Page 17 of Unmasking You (Hidden Hearts #1)

Chapter 16

Shane

Ten Years Ago

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

I want to punch him so fucking much. Each one of them.

I want to do to them what they’re doing to Jamie. Spit at them, punch them, and kick them until they’re begging me to stop, just like Jamie does.

Instead, I’m standing here a few feet away, pretending not to watch, pretending not to see, while I don’t miss anything they’re doing to him. I scream inside to let him go, and I cry inside when he does, but outside, I’m as cold as an iceberg and just as unbreakable.

My chat with Dan after the near kiss interrupted by them had been awkward, and that fucker had me by the balls. He saw everything, and no matter how much I denied it, he didn’t budge. He threatened to tell my dad everything, and that was what sealed Jamie’s fate.

And the stupid idea I’d had that if I stayed away from Jamie, they would stop, he would stop… Instead, things are getting worse. Every new day is more fucked up than the previous one.

I’m betraying him like everyone else is doing, and unless I want my head served to my dad on a silver platter, there’s nothing I can do about it.

I hate to be a monster with Jamie, but I have monsters of my own I have to fight. They’re always watching, always looking for a moment of weakness, and I won’t allow them to win.

I can’t fail, or my life will be miserable, and I won’t even be able to see Jamie.

“Shano, my bro.”

I shiver in disgust. I’ve never seen anyone so similar to my father. Dan is the son my father would love to have. Shame he had me, a weak, selfish son who has made someone else’s life miserable to protect himself.

One day, I promise myself, I’m going to ask for forgiveness. One day, I’ll make them pay. But for now, I have to survive.

“All good, Danny. How’s you?”

“Ready for another day of enjoyment in school.”

His more wicked than ever smile tells me what kind of fun he’s referring to. I so wish he would just leave Jamie alone. That he would leave us alone.

“Can we do something that’s real fun for once?”

“ I’m having fun.”

“It’s getting boring.” I use my best bored face, but the glint in his eyes tells me he’s no fool.

“I’m having lots of fun, Shano. I wish you were having fun too.”

I’ll have to keep an eye on him. I didn’t like what they did last week at the pond, and I hated it so much when I had to push Jamie away.

A monster, that’s what I am. I don’t believe there’s redemption for what I did, what I’m still doing. One day, I’ll have to pay for my sins.