Miles
"Damnit, I don't know why I let you talk me into this," I grumbled from the backseat.
Adam was driving and Luke turned around to look at me. "What did you say?"
"I said I don't know why I let you talk me into this!" I said louder.
Adam sighed. "Me either, to be honest."
Luke looked between us in frustration. "Okay, guys. We can't just let him sit in there without facing us! I mean, come on! Look what he did to my mom – to you – to Rachel – and me?" Luke said, and I felt my annoyance at him fade away.
I sighed in defeat. "You're right."
"I know," he said, grinning.
By the time we arrived at Bay County Jail, my heart was racing. This would be the first time I'd seen my dad since he hit Rachel. It was going to take everything in me to not completely lose it on him.
Let's just say the bastard better be behind glass.
***
He wasn't. After checking in and going through security, we walked into a large, open space with about twenty round tables and chairs. There he was, sitting at a table in the back, his hands and ankles handcuffed. He was looking at the ground with his head down. A big, burly guard stood over him.
Adam put his hand on my shoulder when we saw him. "You okay, son?" he whispered.
I glanced back at him gratefully. "Yeah. I'm good. Let's do this," I said, and the three of us walked over to him, my teeth clenched together. I could almost feel the anger radiating off of Luke.
Dad looked up at us when we approached, and I'd never seen him look so tired, so beaten down... hopeless. His once bright blue eyes were dull, lifeless. He looked like he was dead inside.
It made my heart soar.
"Well, well, to what do I owe this honor?" he asked, his voice as spiteful and cruel as ever. "My brother, my son, and my nephew. Just the three people I wanted to see."
I opened my mouth to respond, but Luke scoffed. "Come on, Daddy Dearest," he spat. "You really think we haven't figured it out at this point?"
Disbelief crossed his face for a moment, but was gone just as it appeared. "Ahh, Lucas. Adam finally told you... he finally cracked."
Adam started to speak but I took a step forward. "No, Dad. Luke figured out you and Adam were brothers... the rest just sort of fell into place. And you probably shouldn't talk about our dysfunctional family history at high school baseball games. You never know who might overhear you."
He narrowed his eyes at me. "Well, you can believe what you want to, but that was consensual sex. She wanted it," he said, glaring at Adam.
I was appalled, even after everything, that he would talk about this in front of Luke. I felt him tense next to me and I put my hand on his back to steady him.
Adam shook his head. "William, you're such a pathetic, disgusting excuse for a human. Yes, Jane was drunk. We all know that – she stayed drunk for years after that because of you. But she did not want you to rape her, William. If your deluded brain really believes that, you're even sicker than I thought you were. And you're going to pay."
Dad grinned, a terrifying flash of his perfect white veneers. "I'm not in here for that, anyway. I'm in here for killing that idiotic boy that crossed the street without looking both ways."
In that instant, I saw red. I leapt over the table, lunging at his throat. I felt Luke and Adam trying to hold me back, but I ripped my arms away from them, adrenaline coursing through my veins. I was about to grab him when the prison guard grabbed me and pinned me to the ground, his elbow in the small of my back.
"God damn it," I cursed, my face pressed against the cold concrete floor.
"Calm down, son," the guard said quietly in my ear. "I know you're angry. I would be too. But this isn't the answer. Don't give that bastard the satisfaction of having me arrest you for assault."
I looked up at him, and noticed that his face was kind. I nodded shortly and he let me go. I stood up and brushed myself off, glaring at the back of my father's head.
"Fuck you, Dad. Seriously. Fuck you. How dare you blame James for your own reckless driving? He was a pedestrian, you cretin. It's like, the first rule of driving – pedestrians have the damn right of way. You're a selfish piece of shit who doesn't even deserve to breathe the same air as any of us. You have made my life a living hell since Mom died; Jesus, she'd be ashamed of you." His face didn't even move, no reaction whatsoever. It fueled my hatred. "It's like I said the night you hit my girlfriend – you are dead to me. See you in court, dickhead," I spat, turning on my heel and stalking toward the door. I pushed it open so hard it slammed against the wall, but I just kept walking. I ended up in the lobby and threw myself into a chair, breathing hard.
