Jayce’s P.O.V
2 DAYS EARLIER
“Jayce what are you doing here?”
I look at my father and all I feel is hate. I hate him.
But I have to know...
Why doesn’t he want me?
“I don’t know. I was pissed and I was driving. I ended up here.” He looks at me with his dark brown eyes, the eyes I look at every time I look at Milo. I thank the gods that it’s the only part of him in that kid.
“I’d invite you in but the place is a mess, I’ve been remodelling and -”
“What’s her name?” I interrupt.
Whenever my father rambled like that it meant he was hiding some two bit hussy somewhere. I had learnt all that a long time ago. At least now he’s hiding them in his house whilst I’m outside and not asking me to hide them in my bathroom when my mum comes home unexpectedly early.
“It’s not important. How’ve you been kid? I saw that article about you in the paper, I always knew you’d make captain. Just like me.”
“I’m nothing like you.” I snap.
I could never destroy someone the way he did with mum. I would never ruin the people around me if it just meant I could be satisfied. I could never be like him.
“Don’t be so sure about that. Getting in your car, driving recklessly and letting your rage take you across the county just to start a fight. It’s definitely something I’d do.” He smirked at me.
Why was I even here? I was never going to get what I needed from this guy. I was never going to get what I was owed. I grab my keys to go.
“So who’s the girl?”
I freeze.
“Come on Jayce, Thompson men don’t get that angry unless some chick has done something. What she do to you?”
I wasn’t having this conversation with him. Even mentioning someone as pure as Lee around a monster like him felt wrong. I see the door open slightly behind my father and a ladies head pops out.
“Everything okay out here babes?”
The woman was older than his usual type, maybe even age appropriate. I knew her, I definitely knew her but I couldn’t tell where from. She looked at me then looked away again.
“Get inside!” He hurled back at her and she quickly scurried back into the house.
I recognised that tone, it was the one that came right before he would ‘get' me as a child. I wonder if she has bruises yet? If she stayed much longer she would. Daddy dearest didn’t feel like a man unless everyone around him walked on pins. Having a ‘respectable fear’ he would call it.
“You’ll never change.” I murmur under my breath.
“What you say to me boy?! Come on! Speak up!” I could feel the little boy inside of me begin to shake, the one that had taken his first punch at eight years old from this man.
I hated he could still make me feel this way.
He came closer. The memories start pouring back as I step back towards my car. Why was I backing away from him? I didn’t understand but I just couldn’t help it.
The memory of the first beating started running through my head, I could feel the fear just like I was reliving it.
I shouldn’t have told mum when I caught him, I should’ve just kept my mouth shut but I was a kid! I’d just caught my dad bending some little tramp over his.. the woman.
I look up into the front bedroom window and she was standing there wrapped in a blanket. That’s where I knew her from.
“The woman from my party, that’s her isn’t it?” He stops dead in his tracks and I know its true.
“How do you remember that?” I look at him in disbelief. Of course he doesn’t realise why I remember, he’s never cared about anything that had little affect on him.
He walked away from that day with a submissive wife, beaten son and skanky little mistress. It was just a blip on his radar, if it was anything more he wouldn’t have been able to keep doing it.
He doesn’t realise that I could never forget that day. I could never forget the day my childhood ended, the day I stopped feeling anything, the day that meant I couldn’t even stand the sight of Aleah because all she did was bring it back.
He never cared enough to realise he ruined my life that day, he beat me for the first time that day, he broke my mum that day and he made me promise to lie for him that day too.
He’s always going to be the same selfish arrogant prick and he’d never deserve me or Milo. It didn’t matter why he didn’t want us because we don’t need him.
I felt a burden lift from me at the thought – I don’t need him.
I smile at him and go back to my car.
“Enjoy your little whore boy, if she pisses you off again just remember there’s plenty more where she came from!” He shouts at me before letting out that disgusting cackle.
I can’t control the rage that comes over me. Fuck it, my hand is fucked anyway. He should have kept his mouth shut.
I get back out and punch him clean in the face, I step back admiring the damage I’ve caused. His eye is already starting to swell shut and I can’t help to joy it brings me to see him laying on the floor as blood starts to trickle down his face.
I hear the front door swing open and the little woman comes running out.
“Oh my god, baby! Baby! Are you okay?” My father shoves her off him and she hits the ground hard.
“Get off me woman!” I see her bring her knees to her chest on the floor and am reminded of all the times I saw my mum in the same state. I reach out my hand to help her up and she takes it gratefully.
“Get your fucking hands off her!” My father grabs the woman’s hand from mine and I hear her whine in pain at the force he uses.
I can see her cowering behind him and I need to do something.
“If you want to leave I can take you anywhere you need to go?” The woman pauses for a moment staring at me then looks to the floor and shakes her head. I realise it’s too late for her, his claws are in her too deep.
“What? Your whore so bad you need to take mine?!” He sniggers. Before I have time to react I feel the back of his hand across my face, his ring making a connection with lip. A shriek comes from the quivering woman behind him.
I don’t move. I wonder why he didn’t throw a punch but then I realise with one of his eyes almost entirely sealed he had a better chance of actually hitting me with an old fashioned back hander.
I taste copper as blood fills my mouth. In a final act of defiance I wait a moment then spit the blood into his face.
As I drive away I take one last look in the rear view mirror at the monster that has haunted me for so long but finally I no longer see a monster. He’s just a man.
I feel free and I just want to see one person. Lee.
I grab my phone to see the time when I’m distracted by all the missed calls and messages.
I pull over and open them up. My heart falls into my stomach.
“Milo.”
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