by Lindsey Iler
“Have a nice life, Breaker, and tell your Aunt Emily I’ll be seeing her in court.” He waves over his shoulder, with a swagger that will soon falter. He believes he’s untouchable. What he is, is a king on a throne that is soon to crumble.
“Dad?” Delaney whispers the term of endearment that this man has never earned.
“What you went through was an unfortunate event.” Mr. Chambers gets up.
“Abandoning your daughter will be the biggest mistake you ever make, Mr. Chambers, but don’t you worry. I have her. We have her.” I look in the eyes of Byron and Dixon, certain my words ring with truth. “You will not break her. You won’t wound her in ways that will leave permanent scars. The scars that are already there, I’ll tend to them because they aren’t because of you. No, don’t think for a single second that this beautiful creature has been changed for the worst because of you. They’re there because she was willing to stand up, even when the ones around her kept knocking her down.”
“The untouchable, Breaker, that’s what we are. It’s what we’ve been since we were in your exact shoes at the academy. The only difference is we knew our place. We bit down on the leather and took the shots. We put our heads down until it was our turn to step forward.” He glances at his daughter, and when his eyes find mine again, he shakes his head. “It’s a shame. With all the power in your crew, you’d be unstoppable.”
“How do you know we aren’t?” I shout as he walks away.
He doesn’t respond or show any sign of hearing my loaded threat.
“Holy shit! No offense, Delaney, but your dad’s a piece of shit,” Dixon says, pulling her to her feet and hugging her tight to his side.
“Are you okay?” I reach out, taking her hand. I need her close.
Her eyes are wide and full of sorrow, but it isn’t for herself. It’s for me. “You deserve better.”
“I’m trying to do better.” I hold out my hand, and she takes it, allowing me to help her up from the table. “And I think it’s safe to say, we all deserve better.”
“What now?” Delaney says, asking Byron. He’s the one who said he had a plan. I hope it’s a good one.
“My guess is, your fathers aren’t having such a good day right about now,” Byron explains. He shrugs his shoulders, pride flashing in his eyes.
“What did you do?” I ask him.
“Daddy’s secrets aren’t hidden any longer,” Byron answers, motioning to the doors.
Without stopping, I lead Delaney through the country club lobby and out the double doors. The sun hits my skin, and for the first time in a long time, relief settles inside me. The world is working in our favor.
“Holy shit!” Delaney whispers, squeezing my hand.
Officer Franklin is reading my father his rights. Not that he deserves to have any, as far as I’m concerned. Four cement walls are more appropriate.
“Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future,” Officer Franklin says, slapping the handcuffs on my father’s wrists, a pleased smile on his face.
Another officer is doing the same with Mr. Chambers, whose eyes are directed straight at me. I wave my fingers in the air.
“This has nothing to do with me. It’s the DuPonts and Chambers. It’s their hands that are dirty. Not mine.” My father fights the two deputies Officer Franklin is handing him over to.
“Don’t listen to him. I am not involved in any manner and have never been associated with this man,” Mr. Chambers argues.
“Please don’t forget you have the right to remain silent. I suggest you do that before you say something you cannot retract, sir,” Officer Franklin warns. He walks over to us and slaps me on the shoulder. “There was plenty of information to bring them down. How they managed to get away with what they did for as long as they did is impressive.”
“How’d you know we’d be here?” I ask.
“Byron Decatur can be awfully convincing,” Officer Franklin says.
“What happens now?” I squeeze Delaney’s hand.
“Well, they’ll be taken to holding, where they’ll wait for their lawyers to attempt to get them off. The judge has already agreed to hold their bond hearing quickly.”
“They’ll post bond,” I point out.
“They’re both already posed as a flight risk with all the resources they have. Pair that with the crimes, and my guess is there will be no bond.” He holds onto my shoulder, shaking me. “Take a deep breath, kid. They’re going to get what they deserve, one way or another.”
“How’d we miss this, after Henry Lexington? How did this operation slip past us?” Delaney asks.
“They were smart about this, but thanks to Byron Decatur, he and his brother managed to get ironclad proof of the Sky Tech sale and the upcoming acquisition of the foundation. Mr. DuPont is already down at the station.”
“Of course they did,” I murmur under my breath, shaking my head with awe.
“Dixon has a real future in computer forensics.” Officer Franklin’s compliment is sincere.
“I prefer to be on the wrong side of the law, sir.” Dixon grins, shaking his hand. “Thank you for everything, though.”
“And Tripp?” Delaney asks Officer Franklin.
“There’s no true proof of his wrongdoings, outside of his connection to you and his father,” Officer Franklin answers as one of the officers calls him to the patrol car.
He walks away, and Delaney’s face falls. This isn’t the answer we’re looking for. If I could take away her uncertainty and fear, I would jump from the highest building to do so.
“It’s a good day, baby. We did the right thing, and hopefully a lot of women and girls won’t ever feel what you did. They’ll be able to trust in the world around them.”
“And he gets to walk.” She spins around, her hands resting on the top of her head, needing a minute.
My phone buzzes. I slip it out of my pocket while watching my dad being loaded into the back seat of the patrol car. Marek’s name flashes on the screen.
