Page 101 of The Spare

"Children," he drawls slowly. "You all never visit me like this unannounced. Is something wrong?"

He puts his pen down and then places his elbows on the desk, pinning Hendrix with a sharp stare.

"A bit, Father, a bit," Hendrix says, stepping forward. "We'd like to know about Stephanie the Second and what happened to her."

I groan quietly to myself, because he could have worded that so much fucking better.

A tug pulls Father's lips down, and he blinks once in surprise. But he doesn't say a word to acknowledge him, even when Madre's head snaps to look over at him. Her fingers clench together tightly, and I know deep down in my soul that tonight isn't going to go the way Hendrix expects it to. Right now, the formidable Richard King looks like he's been struck mute.

Madre inches her way closer and lays her hand on his shoulder, but he looks a bit lost, as if he can't even tell she's there.

Seeing he's still not answering, Hendrix lays the paper on the desk in front of Father, crossing his arms and then taking a step back. If I thought the room had plunged into frigid temperatures, that was nothing compared to the icy tundra we're now all wading in at the sight of Father's eyes nailing themselves onto the paper.

Father's face turns to stone as his body visibly stiffens. My blood pressure rises because I know that stance; I know that look in his eyes. The temper that comes after is a fearsome one. My fingers clutchMelody's harder as he opens his mouth to speak, his lips a thin, stern slash against his chiseled face.

"For my kids to show up here, unannounced, in a bid to ambush me in my own home-"

To my surprise, Hendrix takes a step forward out of Isobel's reach. However, I bring Melody even closer, tucking her under my arm. "Father, no one is trying to ambush you" he says. "We just want to know-"

Father stands up from his chair in such a harsh movement that it knocks over onto its side, and Mother puts her hand on his bicep, looking up at him with wide, brown eyes.

"Richard, you don't have to be angry. They don't know, much less understand-"

"Where did you get this? Did you break into my vault, Hendrix?" he snaps in a hard voice that causes my neck and chest to warm, turning that cold gaze to Hendrix now, and Melody moves as if she were to speak, but I tighten my arms around her in warning.

"It was me,"I lie, ignoring Melody's small gasp, and Hendrix turning to face me. "I took it from Uncle William's library when we were in Italy."

I avoid locking eyes with Hendrix like the plague.

"Mason,"Melody whispers, tugging at my hand, but I studiously ignore her as well. I will do anything to protect her, including lying to my father.

Father's face flushes red. His eyes fill with betrayal, but I stand my ground.

"What the hell do you mean you were at his house?" he shouts, leaning forward to slam his palms to the desk before bringing a hand up to point at me. "How dare you betray me like this! You know he and I don't talk-"

"Yes, and that's exactly it!"I say, interrupting him. "You and William don't have a relationship, but we don't know why. We deserve to know the truth about why our family is so fractured!" Striding to the desk, I snatch the paper up and hold it aloft between us. "Isthisthe reason why, Father?"

Drawn out seconds pass as I wait for him to answer me.

"Well?" Teresa steps forward now, her arms folded tightly around her torso. "Daddy, why have you never told us about Stephanie, or of our grandfather killing her-almost killing you and William too,i-it sounds like?"

The paper trembles in my hand; however, I stay silent. We all do.

There's a palpable hush that has descended upon the room. Energized by what seems to be a truly sickening family secret that looks like it affects Father very much. His chest heaves once, and his eyes flicker around between all of us in a moment of nervousness that is as rare as it is discombobulating. Oddly enough, this small slice of vulnerability chills me to the bone.

The sight of it makes me break out into a cold sweat while simultaneously stoking the fires of my own anxiousness.

Something's not right.

He glances away as his fists clench. Madre steps into him once more, but before she can say something, Hendrix speaks up. "Father, we just want to know. It's okay; you can tell us."

Seeing Father is still hesitating, I try to find my way in, thinking to help nudge Father to mend the divide between him and his brother.

"When I went to see William I saw a man who has been unjustly cut from this family's love and resources." Lowering the paper back to the desk, heat crawls up my neck as his eyes snap to mine, the vulnerability bleeding out to be replaced by fury. "I saw a man who is alone, and broken-" My voice rises as Father rips away from Madreto round the desk towards me, but I still keep my ground even when Hendrix hurriedly steps between the two of us. Isobel cries out as Father roughly shoves Hendrix to the side, and then I feel Melody's fingers fall from my arm as Teresa snatches her away from me."I saw a man who deserves forgiveness!"I shout.

Father yanks me up by my shirt, lifting me to my toes and giving me a rough shake.

"You know nothing about what is unjust, or who has had to suffer from the decisions of others!" he snarls into my face, his own becoming redder with every passing second."You, who have had every privilege granted to you-"