Page 138 of Chaos at Westbrook High

My dad pulls something out of his jacket pocket, the guards pushing Maverick to his knees so he can see the marriage certificate my dad tosses on the floor.

Maverick cries out in agony, spittle flying from his lips as he laughs and shouts. “Freya Thorne. You think you can derail my plans with Freya Thorne?! I’ll kill her too, you stupid son of a bitch.” He forces a savage grin. “After I marry her.”

“But then who will you frame?” My dad asks. “You lost Katherine already. You were planning on making it look like she killed us, right? If you kill Freya, who will you pin the murders on?”

“Hailey.” His unhinged eyes snap to my girl, and then up to me. “Your little bitch will spend the rest of her life in jail.” Another grin as he looks at Hailey again. “With Katherine.”

I take a step toward him, and Hailey pushes her back into my chest, stopping me. I can’t see her face, but I can tell by the way Maverick’s nose flares that she’s showing him no fear.

My dad sighs, tired of his delusions. “Okay.” He steps aside, waving a hand. “Take her.”

“What?”

“Try it, little brother. Take her from him.”

Maverick hesitates. With a flick of his hand, my dad silently orders the guards to take their hands off Maverick, freeing him to do as he pleases. All of the guns are lowered and put away, but still, Maverick hesitates, his eyes on me and my siblings surrounding Hailey. He doesn’t fucking dare.

He sneers at us as my dad orders the guards to take him outside. They’ll take him somewhere and keep him prisoner while my dad searches for evidence of his crimes. It shouldn’t be too hard to force the two guys who chased Hailey and attacked Derek to confess everything they know about their boss.

Just as they begin dragging him away, Maverick yells, “I killed your wife!”

My dad stops moving, his dark eyes lifting to meet his brother’s.

“What?” Maverick taunts him. “You didn’t put that part of your little puzzle together? Katherine’s been working for me for years. Who do you think gave her the drugs she forced down Claire’s throat? I told her to do it, Eli. She was following my orders.”

Hailey’s hand covers her mouth as my siblings and I burn with rage from the inside out. Derek looks like he’s about to throw up, the guards look stunned, and my dad…. I’ve never seen that look on his face before. He looks bloodthirsty. Psychotic. Terrifying.

Slowly, the guards back away from him, releasing Maverick and letting him fall to his knees with a rage-filled shout.

My dad looks down at him. “Tell me you’re lying.”

“I’m not.” Maverick laughs maniacally. “I did it.”

“Why?”

“Because I hate you,” Maverick hisses. “And I want nothing more than to see you broken, to take everything you love. The day your precious girl was taken from you was the best day of my l?—”

He doesn’t get to finish that sentence before my dad slams his fist into his face. Maverick’s back hits the floor with a crash, and my dad hits him again. And again. He doesn’t stop hitting him.

“Oh my God,” Hailey whispers.

Blood is spilling from Maverick’s face and coating my dad’s hands. He’s beating him to death, but not one of us moves to stop him. We’re all frozen, watching in shock and horror.

Breathing hard with his hand wrapped around Maverick’s throat, my dad doesn’t look up as he rasps, “James, take them home.”

“Don’t touch us,” Damon growls, and James hesitates, unsure what to do.

“Damon.” My dad’s voice breaks, and my heart cracks right down the middle.

“No,” Damon says to him, the words bitten through his teeth. “We’re not leaving you.”

“I’m going to kill him, Damon.” And he won’t do it in front of us.

“Don’t,” Damon chokes out, releasing Callie as he steps closer to him. “Dad. Death would be too easy for him. Don’t do it.”

My dad squeezes his eyes shut. Braver than me, Damon puts his hand on his shoulder and pulls him away from Maverick, holding him back as the guards carry Maverick’s unconscious body outside. My dad slumps against him, the two of them dropping to their knees. Wren and I drop in front of them, hugging our dad to us as he breaks.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I’m sorry.”

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