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Though I considered not telling Raine and leaving without her, there was no way I could keep her in the dark. She needed to know about Jack, especially now that he’s holding my father hostage.

Much to my disapproval, Raine insisted on coming along. I didn’t want to put her in harm's way, but I couldn’t push her away any longer. To my surprise, she took the news about Jack with remarkable strength, so I gave in. Regardless of my thoughts, she was going to be there, no matter what.

When we pull up to the compound, I ask her to stay in the car. Naturally, she doesn’t listen, and instead, trails behind me.

I’m not going in guns blazing; I have no care for the old man, but I can’t risk Raine facing Jack again. Cautiously, I keep her behind me as we creep inside, our footsteps barely making a sound. Jack wanted me here, but I'm not sure if he expected Raine to follow. With every step, I make it clear to myself that I'm in control of this situation and that whatever happens next, I will protect her from whatever Jack has planned.

Once we reach the double doors, I pause. The weight of the moment settles heavily on my shoulders. The air feels thicker here, charged with tension and uncertainty. My mind races as I try to weigh my options. How can I keep Raine safe while confronting Jack? The dilemma gnaws at me, why did I let her come with me in the first place? The thought of her getting hurt adds an edge of desperation to my resolve. I turn to Raine, my voice steady but pleading as I urge her to stay outside. “You need to let me handle this alone,” I plead, fighting the rising panic in my chest. After a moment that feels like an eternity, she reluctantly agrees, her eyes flashing with concern.

“Fine, but promise you’ll be careful,” she replies, a hint of fear lacing her words and I nod.

Gratitude and relief floods through me as I hand over my car keys.

I watch her walk away, her silhouette gradually fading. I feel a small sense of relief wash over me. Each step she takes toward the car allows me to breathe a little easier. I know she’ll be safe there, at least for now. Still, the knot of anxiety tightens in my stomach as I turn back to face the doors before me, mentally preparing for what lies ahead.

“Jackie boy. You called,” I shout sarcastically as I walk through the doors. A massive grin spread widely on his face as his gaze locks with mine.

“Took your time, golden boy. Now stand back against that wall.” He nods in a direction and I head to where he directed, not taking my eyes off him as I do.

I don’t trust him, not one bit.

I scan the room, he has my father in a headlock with a pocket knife to the back of his neck. If he thinks he can use my father to blackmail me, he’s sorely mistaken, he would be doing me a favor if he kills him. Raine is the only person I care about right now.

Quietly, I stand waiting for him to speak but he doesn’t. I wonder if he thought this all through? “What do you want me for, Jack?” I speak up.

“You…You are going to help me get out of here, otherwise I will kill Daddy dearest here.”

I can’t help myself, I start laughing, “You think…You actually think that I’m going to help you in order to save him,” I answer, still laughing. “For someone who thinks he’s smart, you sure are a stupid fuck,” I add.

“I will kill him,” he shouts out furiously. “Don’t think I won't.”

“You can do as you please. Why should I care?” I answer with a shrug.

“I don't know what you expected here, Jack; you really didn't do your homework properly, did you?”

His face is covered with confusion as he stares at me. “I couldn’t give two flying fucks about this old man. I would have killed him years ago, if I had the chance.” I say, letting him know my true feelings.

A loud infuriated roar echoes from him.

“You didn’t do your research as well as you thought, Jack. I was actually silently cheering you on while you were on your little mission to take him down. Who did you think was leaving you all the little breadcrumbs over the years?” I say raising one of my eyebrows at him.

My words confuse him more and I can see how everything is ticking over in his head. Defeated, he lowers the knife and rounds his shoulders, but his grip on the old man must have slipped, because he manages to get free of Jack and grab the knife.

Maliciously, he holds the knife against Jack’s neck.

Turning his glare back at me, “I will deal with you after.”

As he turns back to Jack he spits in his face. “You have always been an ungrateful little cunt, nothing was ever good enough for you, was it?”

He hits Jack hard, then strike after strike he beats the fuck out of Jack. I didn’t think the old man had it in him to be honest, shit! Jack is on his knees, blood running down from his nose, and his black eyes are already forming. Yet, there’s a sinister grin plastered on Jack’s face.

Contemplating whether to get between them or not, I back down because, why should I? Let them both kill each for all I care. I will just sit back and watch the show. “What is all this for, Jack? Huh?” My father asks, shrugging his shoulders, “What do you want?”

Jack hums and haws for a moment, “Payback,” he shouts, almost theatrical, getting up from his knees and my father laughs.

“Payback? For what? Don’t make me laugh, you're a pathetic piece of shit, always have been. What is the worst that you can do?”

“I will end you,” Jack screams out, “You were the reason my mother killed herself. You were the reason I lost my sister; it was all because of you.”

Sister? Now I'm intrigued, I stand up a bit straighter, waiting to hear what else either of them has to say.

“Because of me?” My father repeats in a whisper, as if he was asking himself the question.

Forcefully, he gets right up into Jack’s face so that they are nose to nose, “I don’t think so. It’s because of me, your mother lasted as long as she did. She was a scumbag druggie, only good for one thing. Everything that happened to her she did to herself.”

“YOU ARE LYING!” Jack interrupts, nervously gripping at his hair, stepping back a few steps.

“I kept your mom clean for years, gave her a home, gave her a job, the lot. But she threw it back in my face, opening her legs for anything that walks.” My father shouts back at him.

“No, no, no…She was drinking and taking drugs again because she found out you had another family,” Jack replies, shaking his head.

Amused, my father starts laughing again, “Another family? Your mother always knew about Don and his mother. The same as Don's mother knew about yours, it was never a secret. Your mother’s demise was due to her own selfish acts.”

All of this is news to me, my mother never mentioned anything to me, but then again, I was only a child.

Jack’s hands tremble as he mutters to himself,

“My sister! You took my sister and left me.” He yells, glaring right at my father. “You took her away from me,” he sobs.

“Too fucking right I did, once I had DNA confirm she was mine, do you think I was leaving her there? No fucking way! You stupid boy! Your mother refused to be treated; she wouldn't feed you most days.” My father yells back at Jack, but you can tell Jack has started to grate on my father, as he grinds his jaw as he speaks.

Jack freezes, “What?” He whispers with a sob.

“Get it into your thick head, your mother loved to drink and do drugs more than she loved you! You were never going to be good enough for her, she would have sold you off to the highest bidder for her next fix.”

Jack stays motionless, his eyes fixed with a dark glaze as he stares at nothing in particular.

Cautiously, I gaze in my father’s direction, “Was that baby Ivy?” I ask.

Confused, he glares like he forgot I was even here, slowly huffing out, “Yes!”