HOLDEN KINCAIDE
2 ½ YEARS AGO
I don't know why I keep coming here even after I've moved out. Something about my mum wanting to make amends. Kind of too late for that mother. You can't just rectify what you'd done to me my whole life. Forgiving and forgetting you raping me isn't possible.
And yet here I am, walking up to the front door of my parents house about to have a family dinner with them. My hand clenches around the head of the wine bottle as I stop at the door, frowning when I notice it slightly open. Angry huffs from inside almost had me turning around and heading home, but I was curious enough to push the door open and step inside.
"They're going to ruin everything" My Mum was pissed, that much was obvious. I followed the voices through the house.
"After all we've done to keep you safe" I frowned at the unfamiliar voice as I turned around the corner of the lounge room and stepped into the kitchens doorway. My Mum was holding a knife, slamming it down against the chopping board as she cut up tomatoes. Wyatt stood across from her with a man I didn't recognise beside him. They both had their backs to me. My Dad who was sat on a stool, his eyes drooping from exhaustion was the first person to notice me. His back straightened as he offered me a tired smile from across the room.
"Hey Son" Everyone turned to look at me, my hand tightening around the wine bottle even more. I scanned everyone's faces my eyes lingering on the guy beside Wyatt. The longer I stared the more familiar his face became until it clicked in my head and my shoulders tensed.
"Mr Finch" Wyatt's attorney from 2½ years ago. What the fuck was he doing here and why the fuck did he look skeevy as hell. The look on his face was enough to tell he was hiding a secret, or keeping his mouth shut, especially with me around.
"Holden. Nice to see you again" And it wasn't nice to see you.
Looking away from him I turned my attention to my mother who looked like she was holding back a sharp tongue. She offered me a smile, one I didn't return.
"What's going on?" I asked bluntly, wanting to know what they were talking about before I came. Everyone looked away from me only to glance at each other, asking if they should tell me with their eyes.
I hated the secrecy, and apart of me desperately wanted to know what they were keeping from me, but the other part of me hoped they'd shrug my question off and change the topic of conversation.
I had a bad feeling.
"The Valentine's are still fighting for Scarlett's innocence" I continued to stare at my mother, waiting for her to continue. I kept my face blank and my body still, not needing anyone to see the way her name still effects me.
"They're trying to appeal the conviction" I frowned shaking my head.
"They can't. The time frame for them to appeal passed years ago" I replied, placing the wine bottle on the bench before crossing my arms over my chest. Finch nodded, agreeing with what I said.
"They're apparently getting help from forensics in finding evidence to prove her innocence. They're looking to retrial."
"They're spending every last dollar they have on her" Mr Finch added.
"It's going to ruin them" My Dad said almost...sadly?
"And us in the process" Wyatt grunted, the nasty vein in his forehead popping out. My eyes zeroed in on my Mum's hand, rubbing up and down Wyatt's arm. It was disgusting how fast her touch soothed him.
"Which is why I need you to drive your brother to their house" I had my Mum's sole focus. My shoulders dropped, my arms falling from my chest and down by my sides. I glanced at Wyatt before back to my Mum.
"What? Why?" I raised my voice, not wanting to be in the same car as Wyatt and not wanting to drive to the Valentine's house. I don't know why he needed to be driven there but I knew it wasn't good. I wouldn't do that, not when my brother is a loose canon. I won't put the Valentine's in danger.
"Just to scare them a little. Make them think twice about following through with their plans" I glanced at Finch who seemed to be listening and agreeing with my fucked up family. I turned towards him.
"Shouldn't you of all people be deterring them-" I pointed at my Mum and Wyatt, "from doing that?" I asked, Finch shrugging as he leant against the kitchen island.
"It's not illegal to spook people, Holden. Especially guilty people" My belief that Scarlett truly was guilty seemed to be thinning every day since the trial. I shook my head.
"I won't take him" I stated loudly, my mother sighing as she took a step away from Wyatt and slowly made her way around to me.
"It's just a note, that's all" When my Mum stopped in front of me she raised her arms to press her hands to my chest. I caught her wrists in a tight grip before she even dared taint me with her touch. Some unreadable expression flickered across her face at my sudden movement, my hand subconsciously tightening around her wrists even more as I stared down at her.
"Please, Holden. Wyatt's just going to slip an envelope under the do-"
"What's in the envelope?" I cut her off, noticing the way her lips twitched in pain when I applied more pressure to her wrists. 2 years ago I never would've spoke to my Mum like this, never would've touched her like this. Not once have I ever raised a hand to her or touched her voluntarily, but right now all I wanted to do was squeeze until she was howling in pain.
