Live Free (Lords of Mayhem 3)

“I’m right here.” Rocky squeezed her waist and stepped back.

She stumbled forward with small jerky movements, like a zombie battling stiffening limbs. The cool metal handle seemed to burn her flesh as she pulled down and stepped inside. The stillness told her all she needed to know. The lack of a pulse, the stillness of her brother’s body, and the horrified expression on her parents’ faces ripped at her. Her heart broke and tears blurred her vision.

Her mother’s sobs filled the air.

The door clicked shut behind her.

Her father stood from the bedside and stalked toward her.

The quiet footfalls of his boots made her tense.

“You… From the minute you were born you brought me nothing but aggravation and bad luck,” her father hissed.

The animosity in his words made her take a step back. “What?” she whispered, stunned at his attack.

“You cast a dark cloud over this marriage—this family we never got out from under,” her father continued.

“I was just a kid, Dad. A kid who wanted you to love me,” she said.

He snorted. “Please. I don’t even know if you’re mine. Bet you didn’t know you had that in common with your mother.”

The blow made her gasp. She grabbed her chest, feeling like she was being ripped into pieces from the inside out. “Mom?” she whimpered.

“Tell her! Tell her! I know she had something to do with this. Spreading your filthy taint onto my boy. All you did was take from him. I should’ve walked away when I knew the truth. I went to boot camp, we called it quits and then we got back together. She comes up pregnant and hey, there’s a fifty percent chance I might be the father. He was white, so I looked for any signs of him in you. I never saw it, but it doesn’t mean a damn thing and I could never quite shake the feeling you didn’t belong to me,” he said.

Emotional overload made her knees buckle and she swayed on her feet.

“You have no clue how long I wanted to tell you this. God punished me a million times over for my ignorance. Now I get the bastard daughter and He takes my only son.” His voice broke and tears rolled down his face. His broad shoulders shook.

Suddenly she was drowning in everything. She spun on her heels and ran for the door. Yanking it open, she flew into the hallway.

“Evonne?” Rocky called to her.

Not able to face him, she darted off at top speed. She skidded to a halt just outside the bathroom and rushed inside. Her heart knocked against her ribs and her very soul ached. Lies, everything was nothing but lies. All the years spent trying to please him were nothing but a total loss. She’d been born under a bad sign as far as he was concerned. God, what if he’s not my father? A sick part of her hoped he wasn’t. The thought of her mother seeing two men at once seemed laughable. What had happened to her between then and now? Was that why she fell all over herself to please him, even though it clearly was an impossible feat?

She walked to the mirror and stared at her reflection, searching for any hint of her father. A miniature version of her mother, she had never been bothered that she didn’t share many of her brother’s or her father’s traits. Now it might be the key to everything. The door flew open and she jumped.

“The fuck, Firecracker?” Rocky’s nostrils flared and his eyes glared. “Why did you take off like that? What happened?”

“He’s dead.”

“Jesus Christ, mama.” Rocky stepped inside, locked the door behind him and pulled her close. “I’m sorry. It’s hard losing someone you loved.”

She snorted. “I didn’t—not really. In the most abstract sense of the word, I loved him. He was my sibling, but I didn’t know him. There was always too much in between us to ever really connect. But God, I know why now.” She laughed, and it came out as a mirthless sound.

“Shhh now, what are you talking about?”

“My dad doesn’t think I’m his,” she said.

“What?” His voice rumbled in his chest as he held her tightly.

His strong embrace did make her feel secure, despite the world falling down around her. “My mom had a—friend while they were on a break during boot camp. He came back and they picked back up—then I come and they’re not sure.”

“Fuck him, he agreed to love you like his own when he married your mom. Don’t put this shit on you. He should’ve manned up instead of growing into some bitter-ass prick.”

Evonne laughed at his description. “With you shit makes sense, Rocco.”

“Which is why I want you to be with me—”