Page 43 of Duress
“You will never be done with me. If you think you can turn me in for what happened ten years ago and just walk away, you’ve got another thing coming. You aided and abetted. Youliedfor me for years. Do you really think you won’t be drug into the shit too? Are you that fucking stupid? We go downtogether.”
Just as my vision begins to darken and consciousness begins to slip away, the sound of the front door slamming open with a bang causes Bryce to jerk back in surprise, releasing my throat. I collapse to the carpet, gasping for air, the blood rushing to my head muffling the frantic shouts of Dane calling my name.
“Why the fuck is he here?” Bryce’s question is a frustrated growl that I echo in my own mind, as I silently plead for Dane. I don’t know if I’m praying for him to turn around and leave, to save me, or just to forgive me when the truth all comes out.
CHAPTER 39
DANE
“Shit, I think Bryce just got home.”Everly’s words make my blood run cold. Bryce is already home. That will make getting her away from him trickier, but I can’t just leave her there with a murderer.
“Everly, listen to me—” I say, trying to warn her.
“He’s home. I have to go. Don’t come over.”Her hissed whisper is the last thing I hear before she ends the call.
Don’t come over? The hell I won’t. Pressing down on the gas pedal, I speed through the streets of Birch Falls in a race to rescue the woman I love.
After my conversation with Hugh, I went back to all the notes I had taken while digging through Bryce’s files and started putting the pieces together. The familiar names clicking into place as I realized the depth and breadth of Bryce’s manipulation to keep his involvement in my dad’s death a secret.
I knew Bryce wasn’t above blackmail and currying favors to help his criminal buddies stay out of jail, butknowing he’s capable of murder sent panic surging through me for Everly’s safety.
Minutes later, I’m pulling into their driveway, Bryce’s silver Mercedes parked out front like the most pretentious harbinger of bad tidings. Seeing the expensive new car mocking me as I climb out of the nearly two-decade-old Corolla my dad bought me when I got my first job reminds me just how much he stole from me. Not just my dad, but all the missed opportunities I could have had if my life had been different. Anger flares under my skin, hot and vicious.
I storm through their front door, letting it slam against the wall, my desperate fury guiding me. I don’t know what I am going to do or say to Bryce. All I know is I can’t leave her here with him. “Everly!” I scan the open foyer, looking for any sign of Bryce or Everly. I see Bryce’s leather overnight bag sitting at the foot of the stairs. A muffled thump and pained whimper from the second floor sends me rushing up the stairs. “Everly, are you okay?”
Bryce meets me at the top of the stairs. His arms are crossed over his chest, a smug look on his face. “Little brother, what brings you?—”
My fist slams into his face, sending him staggering back against the wall, cutting him off. The only words I want to hear out of his mouth are a confession.
“You killed him! You fucking killed him you son of a bitch!” I am on him, landing blow after blow on his stupid fucking lying face. My vision is red with anger. The only sound I hear is the thud of my fist slamming into his face.Nothing exists right now except for my hatred for my brother. “Why? Why did you do it?”
“Dane!” Everly’s startled cry reaches me the same time she does. I feel her soft hands wrap around the arm that is cocked back and ready to swing. “Dane, stop! Please!” She lands on her knees next to me on the plush carpet, forcing me to look at her. What I see does not lessen the urge to kill my brother pumping through my veins. Dark bruises are forming on her neck, her eyes red-rimmed and her face red from crying. Bryce groans under me, stunned and semi-unconscious from the beating I just gave him.
“Did he hurt you?” I cup her face gently, but my voice is a dangerous, low growl. I don’t care if I go to jail for killing him. He doesn’t deserve to live.
“Dane, you have to stop. You can’t kill him. You’re too good…” Her pleading softens something in me, breaking through the anger. Slowly I lower my arm and climb off Bryce’s limp form on the ground. Focusing my attention on Everly, I scan her face looking for any more signs of injury.
“Are you okay, baby?” Her eyes widen at the endearment at the end of my question, like she’s surprised I’m concerned for her.
She nods, but the way her face crumples and fresh tears shimmer in her eyes betrays the strength she’s trying to broadcast. Tugging her into my chest, I stroke her hair gently, ignoring the throbbing ache in my hand from where I used it to punish Bryce.
“I was coming to get you. You can’t stay here. He’sdangerous.” Everly leans back so she can look at me, a confused wariness on her face. “He killed my dad.”
Her eyes go wide in fear, and her mouth pops open in shock when she hears the last part. “H-how do you know that?” I can feel her body tremble, fear consuming her as she realizes how dangerous her husband truly is.
“I found the medical examiner’s report in his desk. My dad died from an injury that couldn’t have been caused by the accident, and Bryce was the last person to see him alive.”
Another wet moan gurgles out of Bryce’s limp form as his head lolls side to side weakly. “No proof…” The words are a barely audible mumble, but enough to let me know I haven’t punished him nearly enough. My body tenses, ready to rain more hell down on him. I feel Everly go rigid in my arms as she processes the revelation.
“W-was with…Everly.” Bryce lips part in a gruesome, bloody smile, mocking me. “Wasn’t I, darling?” His hand slides across the carpet and grips her thigh, leaving a bloody hand print on her pale skin. Everly jerks at his touch and flings herself backward, out of my hold and crawling away from us both, a panic-stricken look on her face.
“She’s my alibi…” Bryce makes like he’s going to sit up so I lean over, pushing him back down, my hand wrapped around his throat. The urge to squeeze until I crush his trachea is almost too strong to ignore.
“If you touch her again, I will fucking end you.” Bryce grips my hand, desperation flaring in his eyes when he realizes he can’t budge my hold on his throat. His faceturns a satisfying, deep shade of red, bordering on purple. I could just keep my hand here a little longer and put an end to all of this.
“Sheknew.” The strangled words that slip past Bryce’s lips make time stop. Everly lets out a gasp; my hold on Bryce’s throat goes slack. The only sounds now are his desperate choked gasps for air, mixed with his dark, bitter chuckle.
My gaze finds Everly’s. I stare at her, shock and disbelief holding my mind hostage.She knew?No…no…there is no way. Everly sits there, frozen in place as a flurry of emotions play across her beautiful face one by one. Shock, horror, resignation, until finally settling on remorse. Dread settles in the pit of my stomach when I realize Bryce is telling the truth.
