I waited for him to speak his mind, to tell me what troubled him so much.
“My father has completely lost his mind…and I don’t know what to do about it. I don’t think there is anything I can do about it.”
My father had been the beacon in my life, the foundation under my feet. A day never went by when I didn’t know he loved me. But Maverick’s relationship with his own father couldn’t be more different.
He took another drink then rubbed the side of his head with his palm, rubbing the aches and pains away.
“What did he do?”
With his eyes downcast, he shook his head slightly, like he didn’t want to say. “Ramon captured my mom, raped her, tortured her, and then killed her. That was why my father wanted Ramon so much…to give my mother justice.”
This was all old news to me, but I stayed patient and kept quiet.
“I thought it was strange my father kept Ramon in the barn for so long. He’s been in there for almost a week…”
It was strange. Caspian worked so hard to capture that man, but once he had him, he abandoned him.
“But it all made sense when I went to the barn this afternoon.” Maverick still couldn’t look at me, like it was too difficult to meet my gaze and get the words out. “My father captured Ramon’s wife and daughter…and intends to rape and torture them.”
When the words fell on my ears, I finally understood why Maverick was so disturbed. His father lacked a heart or a conscience, but this was surprising, even for him. “What…?”
“The daughter is about twenty. He told me to rape her while he raped the mother.” He dragged his hands over his face like the conversation had scarred him.
“You can’t be serious.” Ramon’s actions were inexcusable. He deserved to be butchered into pieces. But his wife and daughter…they had nothing to do with this. “Those women probably had no idea Ramon did that to your mother. They’re no different than a stranger on the street. He can’t do this.”
“I know…that’s what I said to him. When I refused to rape the girl, he looked at me like I’d stabbed him in the back.” He dropped his hands and grabbed the bottle again. “He said his men will step up and do what I can’t…” He took another drink, this time a much bigger gulp.
This man was evil. “Who the hell tells their son to rape someone?”
He stared at the bottle, his gaze lifeless. “Told you… It’s a fucking nightmare. My mother wouldn’t want this. I told him that, but he won’t listen. I told him it wouldn’t make him feel better, but he didn’t listen to that either.”
“Where are they now?”
“Locked in the barn with Ramon. My father wanted them to be together for one more day…just to make it worse when he takes the women away.”
I understood he was a grieving man who’d lost the love of his life, but this was insane. “You can’t let him do that, Maverick.” Those two women were just people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“I tried to talk him out of it.”
“Well, try again.” How could I sit by when those two women would be tortured tomorrow? “I understand why Ramon has to die. He should die. But his wife and daughter didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I agree, but my father doesn’t see it that way. Ramon tortured his wife, so he wants to torture his.”
“That doesn’t make it right.” I couldn’t keep my voice down. Slowly, it rose higher and higher.
“I know.”
“And Ramon didn’t touch you or your sister, so why did your father drag Ramon’s daughter into this?”
He shook his head. “Because he’s a psychopath.”
“You have to do something, Maverick. You can’t just sit there and turn the other cheek. These women are going to be raped and tortured to death. It’s not right.”
He bowed his head. “I don’t have any options.”
“Yes, you do. Take them out of the barn. This is your property.”
“It’s a legacy property. He still has some ownership over the place.”
“Whatever,” I hissed. “Free them. Get them out of here.”
He lifted his chin to look at me. “There’s nothing I can do. My father can’t see reason when it comes to this. If I break them out of the barn and make it look like they broke out themselves, he’ll just hunt them down again. If I free them myself, he’ll hunt them down again. There’s nothing I can do. His mind is made up, and he’s not going to change it.”
“So, you just give up?” I asked sadly. “Those are innocent people…”
“Not once have I said I’m a good guy. I’m not the hero who saves the damsel in distress. I don’t think these women deserve what’s coming to them, but I’m not going to get killed for their sake. If Ramon really gave a damn about protecting his family, he wouldn’t go making enemies with people like my father. He didn’t have to rape and murder my mother. That was his decision, and he has to live with it.”