Page 102 of Double or Nothing

“I am not you. I won’t hurt her again.”

“If you say so. Don’t matter none. She’ll smarten up. Leave your sorry ass. Just like your momma left you.”

“You son of a bitch!” My arm cocks back, my fist aiming for his face. When it connects, it feels like heaven. Years of physical and mental abuse flood my mind and fill me with anger that makes me continue to hit him.

I can hear Kat screaming in the background and feel Mac’s hands on me, trying to pry me off, but all I can do, all I want to do, is let the rage consume me. I want to beat him. I want him to understand the pain I felt. I want to kill him for ruining my life. Not then, but now.

Angry as his words made me, I also know they’re right.

Kat walked away from me once. Told me to go to hell, not only because of the ultimatum but because I wasn’t good enough. Not then, not now. She felt it then. There’s not a doubt in my mind, she’ll feel it again.

Then I’ll lose her for good. Just like he lost my mom. Because he didn’t deserve her. Just like I don’t deserve Kat.

The fight leaves me, my hands let go, and Mac finally pulls me off my dad. We land on the ground with a thud, Kat standing over us.

“Oh my God, are you okay?”

From my seat on the ground, I look up at her with a blank stare, completely devoid of any emotion.

“I’m fine.”

Standing upright, I turn and walk away.

“Sutton, where are you going?” she asks.

“To jail,” an unfamiliar voice responds. I turn to see a cop standing there. “Sutton Cole, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.”

As the officer continues with the Miranda rights, I place my arms in front of me. It’s not the first time I’ve been arrested, but it sure as hell will be the last. As soon as Mac springs me from jail, I’m out of here. Fuck this town and everything in it.

Chapter 46

Kat

Unable to gain access to the police station, I stand outside with Liz, waiting for word from Mac.

“Kat, relax, it’s going to be fine,” Liz says, trying to reassure me.

She didn’t see the blank look on his face. When Mac pulled Sutton off his dad and he looked up at me, I got chills. Sutton’s eyes were dark, emotionless. He looked empty. Liz might think everything is going to be okay, but something tells me it isn’t.

Mac emerges through the doors, and I run to him.

“What’s going on? Is he okay? Can I see him?”

“He’s fine… physically. They’re working on getting him released as we speak.”

“That’s great news.”

“Yeah, listen…” Mac scrubs his hand across his face. “It might be better if you weren’t here when he gets out.”

“What? Why?”

Liz joins us. “I’m sure it’s because the press is going to be a nightmare, right, Mac?”

“Yeah,” Mac agrees, but I don’t buy it. I can tell by the look on his face there’s something he’s not telling me.

“Just be straight with me, Mac. What’s going on?” I deserve the truth. I deserve to know what happened and why Sutton seems to be pushing me away when he needs me most. It’s my biggest fear coming to fruition, and I am bound and determined not to let it happen.

“Honestly, Kat, I’m not sure. All I know is Sutton’s in a bad place right now.”

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