Page 5 of The Retaliation You Deliver

He gets two more solid hits in before Peyton manages to scramble out from the car and calm him down.

“You fucking hurt her again and I’ll fucking kill you. Twin or not, you’re not hurting anyone else I love. I’ve sat by and let you destroy everything around you for years. I’ve watched Mom stare at you when she knows you’re not looking with tears in her eyes wishing she could somehow get to you. Whatever this bullshit is, Lee. It’s over. You owe me the truth.”

“I owe you fuck all,” I mutter, keeping my eyes on the dirt beneath my feet.

I have no idea where we are, and when I look up, I find we’re just on the side of the road.

“Let me help you.” His voice changes, the anger subsiding and the caring brother I know slipping back in. “Let us help you. Whatever it is, we can handle it together.”

With a nod, I step forward and pull Peyton into my arms.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper in her ear as I hold her tight.

She returns my embrace and until her warmth surrounds me, I don’t realize just how much I need it.

“It’s okay. Just please, let us in. We’re here for you. Whatever you need.”

I nod against her, willing the emotion filling my eyes and clogging my throat to subside before I pull away.

“Take me home, please.”

Releasing Peyton, I slip back into the car without looking at Luca.

I can’t. If I see the concern that I know is written all over his face, it’ll break me.

2

Macie

Everything hurts when I come to, but nothing beats the pain in my chest as the images of last night play out in my mind like a movie.

I didn’t manage to drag my sorry ass from the ground for hours after Leon blew through the house, taking his aggression out on everything in his path. Or, at least that was what it sounded like. I’ve yet to find the strength I need to go down and see the destruction left in his wake.

When I finally managed to get to my feet, the only place my shaky legs took me was up to my room and to my bed.

But my room here didn’t provide the comfort I craved.

I needed safety, security, and this house has never provided me with either of those things.

I always thought of it as the house of horrors, and the events of last night only go to prove just how right I was.

Sucking in a deep breath, I force my eyes open and sit up.

They burn, the skin around them sore from all the tears I shed last night, and I’m sure if I were to look in a mirror, I’d find them red and bloodshot from my lack of sleep.

Every single time I closed my eyes, I saw him. That poor little boy at the hands of my uncle. The monster.

How did I not realize it was him?

Now that I know, it’s so freaking obvious.

The image of him on that desk is clearer than ever, his green terrified eyes as they locked onto mine. His full parted lips as they silently pleaded with me to help him.

The tears start all over again despite thinking I must’ve already run out after all the crying last night.

Silently they run down my cheeks, dropping to the sheets beneath me with quiet dull thuds.

My head spins with everything as I try to get a grasp on how I really feel.