UNLEASH HER || OUTER BANKS

20: whiskey killer ☆

He looked at the moved floorboard and shook his head. He clicked his tongue as he stopped forwards now leaning against the doorway to the office. "You were supposed to be on my side, Emerson. That was the deal we had."

"You lied to me," Emerson realized as she stood up, moving away from the open floorboard. "You told me that you were just helping Ward, that you had nothing to do with anyone getting hurt."

"Everything I've done has been to help our family," He told her and even from the doorway Emerson could smell the alcohol in his breath. "Every single thing I've done." He said, waving his finger in the air.

"Dad," Emerson sighed, looking down at the floorboard. "What did you do?"

"I'm providing a good future for you and... and for Hayden. We wouldn't have any of this," He spun around looking at his house, "if it wasn't for me. You should be grateful."

"Why do you have a gun?" Emerson asked her father, looking at what was hidden in the floorboard.

Carter laughed to himself, a reaction that Emerson didn't understand. He stepped towards the floorboard, pulling out the gun that Emerson had found. Emerson's eyes drifted to the gun in her father's hand and for the first time in her life she was afraid of him. She stepped backwards, her back hitting Carter's desk.

"Killing someone with your bare hands is a lot harder than you might think," Carter answered as he looked down at his hands. It was obvious to Emerson that the only reason he answered was because he wasn't totally in his right mind. "Convincing someone to take the fall for you, that's the easy part."

"Ward," Emerson said, but it sounded more like a question.

"Oh please," Carter scoffed, "Ward's in so much trouble, getting him involved would only make things more difficult. Rafe on the other hand..."

Emerson looked down, her mind drifting to Rafe. Sure he was the one that pulled the trigger on the gun that killed Peterkin, but where'd he get the gun and how did he know where she was? "How did you..."

"I told Rafe that his dad was in danger, and if he didn't save Ward he'd lose everything," Carter shrugged like he did nothing wrong. "It's not my fault he saw a gun on my desk and took it when I wasn't looking."

"Why? Why would you let him...?"

"She was beginning to ask me too many questions," Carter answered as lifted the gun slightly. He checked to see how many bullets were in his gun all while Emerson could feel her heart rate pick up."It was really... really annoying. I couldn't let her find out what we were up to."

"You're the reason Peterkin is dead," Emerson realized, feeling the air leaving her lungs as she spoke. "It's been your fault this whole time."

Carter shook his head, cocking the gun that was still in his hand. "No. No, see that's where you're wrong. It's not my fault, I wasn't even at the tarmac that day," Carter reminded her.

"You should be in jail," Emerson said, causing Carter to snap his fingers, pointing his index at his daughter.

"Don't say that," He told her. "Don't look so scared Emmy, I'll make sure everything works out. I've got Ward Cameron begging me for help, we've got nothing to worry about."

"You're insane!" Emerson shouted, shoving her dad away from her. Then it happened, Carter Rhodes snapped in front of his daughter. He'd never been angry at Emerson before, she never gave him a chance to be. Deep down inside she knew what her father was capable of, but as long as he kept up the act of being a loving father she continued to be daddy's little girl. But that version of Carter was long gone now, and Emerson would finally see what happens if someone makes Carter Rhodes angry.