“What’s up?” I say.
“Byron and Dixon helped out a lot today.” He states it like a fact.
“Yeah, your point? Why are you acting so weird?”
Delaney is staring out at the water. It’s blue and beautiful like it always is after winter.
“I don’t feel like I helped much with what you had going on.”
“You helped more than you think, but I gotta finish up here.”
“I have a present for you, when you’re done there.”
“A present?”
“Yeah, a present.” In the background, muffled cries erupt.
“Marek, what did you do?” I question.
“The present has two legs, wears khakis, and is pretty damn lucky I haven’t buried him six feet under for what he’s been spewing out of his mouth.” Marek grunts into the receiver, followed by more rustling. “At the old house this douche bag dragged us to that first night.”
Delaney stares at me. The tension is released. Morally, I know I should tell him no.
“I’ll be there in thirty.” I hang up and tuck the phone into my pocket.
“Where will you be in thirty?” Delaney asks.
“Proving a point. You want to come?”
Her eyebrows pinch together. “Do I want to know?”
“Marek retrieved a present for me.” I open the truck door and help her inside. “It’s probably good that blood doesn’t make you squeamish.”
Officer Franklin runs up to us. “Come down to the station tomorrow to fill out paperwork. You’ll more than likely have to testify against them.”
“Whatever you need,” I say, reaching out and shaking his hand. “I owe you a thank you for believing us.”
“After everything we’ve been through, it’s hard not to. Try to stay out of trouble, okay?” I snicker at his warning. “Or at least, don’t get caug
ht.”
“You got it, sir.”
Once I’m inside the truck, Delaney reaches over my body and rolls down the windows. I drive through the roads, the wind whipping around us. I glance at Delaney, admiring her doe eyes and the perfect dip of her cheeks. She’s anarchy on my heart and a bandage for my soul.
Her hand stays in mine the entire ride. At every stoplight, we lean over and share a kiss. It’s not enough, though. It never will be.
“Where are we?” she asks as I take a right on the narrow dirt road. Marek’s Escalade and Dixon’s car are parked along the tall grass.
“This is where Tripp challenged me to the gauntlet.” I smile, finding the whole situation amusing. Funny how life has come full circle.
“Is Tripp your present?” Delaney laughs humorlessly as I lead her to the door. “Seriously, Breaker. Is he dead in there?”
“No, he isn’t dead in there,” I answer, nodding at the gasoline container on the grass. “Yet,” I add.
I open the door, letting it be carried by the wind. Tripp’s legs are fastened to the chair, and tape is plastered over his mouth. His hands are bound behind his back.
I stalk inside, Delaney holding tight to my hand.
“Well, if it isn’t the luckiest mother fucker on planet Earth today,” I tease, bending down to stare him in the eyes. Tripp’s body jerks. He’s trying to get loose, but we both know it’s no use. I wink at Marek. “Thanks for this.”
“My pleasure.” Marek is directly behind him, flexing his fingers like he’s itching to fight.
“I see you had a little fun before I got here.” I point to Tripp’s bruised and bloody face.
“Byron did part of this last night, but Tripp fought me pretty hard. Gave me a good excuse to smack him around a little.” Marek walks around the run-down house, picking up things and smashing them to the floor. “Whoopsie.”
I rip the tape from Tripp’s mouth, and he spits at me. I backhand him, enjoying the feel of my bones cracking against his.
“You aren’t exactly in a power position right now, Tripp. I suggest you make smart moves because they’ll directly affect what happens next,” I warn.
“You’re a bunch of psychopaths.” Tripp kicks at the dirt.
“That you invited into your world when you called the gauntlet.” I circle his chair. “It’s funny, you know, how confident you were going in. You thought you had her. More than that, you thought you were the better man.”
“I am the better man."
“That very well could be true, but I’m not the one sitting helpless in a chair, too far away from civilization for anyone to hear my screams.”
“You aren’t going to hurt me.” His confidence is admirable. He honestly believes he’s safe with me.
“I wouldn’t be so sure, Tripp. I’ve killed before.” This isn’t news. He knows. Everyone does. “I killed for her, didn’t give it a second thought. Now, give me a good reason why you should be allowed to walk away scot-free when our fathers are all behind bars?”
“You have to let the system work the way it works. There’s no evidence to charge me with anything.” His excuse is what I expect to hear. It’s the logical way of thinking. Unlucky for him, I’m in no mood for logic.
“Maybe not, but we all know the truth. You know the truth. Do you think you deserve to get away with all of this?”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“Not yet, but you have full intentions of taking over, right? To help facilitate the business?” I tsk my tongue. “Pave the way for the next generation. They were setting you up for a life of comfort, built on the vulnerability of girls.”
“Like you actually give a fuck about any of them, Breaker. You want me to believe, all of a sudden, you’ve become a feminist overnight?” Tripp scoffs. “I’ve heard the stories and seen you in action. You aren’t some sort of saint, so don’t give me this lecture on human decency. We do what we have to do to become the top one percent in this nation.”
“I’m already the top one percent.” I laugh. “I didn’t need to sell girls to get there.” I kiss Delaney, reassuring her everything will be okay. She seems unfazed once again.
