Page 136 of Clean Slade
If I sounded like I was about to cry, it was only because of the nerves. The anxiety pulsed in my stomach. It wasn’t out of sympathy for him or the parent I’d lost.
Father stammered and glanced at his other son.
“I…I was only trying to…”
I had never heard my father choke up, but hell, there was a first time for everything I supposed.
I wanted to listen to what he was saying, but movement on the screen got my attention.
My Grams snapped her attention away from the TV and to somewhere off-screen. Then she covered Mac’s eyes as a group of men walked into view. One of them turned to look at the camera and right at me.
Slade!
Shit!
What was he doing there? What were they all doing?
“Get out! Get out now!” I shouted at the screen as if they could hear me, but the only thing I did was get my father’s attention.
He pulled the phone away and glared at me.
“What did you do?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I shouted. “I didn’t do anything. Please don’t.”
This couldn’t be happening.
Oh, Slade, what have you done?
“You think you can trick me? Well, say goodbye to everyone.” My father pressed something on his phone, and it was as if he’d clenched my heart and squashed it in his hands.
The tears ran and my knees were going to give out any moment.
“What the—” My father grumbled and tapped repeatedly until his finger turned red.
“Tony Ferraro!” said a voice coming through the phone. Slade’s. “I’m sorry to bust your plan, but no bombs are going off today. Better luck next time.”
What?
I didn’t even have time to process this when my father put his free hand inside his jacket and aimed a gun right at my face.
A loud noise came from the other room, but Father didn’t notice or care.
“I don’t know what you did, but you’ll pay for this,” he hissed.
More tears streamed down my face, but my knees decided to support me a little longer while my body shuddered.
I laughed.
“That’s okay,” I told him.
I’d pay for my sins. As long as my Mac, Grams, and Slade didn’t, I was fine with that. Slade would take care of Mac. I knew he would.
“I really tried. I tried to love you, but…” my father said, and I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the inevitable.
But the bang that followed sounded nothing like a gunshot.
Nino collided with my father’s side and grasped our father’s wrist, fighting to take control of the gun.
