Eric (Men of Honor 2)
“She was only putting out feelers then looking for someone to take a nibble. Paul and I worked on the script, and she fell for it like I knew she would.” He stopped here and gave me a look before shaking his head. “I know she birthed me, and I’m grateful, but damn dad, you must’ve been all kinds a screwed up when you were young, huh.”
“Keep talking, you little shit, or I’ll start regretting not putting you in a napkin and flushing you down the drain.”
“Harsh dad, real harsh.” It’s good that we could kid with each other at a time like this because inside, I was a cold as ice. She’d gone too fucking far this time. There was no overlooking this shit anymore.
“At first, I thought she was going to come after you. But she chose her and fu…screwed herself but good.”
Aha! “Her?” He looked at me smoothly and without missing a beat said, “Justine.” Liar, he’s lying…isn’t he? If he could keep a straight face, so can I. Little shit didn’t even flinch. I shook my head to clear it of my wayward thoughts; I had more important things to worry about here.
“Wait, let me see the rest of that. I need to call someone to take care of this.”
“No, dad. If you get the cops involved, you’ll have to tell Justine and Lora about this. They’ve already been through enough, don’t you think? Besides, I have something better in store for this one.”
“Like what?”
“Well, let’s see. The way I see it, that husband of hers will bend over backward to keep her out of jail if this ever gets out because of his reputation, of course, and you yourself know that she can talk her way out of anything.”
“Besides, none of this is legal and cannot be used in a court of law. What it can be used for is leverage, something to hold over her head. A way to keep her in check for the rest of her natural life.”
What the fuck are they teaching my kid in that damn school? I sure didn’t learn any of this shit when I was his age. He was so blasé about the whole thing I was almost afraid to ask what he planned to do with the information. But I had to know, in case I needed to protect his criminal ass down the line.
“What are you two planning to do with this?”
“Well, once she signs off on the deal with Paul in a few minutes, I’m going to let her know that it was me behind it this whole time. I won’t get him involved any further because who knows what crazy would do?”
“I moved her money so she can’t hire anyone else once she realizes and also to let her know that I can reach her anytime I want to. She won’t go to the authorities because what’s she going to tell them? I’ll just hold this little conversation over her head, which I’m about to set up now, so you gotta go dad, scram.”
“Tyler, why, why didn’t you come to me with any of this? Why did you take this on by yourself? She’s still your mother, are you sure you won’t regret this somewhere down the road?” I couldn’t read the look he gave me, but when he smiled like the little boy I raised, I felt the constriction around my heart ease. “She shouldn’t have gone after the people I love.”
I nodded my head and realized that until today, I would’ve had no doubt that he was talking about me. Now, I’m not so sure.
* * *
TYLER
* * *
Dammit, I didn’t want him to know about this. I should’ve been more careful. I had to leave my room because it was too close to her, and lately, that’s been a problem. Stop, Tyler, just fucking stop. I buried my head in my hand as Paul and Janine carried on their conversation.
I feel like a creep. Like a fucking neckbeard who creeps on unsuspecting females in the dark, but lately, I can’t seem to help myself. I would never touch her, I know better than to cross that line, but twice now, I found myself opening her door to watch her sleep. Just for a few seconds, but each time I walked away feeling like scum.
I have no idea how this happened, how she went from the girl my dad brought home with his new wife to this being that consumes my every thought. I thought I had it in control; in fact, I know I did until I realized she was in danger from my own mother.
I don’t think dad grasps just how toxic Janine really is, or the lengths she’s willing to go to to get what she wants. I used to wish to have her in my life, even years after she left us, and for a little while after the incident with the car in the rain. But she’s burnt too many bridges since then, done too much damage for me to look back. And the fact that she was willing to go after an innocent young girl who’d done her no wrong was just the last fucking straw.