Page 24 of The Retaliation You Deliver
My lips part to argue for Leon. To tell Nathan that Leon’s already been to hell and back, but I soon slam them shut. That is not my story to tell. And I’ll take it to the grave with me if that’s what he wants.
“I don’t need you to defend my honor, Nate. Leon and I are done, and I think it’s probably for the best if we all just move on and forget it ever happened.” I know that’s what I’m going to try to do at least.
5
Leon
My weekend starts exactly as my week ended.
A fucking disaster.
Much like my entire life, if I’m being honest about it.
After leaving my father barely conscious, I jumped back into Luca’s car and ended up at The Locker Room.
I’ve been here a couple of times since that night. It feels weirdly therapeutic being where my father made his final mistake.
Bry looked less than amused when he saw the state of me but after a little convincing, he ushered me to one of his darkest booths and left me with a bottle of the most expensive whisky the place has.
It wasn’t a surprise to me when I found out the kinds of things that go on under the roofs of his establishments that run across the country.
It’s no secret that Brett’s a scumbag so it only seems fitting that in each of his favorite states he has a place where he could let his inner demon loose.
A shudder rips through me as I think about all the ways he fucked us all over, but no one as much as our mother.
Why she stayed with him for as long as she did, fuck only knows. She says it was for us. But kids do just fine with separated parents. I want to believe that there’s another reason just to relieve a little guilt that it’s our fault she stuck it out and got treated like shit for years.
My head steadily pounds as I lay there trying to remember how I got from the bar to here at some point in the middle of the night.
But everything is hazy. Sadly, the parts about my life I want to blur into nothingness never leave though. And I still vividly remember exactly how she felt beneath me on that desk. How fucking tight she was as I pushed inside her, how she cried my name when she came.
“Fuck,” I bark, bringing my fist down on the pillow beside me but regretting it instantly when my knuckles split open, blood beginning to pool at each wound last night left behind.
But the pain of that is nothing compared to the booming voice of my brother only seconds later.
“LEON,” he barks, his footsteps thundering my way before he slams his body against my door, ensuring the lock gives way and he comes flying in.
His lips part to shout some more but then he sees the blood and his expression falters.
“What do you want?”
He hesitates for a second.
“Where the fuck is my car?”
“Oooh… umm…” His expression turns murderous. “I can’t remember,” I confess, glad that my secret hasn’t changed how big of an ass he can be.
“You fucking what?” He thunders.
“I’m sure it’s fine, bro. Chill.”
“Don’t you fucking tell me to—”
“Luca,” Peyton shouts as he lunges toward me.
He damn near stops mid-air at the sound of her voice which amuses me greatly.
“You’re so fucking whipped, bro.”
