Page 25 of Room Twenty-Seven: Theirs to Punish

Oh my God is right. Oh my God, what am I doing?

“Dad,” Bane grunts, pulling up his pants while Nik does the same. “It's not—I mean, you don't—”

“You don't have to explain a thing. I've seen plenty.” He's enraged, and I can understand why. After everything we did to him, for him to find me this way after all these years? He probably imagines I’m using his sons the way my mother used him.

I can't stand it. Being judged, being hated. Hating myself. I roll off the table and run for the bedroom, where I left my dress and shoes earlier after the dress came back from the dry cleaner in the lobby. I'm so glad they were thoughtful enough to do that. Now I pull it on before shoving my feet into my shoes while three male voices overlap as the men argue. I didn't want it to be this way. I never expected it to be this way.

I only know I need to get out of here. There's nothing I can say to defend myself, and the look on Oliver's face told me there's not much I could say to get through to him, anyway. I'm sure seeing me brought everything back—and seeing me with his sons added a whole new layer to the madness.

All at once, I fling the door open and speed walk through the apartment, heading straight for the elevator. “Wait! Where are you going?” Nik demands, following me once he realizes I’m rushing past.

“Don't go! You don't have to go!” Bane insists.

“Please. I have to!” I jam my finger against the button, and the doors open immediately since Oliver just stepped out of them. We didn't even hear him come in. “I can’t be here. This was all wrong, and I’m sorry.”

“Wait, Lilly. You don't have to do this.” Now all three men are pleading with me as I step into the elevator and push the button to close the doors. I've never been good at fighting for myself. I've never been skilled at finding the right thing to say. All I can do to protect myself is get out of here.

The last thing I see is their three faces as the doors slide shut, separating us for good.

12

Bane

“Willsomeone please explain to me what the hell is going on?” My father throws his hands up in frustration. His face is red, and a distinct vein throbs on his forehead.

I have no idea how the fuck we’re going to explain this to him. Glancing at my brother beside me, I sense he feels the same.

“Now!” our father demands.

“Dad, let us explain,” I try to start. “It’s not as bad as it looks.”

Christ. What must this look like to our dad? Maybe it is as bad as it looks. He must be thinking we knew where they were hiding. He has to feel so betrayed.

“Explain then. It better be fucking good,” he mumbles the last part. I can count on one hand the times my father has cursed in front of us, even as adults. It’s just the kind of person he is—honest, proper, and kind—which makes this whole situation so much more fucked up.

Nik is still tongue-tied, yet another thing out of the norm. “We met her at a club by chance a few days ago. This wasn’t planned. We ran into each other, and… this just kind of happened. We were going to tell you—”

“You were going to tell me you’re fucking your stepsister together?”

Ouch, another f-bomb. I’ve never seen him this mad. Yesterday, I was sitting at the head of a boardroom, confidently making multimillion-dollar deals. Today, I feel like a teenager again, guilty for disappointing my old man.

“Well, maybe not that part specifically.” I wince.

Dad runs both of his hands through his salt-and-pepper hair. His eyes bounce back and forth between Nik and me. “I can’t believe this.” He shakes his head as if trying to shake the images of us fucking Lillian out of his head.

“I’m sorry. We really didn’t plan any of this. We didn’t even know she was in town until two days ago,” Nik explains, finding his voice.

“It’s true,” I confirm. “We had no contact with her before this week.”

“I know that.” My father huffs before he walks to the window. Turning his back to us, he looks out the window. “I knew where Lilly was.”

“Come again,” Nik asks, dumbfounded, taking a step toward Father.

“Until six months ago, I knew where Lillian was.”

“You what?!” My brother’s voice booms through the house. He goes from standing still in shock to pacing the room like he’s looking for something to break. “How? And most importantly, why? Why didn’t you tell me?! You knew this whole fucking time!”

“I just wanted her to be safe.” Dad’s shoulders sag. “I was just her stepdad, and her mother did not want there to be any contact. My hands were tied.”

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