Page 78 of The Predator
My father rolls his eyes, relaxing slightly. "Yeah, Ely, you've got this. Just like you've been able to succeed every other time you tried to get away from me. Pathetic. That’s what you are."
He doesn’t think I have the courage to walk away from him. His arrogance does something inside me…solidifies my hesitancy, silences my fears. I might have failed at escaping him in the past, but today I’m rewriting my future. When I reply, my voice is firm.
"You aren't walking out of here with me. Not now, not ever. That part of my life is over. But, you can still walk away. Youcan take this money, and leave here…all I want is an apology. An acknowledgement of all you've done."
He narrows his eyes and plants his hands on his hips. "Or what? Your boyfriend—sorry, yourhusband—is going to shoot me? I’m the fucking sheriff, or have you forgotten that?”
“How could we ever forget, with how many times you remind us?”
“Then I'll have to assume you’re stupid, because there is no way in hell you’re going to shoot me and get away with it.”
Sebastian grins and nods. "That’s what you may think. Unfortunately for you, I happen to know a guy who can make a body disappear like it never existed."
My father’s gaze turns to slits. "You wouldn't dare."
Sebastian takes one small step forward, pointing the gun higher. "You should really be talking to her, not me. If I had it my way, I would have shot you the second you stepped foot on my property. A man like you doesn’t deserve the honor of being her father.”
“That’s rich coming from the man who accepted her as payment to settle a debt.” My father counters.
The last thing I need is him and Sebastian getting into a full blown argument. Before Sebastian can respond, I grab his sleeve and give it a tug, then I press myself against his side and stand a little taller. "This isn’t about what Sebastian did. This is about you and me. Do you really think you don’t owe me an apology? For putting me through all the shit you have? For hurting me? Violating my trust? Threatening me? Abusing me? Selling me to your friends to be used and abused? I might have been able to let all those things go if you hadn’t let Yanov hurt me, if you had at least tried to stop him, but you didn’t. You encouraged the abuse, and you let him do whatever he wanted even when I begged you not to.”
My dad...my fucking dad shrugs. He shrugs. "To me, you should be grateful I made sure he didn’t rape you until you were old enough.”
I blink, my heartbeat skyrocketing with his words. "...until I was old enough?" My hurt, my fear, my shame. It all tumbles down the cliff, morphing into something darker, something terrible and sinister.
Moving closer, I snap my teeth at him. "I don’t know why I’m surprised you would say such a fucking thing, but I swear I’ve heard it all now. Until I was old enough to be raped? How old, exactly, does one need to be for rape to be acceptable?”
As usual, my father has no response. He simply stares at both of us like we’re inconveniencing him. I notice then that I’m shaking, this dark anger brewing in my chest, spreading outward into my limbs. "Admit what you did. Admit you sold me to an old man to be used and abused. Admit that you gave me to your friend. That you beat me when I didn't comply. Admit it all, and you can walk away. Because you certainly don’t deserve my mercy, otherwise, since right now I want to shoot you myself."
He chuckles, and the sound turns to an outright guffaw. "That’s hilarious. Ely, you couldn't shoot me if I handed you the gun myself.”
My insides go flat and dull. Is this all he thinks of me? How worthless he sees me? Something breaks open inside me, oozing, wrecking everything good, everything holding out hope that one day he might see me and love me. It was a silly little girl’s dream after everything I've been through, and yet, a tiny part of me had still held onto it. Now, it's burned away in the fire of the rage coursing through me.
I shift on my heel and snatch the gun from Sebastian's hand. He jolts but drops his arm. At least he doesn't think I won't go through with it.
"You're a piece of shit, you know that?" I aim the gun at him.
He only sighs and rolls his eyes. "If you're going to shoot me, get it over with. Otherwise I’m leaving. I don't have time to play games, Ely. And since you didn't hold up your end of the deal, I'll be back tomorrow to take your husband into custody."
I realize then his threats don't faze me, not like they used to. He'd raise his hand like he might hit me, and I'd fall at his feet begging for mercy.
Not anymore. I'm not that girl anymore.
"You come near him and I'll kill you myself.” I double my grip the gun and pull the hammer back like Sebastian showed me, then I flick off the safety. "Maybe I'll kill you now and save Sebastian the early morning wake up call."
My father laughs this time. "Sure, Ely. Sure. I’ll believe it the day I see it. You don’t have the balls to pull the trigger."
He turns his back on me and starts through the door, but the barrel of a gun cuts through the frame, and I spot Aries holding the handgun up to my father's forehead. He's all coiled rage and muscle, and for a second I think he’ll shoot him first and ask questions later, but he doesn’t.
My father holds his hands up, raising them slowly, keeping his eyes locked on Aries. "Okay, big guy, I'm not leaving yet."
Aries steps to get around my father, and Drew steps into place beside him.
“Listen to her, or we kill you. It’s really that simple,” he says.
“Don’t do this. I promise you, you’ll all pay the price.” My father’s menacing voice makes me shiver.
“Back up!” Aries orders, and to my complete shock my father listens. Forcing my father deeper into the room, Drew and Aries continue forward, followed by Lee, who is dragging someone behind him. There’s a black pillowcase covering the person’s face, so I don’t know who they are yet. Lee discards the person in a heap at Sebastian’s feet—a woman given the heels on her feet and the bright red dress she’s wearing.