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EIGHT
Shane
I
went out of my house, closing the door behind me. I didn’t want Melanie to see him. Her father, who had arrived here with cops.Pathetic. I tilted my head to the side, watching him whisper something to one of the officers, who then nodded and ordered his colleagues to leave. I remained unfazed, not breaking eye contact with Dedrick Atwood, my worst enemy. A man who I wish I could kill right then and there.
“What do you want, Vergoossen?” he hissed through his clenched teeth, slowly approaching me.
“Who said I want something from you?” I smirked at the sight of him seething.
“We both know you wouldn’t have shown up in California if your father didn’t order you to.” He looked into my eyes, breathing heavily, angrily, his hands in the pockets of his gray jacket, and whispered, “It’s all about Rose, isn’t it?”
I heard a noise coming from the other side of the gate surrounding my place, and I’d notice a flash of the camera.Fucking reporters.
I rolled my eyes, sighing. “If you want to avoid this going public, you better come inside.”
“It’s too late. Haven’t you seen the news?” he retorted. “The whole state is talking about my daughter’s kidnapping!”
“Kidnapping?” I scoffed. “Whatever, come inside, or your story will lose its credibility, and so will you.” I smiled and opened the door for the man I intensely despised.
“What?” He seemed confused, but it didn’t take long until he followed my gaze, realizing we’d been watched. “Fucking paparazzi.”On that, we agree.
I LED DEDRICK toward the living room, where I heard Ledford shouting at Melanie, and my blood boiled. I wasn’t supposed to, but for some fucked-up reason, I wanted to save Melanie. In a twisted way, I noticed I was chasing the wrong prey. I’d seen she was already surrounded by deadly predators, sucking the life out of her, and so, I’d become her protector.
“I wouldn’t finish that sentence,” I said, and both Melanie and her ridiculous ex had turned to face me. As soon as Melanie’s troubled eyes met her father’s, her face went pale. That was when I knew I was wrong. My whole life, I’d been told the Atwood family is my enemy, my target, with Melanie being the main pawn, prey, a key to our revenge. But it wasn’t the truth. Melanie Atwood wasn’t my enemy. She was my ally in a war against her father, who, I was sure, had hurt her too. She was a prisoner kept hostage in this wicked world of deceit. She was broken, damaged, and needed salvation, not destruction.
“Melanie,” Atwood said, barely keeping his composure. “It’s about time you end these ridiculous games of yours. We’re going back home. Now.”
I glanced at Melanie, who looked like she’d just seen a ghost. She swallowed hard, her hands shaking. She couldn’t bring herself to open her mouth. The sight of her father was paralyzing for her. That only added to my conviction. I was after the wrong Atwood. Melanie was the only one innocent in all of this. She didn’t deserve to be dragged into all this swamp. I couldn’t be against her.
“Come, Melanie.” Ledford grabbed her by her elbow, dragging her with him, and something inside me broke.
“Not so fast, boy.” I stepped between Melanie and her ex. “You will tell her the truth, or shall I do it for you?”
He frowned, puzzled. “Fuck off, Vergoossen!”
I scoffed.
“What truth?” Melanie looked at both of us, agitated. I didn’t want to break her because she was already in pieces, but I knew I had to use this card. I still had a task to do—just a different aim.
“I’m sorry, Melanie. I didn’t want you to find out like this.” I was genuinely sorry, which surprised even myself.
“You’re on thin ice, Vergoossen,” Atwood hissed warningly, but I knew he was shitting his pants, losing the ground beneath him.
“No! I’m sick of all these games!” For the first time, I saw Melanie as determined. For the first time, I didn’t see her as the victim but as a fighter, a fierce warrior. “Someone tell me what’s going on here, or else… I’m going to tell the press what you’ve done to me!” She shouted, her gaze focused on her father, and my blood ran cold at the thought of all the possible things he’d done to her.
I turned to look him in the eyes, restraining myself from putting a bullet in his head. It wasn’t easy to push my buttons, but this man… fucking fueled my rage to its limits. I clenched my fists, taking a deep breath. I wanted to punch him repeatedly, savoring the feeling of life draining out of him right under my hands. Kill this fucking bastard for all he’d done to my mother… and Melanie.
“Shane?” Melanie asked pleadingly.
“Don’t interfere, Vergoossen!” Ledford hissed, anxiously clenching his teeth.
“Shane, please…” Melanie moved closer, looking deeply into my eyes. For fuck’s sake, I felt it in my bones that this news was going to break her. But I didn’t assume that telling her would break me twice as much.
“He only dated you because of an arrangement between your father and Robert Ledford.”
“What?” Her gaze dropped down, her breath heavy and ragged. I watched her beautiful brown eyes welling up with tears. “Is it true, Theo?” She looked at him, barely standing still. “All of it was just a lie?”
