a little closer.
My father’s massive form is blocking my view but I know that sound, have heard it when he did it to my mom and me.
Jessie Carrington, a local teacher who used to volunteer here is on his knees, face so bloody, he's barely recognizable. The slightly shorter but just as broad form behind him makes my stomach lurch. Angel. My best friend is tied-up back to back with his stepdad.
I feel bad for the text I sent him earlier cussing him out for never showing up to come check to see what they are doing late at night in this barn out with me.
He turns like I called his name and looks in my direction. We’ve hidden here before, so he knows I’m here. His face is bloody but not so bad. A busted lip and a purple bruise on his cheek is all. One of the men pulls him by the hair, making him face forward again.
“I warned you but you wouldn’t listen did you, Teach?” My father gives him another hard thwack making his head snap back into Angel’s. His head lolls and he slumps forward.
“Fucking weakling,” my father mutters going around to face Angel. “What your momma see in him anyway? Then had the nerve to let him get her pregnant.” He slaps Angel hard across the face. He starts beating him. “After I kill you and this motherfucker, I’m going to be real nice and consoling to her. She was the best piece of pussy I had in a long time but then she had to take up with this uppity asshole.” He pulls back his steel toe boot kicking Jessie in the head, making a sickening crunch.
“Uh-oh, did I kill’em?” he chuckles with sick humor. “Go check Russel.” he commands the lowest man on authority, calling him by the name he hates most. Lowest to also mean the worst. None of the men who help my father run Shelby Sugar and live on this land are anything other than mirror images of him. He hires the lowest of the low and they prove it everyday.
I can tell from Jessie’s vacant eyes he was already dead. My father just killed him again.
“Okay that ended way too fast. I promised mywifeI’d come read to her tonight after I played poker with y’all. Bring out that young pussy, so I can go be a dutiful husband.” Turning back to Angel he looks down with pure malice. “I hear you’re gonna have a sister. I want you to know I’m going to have her too. Set her up like I did your momma in my house tending my wife. Only I’m not even going to wait till she starts bleeding,” He says cruelly. “Think about that when you as you die.”
“Ah, boss—” Russ says pointing where I am.
“You ruined my moment.” He roars at the junior foreman, already sheathing his Bowie knife in annoyance.
Scrambling back, I hope he doesn’t pay Russ any attention. The man is known for his stupid gimmicks to get attention.
“What?” He asks moving forward but it’s too dark under here for him to see me.
“I-I thought I saw something.” I hear the man stammer, obviously afraid of my father’s wrath.
“No pussy for you.” My father sighs. I hear his feet move back to Angel.
“Here they are boss.” I hear Don, another foreman say. I don’t dare go back to the edge. My stomach sinks at what I can do. Nothing. Everyone on this side of the county is in my father’s pocket. Not even the state police will intervene. And the other side? The Love side? I wouldn’t even know who to go to. Maybe they’d help since Mr. Carrington teaches at the elementary school and Angel’s mom now works at the little town clinic as a nurse. By the time I got there, even I could steal a truck parked in from of the barn, it would be too late for Angel. But I know I have to try.
A hard hand slams down on my ankle dragging me from under the barn. I start kicking like crazy. “Motherfucker,” is all I hear before fist smashes into my head.
“Didn’t know it was him.” Lester says not the least bit bothered. “Can’t tell in the dark. He ain’t got no business out this way no way.” Disapproval laces every word.
