Page 50 of Remiss

“What if Molly isn’t back? What then? If I reveal Bash’s plans and she’s still alive, he’ll certainly kill her.”

“Molly’s a sweet girl, Ry,” Devon said quietly and bowed his head, thinking for a moment before looking at Ryan again. “But she is just a girl I’ve known for a little while. Aunt Meggie is ouraunt. I, for one, want to be a part of the club when I’m older. Sometimes, that calls for tough choices, even as a regular member. This is one of those times. If Molly has to die to save Aunt Meggie, then that’s how it has to be. After all, who handed her over in the first place?”

Not wanting to hear anymore, Ryan got to his feet and walked away from his little brother without another word.

“Dad!”

Slamming the door shut, Rory raced down the hallway, pretending the silence didn’t weigh him down. He was used to someone being home. If not Mom or Dad, then Ella, taking care of Blade. It wasn’t even eleven in the morning yet, but Rory hadn’t been able to sleep, so he’d gotten up and went in the kitchen for cereal. JJ was already at the breakfast bar, chompinga pop tart, as miserable as Rory. He’d invited him to go with him to Ryan’s, but he’d declined. Instead, he’d gone in the opposite direction, walking deeper into the forest.

“JJ?” His little brother didn’t answer, so Rory figured he hadn’t returned yet. He’d search for him after he spoke to their father about Molly. “Dad!”

Rory peeped in the library, then the kitchen, the dining room, and finally the den. Those were the main rooms on the first floor that Dad frequented in their house. Since he hadn’t found his father, Rory booked it up the stairs, thinking Dad was in the master bedroom. But nope. Not the bathroom or the closets either.

Standing in the middle of the central hallway, Rory called, “Dad?” and listened.

“In here, son,” a faint voice responded.

Frowning, Rory hurried to the small room at the far end of the hallway and opened the door, finding his father laying on the bed and staring at the ceiling. He’d removed the bandages from his damaged hand and it rested on his stomach. Two of his fingers were mangled stumps.

“Are you…are you okay?”

“Is your mother home?”

“No, but—”

“There’s your fucking answer.”

Rory stiffened. He’d just spent a fucking hour defending him to Ryan and Devon. “Dad, I need to talk to you.”

“Is it about your mother?”

“No, but—”

“Then save your fucking breath.”

“Mattie and Blade are gone, too.”

“Kendall took them, so what’s your point?”

“Nothing, Dad.”

He blinked at the ceiling, still not looking in Rory’s direction.

“I need to talk to you.”

“I have nothing to say. Your mother left me after humiliating me with Christopher. She doesn’t care that I’m injured. She doesn’t care that my grandfather was a sick old fuckhead.”

“Onlyyoucare about that,” Rory snapped. “And onlyyoumissed that fucking memo. He’s responsible for a lot, including the suicide of Mom’s sister.”

“Prepare yourself, son. Your aunt and your grandmother fucked themselves up. It’s only a matter of time before Kendall kills herself.”

Tears rushed to Rory’s eyes that his father could so callously discuss Mom hurting herself. But he didn’t want Ryan and Devon to be right. He wanted his father to rise to the occasion. He forced his tears away and glared at Dad. “Are you doing anything to protect her from herself?”

“That isn’t my fucking job. It’s Christopher’s.”

“He’d do a fucking better job than you.”

Dad sprung from the bed and charged Rory, but he was tired, heartsore, betrayed and sick of his father. He raised his fists.