Page 60 of Losing a Piece of Me

He lets out a laugh. “You fucking whore.” He shakes his head while continuing to pace. “What is it with your fucking family? Huh? You take Striker and your dad takes Kate.”

Wait. What? “My dad did what?”

He stops in front of me. “What? You don’t know?”

I don’t budge.

“Your daddy and my wife had been having an affair. He knocked her up too. When she refused to get rid of it, he paid her to take that baby and stay out of his life. That’s why my wife left. And now here you are, trying to take my son? Trying to tie him down with a kid?” His pacing starts back up while he shakes his head at me.

“Does Striker know?”

I take a silent step back.

“He doesn’t, does he?”

My lips press tight together, but he can read the answer written all over my face.

“This is how this is going to go.” He stops again, making sure my eyes are on him, and points his finger at me. “You leave. You get far away from here and you get rid of that fucking kid before you ruin my son’s life.”

“No, you can’t make me do that!”

He smiles. “I’m guessing that if you didn’t know about the affair, your mother doesn’t either.” He doesn’t have to say it, but I understand the threat he’s presenting me with.

“Stay away from my son or I’ll make sure they all know. Wouldn’t that be the talk of the town?” He shoots me a cocky grin that highlights his double chin. “Everyone will be talking about how the hotshot lawyer that runs this town fucked up. I bet Mommy-Dearest will love that. Tell me, how well will she take it when she knows she’s the talk of the town? Do you think she will leave your dad? If she does, where will you end up?” He laughs again, knowing he’s getting to me.

My eyes tear up. Leave Striker? Can I do that?

I have to, I can’t let my family get ruined.

“Leave, get rid of that fucking kid, and stay the fuck away from my son. He’s mine. Understand?”

I shake my head as my eyes finally fill with tears that overflow and roll down my cheeks.

He steps out of my way and I rush to the door.

“Oh, you better be gone by morning or the whole town will know. Don’t see my son, don’t say goodbye to my son. Just leave.”

I push past him, through the door, and walk home. My mother pounces on me as soon as the door opens, chewing me out for leaving my own party. I ignore her and go straight to my room. I don’t turn on the light. Making my way through the dark to the window, I glance down to the back yard. There he is, waiting for me. I should’ve known.

All I want to do is to go to him, but I can’t. Not unless I want to ruin my family. If that secret comes out, Striker will hate me. It was my father that did this to him.

I fall into bed and cry myself to sleep.

I have to tell him. I have to get to him. “Please, Jeff. You can take me yourself. It won’t take long. I just have to be the one to tell him.” My eyes are red and puffy with tears after reliving the memory of that night.

“Fine. Let’s go.”

Jeff reluctantly drives me to Striker’s house. I pound on the door for a good five minutes, but he doesn’t answer.

“Go to Ken’s house.”

I give him directions and we pull up a few minutes later. The house is dark and Striker’s truck isn’t here. We drive around town and by the bar, but find no sign of him anywhere.

Midnight rolls around, and we finally give up and go home.

I crash into bed. Why can’t I find him? Does he know? Did Ken tell him the rest of the story? If he did, he’s going to hate me for sure now.

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