Avenging Angel (Pounding Hearts 5)

I stumble, then find my balance and straighten.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” he snarls at me. “Do you have any idea what you’ve cost me, you stupid little bitch?!”

Lifting my chin into the air, I meet his angry glare head-on as he steps into me, trying to intimidate me.

I refuse to feel bad, guilty, or even the least bit remorseful for what I did, and I sure as hell won’t apologize for it.

He leans in close and jabs his finger at me. “If you think I’ll let you get away with this, think again. We had a deal and you’ve broken it. I, however, will live up to my end. That little boy you care so much about… Well, I hope you’re proud of yourself because you’ve just sealed his fate.”

I shake my head in disbelief. Can he even hear himself?

“What did Casey ever do to you? It’s over now. Hurting him gains you nothing,” I try to reason.

My father’s lip curls with contempt. “Hurting him will hurt you. Do you feel good about yourself now? I hope you do, because after this… After what you’ve done, I will make it my life’s mission to make sure that’s boy’s life is a living hell.”

Tears of anger and helplessness sting my eyes and it’s everything I can do not to release them. To not give him that satisfaction.

“I hate you,” I hiss.

And I do, my god, do I truly hate him at this moment.

“Oh, you will,” my father says as he grins and straightens away from me. “You’ll certainly hate me after I’m done with you and the boy. Perhaps I’ll even go after that gym rat of yours. Yes, that’s a good idea. I think I’ll do that too.”

Someone gasps behind my father. “Arthur…”

My father whirls around.

“Valerie,” he says with surprise.

Her own eyes glistening with tears, Valerie’s voice cracks with accusation. “How could you?”

All at once my father seems to deflat

e, his anger replaced by worry.

“It’s not what you think,” he says.

“Not what I think?” Valerie repeats incredulously. “Not what I think?! I heard every word you said.”

“I didn’t mean it,” he claims after a couple of moments and begins to walk toward her. “I spoke in anger. I would never… never do those things.”

Valerie shakes her head, clearly not buying his excuse. “I knew something was wrong, I just didn’t know what.”

“Valerie—” my father starts to say as he reaches for her, his hands going for her hands.

Valerie steps out of his reach and jerks her hands away from him. “No, don’t you touch me, and don’t you say anything more. I don’t want to hear it.”

“But—” my father tries to say, only to immediately stop when Valerie gives him a look full of contempt.

“We’ll talk about all of this later, Arthur,” she says, not even trying to keep the disdain out of her voice.

Then she turns her attention to me. “Aubrey, I’m leaving. You’re more than welcome to join me.”

I’m not sure I completely trust Valerie despite how kind she has treated me in the past, but I’d much rather leave with her than stay here and endure more of my father’s threats and wrath.

Emotionally pulling myself together, I nod at her. “I’ll join you, thank you.”

Without looking in my father’s direction, I follow her out, feeling his glare burning into my back.