Page 25 of The Retaliation You Deliver

“If you’ve so much as scratched it, I’ll fucking kill you,” he seethes.

“Have at it. Doubt anyone would miss me.”

His jaw ticks at my words, darkness seeping into his green eyes, which is better than pity.

“You haven’t fought this hard to give up now, Lee,” he warns as Peyton sucks in a breath behind him.

“No, so what am I meant to do?” I ask, genuinely interested in where he thinks this is going to go now that my past is out in the open.

“Keep fucking fighting. Or he wins.”

“He’s never going to win. And even if I do drown. He’s not going to be alive to see it.”

Luca pales at the unspoken words in my statement.

“No, Lee. You’re not putting your future at risk for that… for him.”

Throwing the covers off, I push to stand, standing toe to toe with my brother.

“Fucking watch me. I’ve waited ten years for this, you can fucking forget it if you think I’m going to put it all behind me and let him live the rest of his life being worshipped by kids all around the world for his achievements in football.”

“And killing him will achieve what?”

“It’ll stop him,” I whisper coldly before spinning on my heels and storming toward my bathroom in the hope that they’ll both be gone by the time I reemerge.

I stand under the burning torrent of water, letting it wash away our father’s blood that’s splattered up my arms. The open wounds on my knuckles burn, but I barely acknowledge it, instead I clench and unclench my fists, needing more pain.

I’ve thought of a million and one ways I’ve wanted to end that cunt’s life over the years, each and every one of them involves me looking him dead in the eyes as the life drains out of him so he knows exactly who’s done it.

I always thought it would be relatively easy. Sure, his disappearing off the face of the Earth put a wrench in the works, but I figured it would still be easy to get to him because even if he just bought an even bigger estate and was hiding inside it; I always thought I’d have a chance to get to him somehow or someway.

But now, with him in a secure facility. I have no idea how I’m going to make that happen.

I can hardly rock up to the place and convince the staff who’ve never seen me before that he’s my long lost uncle and get a free pass into his room.

It’s obviously going to take more planning than that. It’s also going to need people with skills, with the lack of morals to see something like this through.

The second I’m out of the shower, I find my cell in my pants pocket from last night and find the person I’m going to need for this.

Someone whose morals are more than just a little lacking.

* * *

“What the fuck?” I mutter the second I step out of the house and find my car sitting in the driveway.

I know Luc said he was going to get it delivered back but fuck, I wasn’t expecting it here already.

Cancelling the Uber I’d requested, I walk toward my car and pull the door open.

I should be shocked by the fact my keys are sitting right in the middle of the driver’s seat for anyone to steal, but that isn’t what captures my attention when I step closer.

It’s the scent.

Herscent.

My car smells like fucking coconuts and innocence.

“Motherfucker.”