Page 66 of They Will Fall

“He fucking took her from me,” he cries out. “Donald killed the woman I loved.”

My gut wretches at his confession. All these years I’ve been living with a complete stranger. A man I looked up to. I would have cut off my arms for my father, if that’s what he asked me to do. I would have done anything for his approval.

I’m completely dumbstruck. At a loss for words. “Mom’s alive and well. What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Not your mother. I love her dearly, but our love was no match for what I had with Helen.”

“Helen?” My voice squeaks. “Ridge’s mom?”

His eyes well with tears, his cheek pressed to the cold concrete. “She was everything to me, and Donald was assigned to take her out. I begged him not to do it, but he did anyway.”

“Are…are you saying you and Ridge’s mom were having an affair?” I can hardly believe what I’m saying, let alone what I’m hearing. “You’re fucking married to Mom!” I can’t control the jerky movements of my head or my shaking hand as I grind the gun into his skull. “How the hell could you do that to her?”

“Love, son. It makes you do crazy things.”

“But you love Mom?”

“I do. Very much.”

None of this explains why the governor was helping him, or protecting his secret. He killed members of The Society for no reason other than sheer anger and hatred. It was unprovoked and not part of an assignment or punishment.

My head is spinning and I need to get a grip if I want to get the rest of his confession. I need it all to clear Riley’s name. Somehow, I need to make it look like he killed the governor to protect himself.

I inhale a deep breath because I can’t crumble right now. “How did the governor find out what you did?”

“I messed up. Didn’t cover my tracks, and I cracked. Told him everything and we struck a deal…”

“What kind of deal?”Fuck. I don’t even know if I wanna hear this.A deal with Governor Saint can’t be good. “What else did you do, Dad?”

“I…” He sputters and cries, but continues as if he’s confessing his sins to a priest in search of forgiveness. “I killed his wife for him. Hit-and-run. It was easy and quick.”

I nearly topple over as the words leave his mouth. He speaks as if he’s talking about a history test.Easy and quick?Who the hell is this guy?

“You killed…” My words get lodged in my throat, my voice barely audible. “You killed his wife?” I set the recorder down while it’s still going and run my fingers through my hair, feeling dizzy and off-balance. “You’re a fucking monster!” I spit out. “The worst of the worst.”

My entire life I’ve been living with a serial killer. And not the kind who killed the bad guys. He killed the good ones.

Mustering the courage, I ask the question weighing heavy on my mind. “Does Mom know?”

“God, no.” He sobs. “She doesn’t know any of this. Please, son. Please don’t tell her. I’ll do anything. I’ll…give me that gun. I’ll end the madness right here and now. Or you do it. But please, you can’t tell her.”

“Oh,” I force a laugh, “she’s gonna know, and so will everyone else.” My head shakes in utter disappointment. “You’re nothing but a fucking worthless scumbag, you know that? Now I have to go and break my mother’s heart while I tell her what you did. I hope you rot in hell.”

I stand up, letting the gun drop to my side as I swing my leg back, body tensing with anticipation. With a grunt, I thrust my foot forward and deliver a barreling kick right into his ribs.

I reach into my pocket with a jerky hand and pull out my phone. Tapping on Ridge’s name, I then press the phone to my ear. He answers after the second ring. “Get Riley and Lev, and get to the room in the underground tunnels beneath the cabin owned by Scar's parents. I’ve got him, and I’ve got the confession.”

“Are you fucking serious?”

“No, I’m lying, dipshit. Yes, I’m serious. Hurry your asses up.” I end the call and drop my phone back in my pocket.

“Maddox?” He says my name as a question. “You don't want to do this, son…”

“Don’t!” I stammer. “Don’t you dare call me son. I am no longer your son and you are no longer my father!”

“But I love you, Maddox.” He bawls and sniffles. “You’re my flesh and blood.”

This man who treated me like a pawn my whole life, who just a few minutes ago was telling me how worthless I am and how I could never live up to who he wants me to be, is now trying to tell me he loves me. I call bullshit. If this is what love is to him, I don’t want it. “Well, I fucking hate you. I wish I could kill you. Unfortunately, I think someone else deserves that justice. So instead, you get to live for a few more minutes.”

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