Tortured Souls (Rebels of Sandland 2)

I turned to the sperm donor, sitting there like the fucking lord of the manor. The man had done nothing for me growing up. We’d lived in poverty; we’d had fuck all. My nan could’ve fed us for a week on what he spent on a single pair of shoes. Probably have some left over for a treat, an ice-cream, or something that the rest of the kids I knew growing up took for granted. He might’ve given her something to help pay the bills, but it wasn’t because he had a conscience, it was because my nan had an insurance policy against him, and he’d do anything to keep his nose clean.

It hurt that my nan hadn’t told me any of this. But if she had, and I knew I was his kid, would it have made a difference? Maybe not. If anything, I’d have probably rebelled even more, been more pissed off with the world. I guess she was just protecting me in the only way she knew how. With blackmail.

“If I could pick anyone to be my father, you’d be the last on the fucking list. Charlie Manson has more paternal instincts than you do. Probably do a better job with your family too.” I gave him my signature grin.

“I left you alone,” he hissed. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”

This guy was shit at excuses. I was surprised he’d gotten away with it this far.

“You blocked me out. Made it like I never even existed. You weren’t doing the right thing. You were taking the coward’s way out. Everyone has a price though, hey, Don?”

“It wasn’t about the money.”

Who was he kidding?

“It was always about the money, that and your reputation. I mean, what would the rest of Sandland say if they knew you’d been screwing a fuck-up like my mother and got her knocked up? I’ll bet you even got her hooked on drugs too. Was that it? You both snorted coke and fucked like rabbits behind your wife’s back. Were you so high you forgot the condom? I thought your sons were the biggest dickheads in Sandland, but you? You’re the worst. You’re scum. The filth on our shoes. The dirt at the bottom of the barrel. Your best friend gets caught doing the same shady shit you’ve been pulling for years and you run and hide like a fucking weasel. You’ve got no backbone, and I can’t respect a liar, a cheat, and a fraud like you.”

The words came tumbling out, and yet I felt like I hadn’t even scratched the surface on all the reasons why I hated this man so much. He was reason I got bullied. He was the cause of all the misery in my life.

“All you have in you is hate.” Don sneered at me as he spoke.

“Yeah, you’re right. Hate for you.”

“Then I suggest you get out. I’ve got nothing more to say to you. There’s nothing for you here.”

I didn’t want anything he had to offer. I was struggling to even breathe the same air as him.

“Don’t worry, we’re leaving. But if I were you, I’d come clean to your wife soon. She already thinks I look familiar. I’d hate for her to hear about your sordid affair from someone else.”

Don shot up from his seat and slammed his hands onto his desk.

“Are you threatening me?”

“If I did, you’d know about it,” I said, feeling the anger surge forward. “She won’t hear it from me, but I can’t vouch for my nan. She’s getting awfully forgetful in her old age. I can’t be held responsible for what she tells people when she’s out and about in Sandland. Oh, and if anything ever happens to her, it’s me you’ll be hiding from, not the fucking solicitors.”

I stalked over to the door and slammed the fucker open. The door handle banged off the wall and probably left a dent in the plaster, but I didn’t care. I held Harper’s hand as we headed for the door. I needed to get out. Being stuck in this building was stifling me. I felt like I was drowning in the sea of lies and deception that he’d built around himself.

I wanted no part of it.

I was done with being used, lied to and deceived. It wasn’t the life I wanted for myself or Harper.

Tonight, I’d heard truths I didn’t particularly want to know about. But I wouldn’t let it break me. That family was nothing to do with me. I had my nan, my boys, and I had my girl. My little warrior. The one person in my life who accepted me for all my flaws and loved me anyway. Not because she had to, or because

we had some time-honoured bond, but because she wanted to. She saw something in me that no one else did. I saw something in her too. I saw my future.

I wanted to make a life for us. To go out to work and come home knowing she was there waiting for me. I wanted a family, kids, screaming arguments over who left the toilet seat up or forgot to wash the dishes, which would be all on me, and then fucking awesome make up sessions afterwards once the kids were in bed. I wanted holidays by the sea and weekends spent making memories. I wanted all of that, not just because I’d never had it growing up, but because I knew there wasn’t anyone else in the world I wanted to be with more than her.

“I’m so sorry, Brandon. I’m sorry everything is so fucked up.” She stopped next to her car and threw her arms around me.

Before, I’d wanted to set this place on fire and spark up a cigarette in the flames as I watched it burn to the ground. Now, I felt tired of it all. I wanted to get away. Focus on the good in my life. Move forward and live. With her.

“It’s not that bad, babe. I have you.” I kissed the top of her head and she sighed then peered up at me.

“You’ll always have me.”

Her words made my aching heart ease slightly. And looking down at her, I realised my own family would never suffer the way I had. I’d treat her like a queen and my kids would grow up knowing how a real man takes care of his wife.

“Brandon Lockwood. Who’d have thought it?” Zak piped up, and his words made the hairs on the back of my neck prickle in revulsion.