I've always been the biggest in the family, the tallest, most muscular, but never did I ever fight them because I was still a kid. I was under 18, living at home, and they could do whatever they wanted. Now I was 20 and not terrified of them anymore. And if it really called for it, I wouldn't hesitate to raise a hand to any of them.
"Just an anonymous note discouraging them from seeking a retrial" I stared down at my mother with such hate, I knew she could see it.
"If I take him to drop the note off, I'm out" My Mum frowned, shaking her head in confusion.
"I don't understand. Out of wh-" I cut her off.
"Out of this family. No more dinners trying to earn my forgiveness. No more phone calls. No more text messages. If I do this for you, you leave me and Scarlett's family alone" Her face dropped as she stared up at me in shock, blinking so might I thought she had something in her eye.
"F-Forever?" I leant down slightly.
"Forever" I snarled, holding onto my mothers wrists tighter when she tried to pull them away and out of my grasp. Her breathing became heavy as she tried to rip herself away from me but I didn't budge, didn't loosen my grip. I needed her to understand I was dead serious.
"Holden, let go of-"
"Agree to it" I cut her off again. She shook her head.
"No Holden. You're my son. I won't-"
"We're family by blood, that's it" I leant down until my face neared hers.
"Now fucking agree or I'll get my boss in on this" That made her pause. By the look on her face I knew she could tell I wasn't just threatening involving the head of the FBI for fun. I was dead serious and it was good she knew that too. The room was silent. I could feel Wyatt getting agitated by the way I spoke to and touched our Mum. He wanted to protect her from me. Both Mr Finch and My Dad were just staring, watching curiously.
My Mum's eyes watered as she nodded her head once. "Fine. I agree."
I let go of her wrists, her stumbling back and instantly bringing her hands to rub them. Wyatt stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder as he glared at me. I took a step back, pointing me thumb back towards the front door.
"Come on" I told Wyatt, already turning around and heading for the door. Wyatt mumbled something to our Mum before following after me, slamming the front door behind himself after we were out.
"You touch her like that again and I'll cut your hands off myself" Wyatt snarled as he stopped at the passenger door of my car. I stared at him over the roof as I rounded my car.
"I wouldn't need to touch her if she kept her hands to herself. Don't worry though brother, I didn't enjoy it like I know you would've."
I drove in silence, the air between Wyatt and I tense, it only intensifying as I parked across the road from Scarlett's house. We sat in the car, both of us staring across the street at the double story house. All curtains were drawn and not a light was on in the house or on the porch.
"They home?" I asked, noticing Scarlett's Dad's car was nowhere in sight. There were three cars parked in the drive way and on the nature strip. I assumed they were Demetrie's, Abby's and Louise's.
"Mum said they're all off at their lawyers. Won't be home until late" Wyatt replied, opening the car door, grabbing the envelope as well as a bottle of whiskey. I frowned at the brown liquid sloshing around in the glass bottle, wondering when he had time to grab it, why he brought it with us, and why he was currently taking it with him. He didn't spare me a word or glance as he slammed the door shut and headed across the street.
I watched curiously as he bend down, sliding the envelope under the front door before standing back up. He twisted the cap off the bottle of whiskey, taking a sip before pulling something from his pocket and stuffing it in the bottle.
I sat up straight when Wyatt turned around heading off the path and into the front yard, stopping about 5 meters away from the front windows that lead into the loungeroom. My heart hammered in my chest as I opened my car door, slowly taking a step out when I realised Wyatt had stuffed a torn piece of fabric into the bottle.
"Wyatt. Let's go" I said slowly, crossing the road as my hairs stuck up straight on the back of my neck. All the air left my lungs when Wyatt pulled a lighter from his pocket, flicking the flame and bringing it to the cloth.
I ran, rather bolted towards Wyatt as he took a step back stretching his arm behind him, the bottle leaving his grasp as he threw it towards the house. I couldn't hear my own yell over the sound of glass smashing, my body crashing into Wyatt's as I shoved him out of the way and to the ground...too late.
I stumbled back, wide eyed as the loungeroom instantly lit up in flames. Fire spread up the curtains, over the walls and across the furniture as I stood in a panic, frozen to the spot I was in. Wyatt's laugh brought me from my trance as I immediately turned to find him getting back onto his feet. I stalked over and slammed my palms against his shoulders, sending his reeling back as my chest heaved up and down heavily.
"What the fuck did you do?" I shouted over the crackling flames, feeling my eyes burn from the intense heat but also from tears I refused to let fall.