“No, your daddy had to fuck your useless mother for you to get there.”
His words hit where he wants. His way of fighting back, though weak, is quite effective. For a few seconds, my vision blurs, and muffled noises fill my ears. Anger is quick to suffuse my mind.
I spin slowly, ready to go to war. “What did you just say about my mother?”
“Breaker.” Delaney shifts between Tripp and me, making sure to stay too far away for him to touch her. She cradles my hands in her face. “Whatever you have to do, I’m telling you it’s okay.”
Delaney, the softest and kindest human being, has found a way to accept me for who I am. She may not always believe I’m capable of being a monster, but I am. I run in a pack of them. It’s who I was when she met me. After living through our chaos, she lost the will to accept that part of me for a while, and I understand why. To appreciate the darkness that reaches around parts of us, demanding attention and respect, is the hardest thing to do.
I comb my fingers through her hair, gripping tight to her to remind me she’s real. “You sure?”
“Be the hero and the monster. They’re allowed to co-exist.”
“Well, isn’t this sweet,” Tripp taunts. “Fucking precious.”
I twist Delaney around, putting her behind me, then crash my fist against his face. “Keep running your mouth, mother fucker.”
“You won’t get away with this.” A laugh bubbles up his throat. He spits at my shoes, splattering them with blood and saliva.
“Money talks, Tripp. Don’t know if you know, but I have plenty of money to bury all my skeletons.” I smile, daring him to mess with me. “And all of yours.”
“What are we going to do with him, Break?” Marek says, picking up a sturdy piece of wood and swinging it like a bat. It crashes into the window, showering glass shards over the floor.
“Delaney, I love you, but I need you to wait in the car.” My attention remains on Tripp. He’s like a caged animal. Any minute, he could go berserk.
“Yeah, Delaney, you better go. Lord knows, trouble always finds you, and this time is no different. Better watch your step,” Tripp threatens.
Delaney leans around me, putting her face in Tripp’s. Her voice is so low, I have to strain to hear her. “Whatever happens in here when I leave, know without a shadow of doubt, you deserve it.”
“I’m not much different than your little boyfriend. A monster is a monster.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Some monsters lurk in the shadows. Those are the ones we fear, the ones you have to watch at all cost. Then there’s monsters like these two.” She looks at Marek and me. Dixon and Byron crash through the door, making her laugh. “Make that these four. They’re the kind of monsters you root for, because even when their tactics are beyond fucked, they would never turn their back on the ones who matter to them most. Guess which category you fall in? The former, so when they do what they’re going to do, I won’t lose sleep.”
“Palmer’s almost here.” Marek waves his phone. “She can drive you home, Delaney.”
Delaney walks into my arms, and I hug her tight to me.
“I need your phone, baby,” I whisper. She hands it to me, no questions asked.
“Do it.” She nods her chin at each of the boys on her way out, leaving us alone with Tripp.
“How about one last gauntlet? What do you say? You up for it?” I circle the room, tossing Delaney’s pink case back and forth in my hands.
“What do you have in mind?” Tripp sits up as high as he can, faking confidence.
I take my pocketknife out and open it. Sunlight glints off the sharp edge. As I walk around the chair, I graze the tip across his skin, adding extra pressure on his spine.
“Let’s keep it simple. I don’t want to get my hands too dirty. I have a girl waiting for me out there. Someon
e grab the can so we can get started.”
Byron runs outside and returns with the gas can Marek must have brought, foreseeing the ending of this showdown.
“Do it,” I instruct.
Byron uncaps it and douses the walls with gasoline, then throws the red plastic canister in Tripp’s face. The fumes make breathing hard, but most of us won’t be here long.
“Are you frightened?” I ask Tripp, finding too much joy in the quiver of his jaw. I bend down to look him in the eyes. I won’t do what I’m about to do without being man enough to watch.
“Fuck you.” Tripp squirms, trying to get free. There’s no use. Marek may have never been a Boy Scout, but he knows how to tie a knot.
Delaney’s phone unlocks with my first try. I open her texts and scroll until I find Tripp’s messages to her. I read them several times. Far too distracted from his heinous words, I barely breathe. Rape. I’ll get you. Bitch. Whore. You’ll get what’s coming to you.
Those aren’t even the worst of them.
Marek clears his throat, drawing me back into this room and away from the murderous thoughts racing through my mind.
“You think you can say these things without repercussions because you’ve always been able to skip through life without any consequences,” I say, shifting my eyes between each of my friends. “I can’t live, knowing I allowed you to speak to Delaney like this.”
“They’re just words.” His head shakes back and forth as he struggles against the restraints.
“No, you don’t get to do that. Those words are enough indication to me that you’re more capable than I gave you credit for.” I step back, resting against the wall farthest away from him. My eyes don’t falter, and they never drop from him.
“So, what’s your point?” He rolls his eyes, testing my patience. “You can’t keep me in here forever, so just get to the point?”
I hold the phone up, running my eyes over the messages one more time before taking a deep breath and reading his words aloud.
“One day, when you least expect it, I’ll be there. In the dark. Hiding from sight. You won’t know until it’s too late,” I read.