Luke appeared next to me after a few seconds and sat down. "You okay?" he asked cautiously.
"Yeah, I'm good now," I said, and it was true. It felt really good to tell him off.
"Okay."
"Where's your dad?"
"He wanted to talk to William alone... he sent me out here to check on you."
"What did he want to talk to him about?" I asked, knowing he probably didn't know the answer.
He shrugged. "Who knows."
After about ten minutes, Adam came into the lobby. Luke and I stood up.
"Let's go," Adam said, putting his arms around both our shoulders.
We exited the building, the three of us emotionally drained, but supported by each other.
Brooke
"When are they coming back?" Rachel asked, pacing around the pool deck, her wet, bare feet slapping the concrete.
"Be patient, Rach. Come on in," I said, splashing the water around me.
She shook her head. "No. I don't want to. I want to be ready when they get here –"
She was interrupted by the French doors opening behind her. It was Miles and Luke.
"Oh my God, finally!" she squealed, running over to Miles and throwing her arms around him. "How did it go?"
Luke came over to the pool and dropped to the side, dipping his feet in. I swam over to him and put my hands on his ankles. "You okay, babe?" I asked quietly, and he nodded.
"What happened?"
"He is just a monster, B. He doesn't have any remorse for what he did – Miles actually attacked him and had to be taken down by the guard."
"What?" I exclaimed at the same time as Rachel yelled, "You did WHAT?!"
Luke and I looked up at them and Miles motioned for her to sit next to Luke on the side of the pool. They both lowered themselves to the concrete and Miles started to speak.
"Rachel, he had the nerve to blame James," he started, and Rachel's jaw dropped.
"He did what?" she asked, even though there's no way she didn't hear him.
"Yeah... when he said that, I just snapped. I saw red – and I lunged at him."
"Babe, I appreciate you taking up for James, but stay away from him from now on, okay? We'll see him in court, then never again. Promise me you won't go back," she pleaded.
"Don't worry. I won't. I don't want to end up in the next cell."
I clapped my hands. "Y'all need to get in the pool. I'm tired of swimming alone." Without warning, I grabbed Luke's ankles and pulled him in.
"Shit!" he yelled as he splashed into the water in front of me.
I laughed wickedly.
"You better be glad I didn't have my phone in my pocket," he said when he came back to the surface.
"I saw you take it out of your pocket when you came out here. I've been plotting," I said, winking.
Rachel and Miles stood up, and I thought they were going to come in, but they were whispering. Suddenly, Rachel wiped her eyes and ran inside.
Miles followed after her, calling her name.
Rachel
I ran into Miles' room and flung myself face down on his bed, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Rachel? Baby? What's wrong?" Miles asked, sitting on the bed next to me, slipping his hand under my shirt and rubbing circles on the small of my back.
I shook my head, refusing to look up. "Nothing."
"Nothing? You're face down in my bed sobbing into my pillow. Don't tell me nothing," he said gently.
I sighed and turned over, and his hand rested below my belly button. I pushed down the butterflies that appeared in my stomach.
"Just hearing the things your father said... I hate him, Miles. I hate him for what he did to my brother, and I'm afraid of what that's going to do to you and me," I admitted.
His face contorted in confusion. "What in hell do you mean?"
"I hate your father, Miles. Do you understand that?"
He twisted his mouth. "Yeah. Yeah, I do. You know why?" he asked, leaning forward and putting his hand on my cheek.
"Why?"
"Because I hate him too."
I looked at him, and seeing the darkness in his eyes, I knew he wasn't lying.
I pulled myself up into a sitting position and slipped my arms around his neck, holding him close, breathing him in. He pulled me onto his lap and I put one leg on either side of his waist.
I never wanted to lose this feeling – this feeling of pure, unadulterated love.