Page 59 of Lake's Legacy
Lake fastens Crow’s wrists behind his back before shoving him to the floor.
“Why the hell were you trying to kill Coyote?” Lake demands. “Are you the one who stabbed him?”
“Yes,” Coyote responds. “That’s why I asked for you to come. I didn’t want to call the police. He’s still my brother.”
“Why did you want to kill Coyote?” Lake repeats his question to Crow.
“Because he deserves to die. He’s taken everything from me. He has gotten everything he wants all my life, and I have gotten nothing. Now he’s trying to steal my money.”
“What money?” Coyote asks.
“The money I would get for selling land to the oil company. I’ve been buying up abandoned properties throughout our territory. But you would ruin everything if you got the government to recognize our tribe. The land wouldn’t be mine to sell. It would belong to the fucking tribe.”
“You betrayed our tribe over money?” Coyote asks with disgust.
“Why the fuck not? What has the tribe ever done for me? What have you ever done for me? Except take everything that mattered? You stole the woman I loved and claimed our son as your own.”
Lake shakes his head. “What are you talking about? How did he steal the woman you loved? Do you mean Mom?”
“She was mine first!” Crow screams. “We would have been happy together, but he stole her! But I had my revenge. I had her before you did. She was mine, if only for a few hours. Long enough to make sure she was pregnant with my son!”
“You raped her?” Coyote yells out. “You mother-fucker. I’ll kill you. She didn’t love you, she loved me!”
“She had my son. My son will be chief, and I’ll have control of the tribe!”
Lake’s head snaps back as if someone punched him. “What did you say?”
“You’re my son. Lenora and I had a night of passion before she married Coyote. She loved me but had to marry him. Nine months later, she had you. You are my son. Not his.”
“You bastard! She didn’t love you. She liked you, but she didn’t love you. She loved me. You destroyed her. She never got over what you did to her.”
“You raped my mother?” Lake asks, his voice is soft and lethal.
“No! Of course not. She wanted me, but she couldn’t risk anyone finding out. I had to persuade her to give in to us.”
Lake rushes forward and punches Crow in the face. “Persuade her? You fucking persuaded her? Persuasion isn’t consent. You bastard.”
“No, no, it wasn’t like that. I swear. Lenora loved me.”
I leave Annette to tend to Danny and go to Lake. He trembles as I wrap my arms around his waist and give him my strength. The door opens to let in two security guards. They take Crow out, who continues to scream about being the man Lenora loved and losing it all to his older brother.
“Lake…,” Coyote calls out, causing Lake to tighten his hold on me. “Lake, look at me. I’m your father. I raised you. It doesn’t matter what happened. You are my son.”
“But, there are doubts?” Lake asks, looking at Coyote.
Coyote opens and closes his mouth several times before speaking. “Yes. There were doubts, but I swore to Lenora that I would never treat you differently. It’s why I want you to become chief. Because as my oldest, it is your legacy.”
Lake lets out a dark chuckle. “I never wanted to be chief.”
“I know, but I couldn’t betray my oath to your mother. You are my son.”
“I am your son. Biology doesn’t matter. Being chief doesn’t matter. I love you, Dad. I always have, and I always will. But you must get over the expectation that I will claim my legacy. My sperm donor doesn’t change the fact that Toff is your successor. We’ve wasted years arguing about this, and now there is a real possibility that Toff is your firstborn son instead of me. But you know what? That doesn’t matter. Not really. Make Toff your successor. Mom would understand, and you’ll do what’s best for you, Toff, the tribe, and me.”
Coyote studies his two sons for several long seconds before he nods in agreement. “You’re right. I let my promise to your mother blind me. I don’t think she cared if you became chief; she just wanted to ensure I didn’t treat you differently.”
When my phone rings, I take it out to see Rey’s number.
“Hello, Rey. Are you looking for Toff?” I answer, putting the call on speaker.
“No, I’m looking for Lucifer’s Heir. Tell him to give me back what’s mine, or his assistant will pay the price.”
“But, I don’t know anyone…” I start, but the line goes dead. I look at Lake.
“We need to find Abra,” Lake says, leaving the hospital room.