"Their house was the last thing they had. Now that it's gone they'll have to stop" Is he fucking serious? I was gonna kill him. I was gonna fucking kill him without a single care in the world.
"You're fucking insane" I shouted, turning my back to him and pulling my phone from my pocket. I was about to dial in 000 into the phone when my phone was suddenly snatched from my hands. I immediately turned to Wyatt, stalking after him as he side stepped me. I wasn't going to let their house burn. I wasn't going to let my idiot family fuck their life up anymore.
"Wyatt, give me my phone." He shook his head.
"No."
"Wyatt, give me my fucking phone" I snapped, him shaking his head as he took another step back with my every one forward.
"I can't let you call the fire brigade, Holden. I won't let you."
"The plan was to slip the envelope under their door. Not set their house on fire. They've already lost so much Wyatt, they can't loose their house too" Wyatt stopped and just when I thought he was going to hand me my phone he turned around and threw it. I watched helplessly as it landed face down on the road. I ran onto the road and picked up my phone, my heart falling to my feet at the smashed screen that wouldn't turn on.
"Please. God please turn on" I mumbled to myself, pressing the power button over and over again but nothing happened. My phone was dead, the Valentine's house was on fire and I couldn't call 000. I ran back onto the property, grabbing the front door knob, immediately jumping back in pain at the scorching hot metal. The skin on my palm was red raw and tender as I stumbled back away from the door, looking up at the house. The fire was spreading fast and I couldn't do anything.
Wyatt grabbed my arm tightly and started pulling me back, trying to drag me away from the house and back to the car.
"We've got to go" Wyatt grunted as I struggled against him.
"I've got to help-"
"Holden any second now a neighbour is going to see the flames and smoke. We have to be gone by the time they realise" I couldn't think. I couldn't feel. I didn't know what the fuck to do. I was scared, terrified even. I felt hopeless...
I let Wyatt pull me away.
I let him practically shove me into the passenger seat before he ran around to the drivers side of my car, hopping in and starting the car.
The only thing that mattered in this moment was that the Valentine's were at their lawyers. That they weren't in the house, and that they were safe.
My mind played tricks on me when I glanced back at the house when Wyatt started driving away.
I swear I saw a figure in the second story window.
I stayed the night at my parents because I apparently wasn't in a stable condition to drive myself home. I yelled my heart out and my voice away as I told them what Wyatt had done. My Dad's face went white. My Mum seemed to not give a damn and was actually somewhat relieved to hear the Valentine's definitely wouldn't be on her back for a long time.
I locked bedroom door when I headed up to my old bedroom. I was distressed and I wouldn't be able to handle any unwanted visitors. I didn't have the fight in me if they did happen to come in, so I locked it and shoved a chair under the door.
I couldn't fall asleep. I was too busy wondering if the Valentine's had arrived home yet, if a neighbour had called 000, if the fire had been put out. I wanted to know that they were safe. After hours of tossing and turning, I all together got 40 minutes of sleep before I decided I needed to leave. This way I could leave this hell hole, never have to see these horrible people again, and have a quick drive the Valentine's.
The bad feeling from yesterday hadn't gone away, in fact it had only gotten worse. It was eating me inside out and I was becoming more and more restless. I couldn't sit or stand still, my hands continuously pulling at my cuffs.
I was heading downstairs and towards the front door when an 'Oh my god' brought me to a pause. I slowly turned around and headed into the lounge room. Surprisingly Wyatt, Mum and Dad were all in the lounge, sitting silently, staring at the TV. None of them looked at me. None of them said anything. My Dad turned the TV up.
"Behind me lies what little remains of this double story home on Edward Street. Last night, the home of Scarlett Valentine, the teen charged with the manslaughter of 17 year old Nolan Hartley 2 years ago, caught fire. Investigators and the fire department are still trying to identify the source of the fire, but as of 7 o'clock this morning it was ruled the five bodies of the remaining Valentine family were found within the wreck" I could breathe, my ears were ringing, my heart pounding as I took a slow step out of the room, all three pairs of eyes attaching to my fleeing form.
I couldn't look at them, especially not Wyatt.
He killed her family. He killed Scarlett's family.
Bile rose in my throat and I knew if I didn't get out of this house immediately I would vomit my guts up. I needed to get out. I needed to get away.
I hated that my gut feeling was right.
Hope ya'll liked the chapter. If not, boo fucking hoo.
Bet you weren't expecting to find this out this chapter lol.
Anyways,
Nigh Nights lovie dovies x <3