“What do you want me to say? You want me to lie to you, Tabs? Is that it? No, I didn’t kill him. He clearly was a drunk and I’m so sorry that he’s dead.”
“You’re fucking lying,” she said. “You heard what Daisy said at Halloween and it has been less than a week and he suddenly turns up dead. Don’t lie to me. You owe me more than that.”
He got to his feet. “Exactly what do I owe you, Tabitha?”
“I’m your friend. We’re Skulls. We’re a team.”
“You’re right. We’re a family, and one of our team, one of our unit was dying inside. You want to know the truth, then yes, I killed him. He owned that gun, it was old, pretty much useless. I cleaned it up real nice. It fucking sparkled. I loaded that weapon and when he was drinking and trying to get more money out of her, I made him look me in the eyes, and then I pulled the trigger and I feel nothing. He is nothing. He was a piece of shit.”
“If they find out—”
“They will never find out.” Anthony slashed his hand across the air. “Period. They will never find out because I know what I’m doing.”
“You’re sixteen.”
“And I still know what I’m doing. That will never change.”
“You don’t care? You killed a man.”
“He was hurting Daisy.”
“Is that all it’s going to take from you? They hurt Daisy, and they’re dead.”
“Do you think the world is going to miss him? He was a piece of shit who needed to die. No one is going to miss him. Certainly not Daisy. He was killing her, little by little. I knew something was bothering her, I just didn’t know who or what. When I did, I took care of it. Don’t make me out to be the bad guy. I’m not. I did what I had to do for my loved one. I did what anyone would do.”
Tabitha stared at him, shocked. “I think that is the most you’ve spoken.”
“She never finds out. This is between you and me. Don’t even tell Simon, and if you do, I will hurt you, Tabitha.”
She gritted her teeth and stepped toward him. “I may not be fucking cold like you, but don’t ever threaten me. I will end you, do you understand me?”
Anthony stared at her. “Understood.”
Tabitha stood back and sat down on the edge of his bed. “I … how was it?”
“You want to know?”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t care. He begged for his life but he had hurt her too many times to count. I was done with his bullshit.” Anthony sat at his desk. “If you’re found here, you’re going to be grounded.”
“What about you?”
“Dad would be happy that I’ve got a chick in my room.”
“Have you ever been with those girls?” she asked.
He raised a brow.
“Come on. Tell me.”
“Tabs, no. Leave before I have to listen to you moaning about being grounded again.”
“Would you ever ground your kid?”
“Yes,” he said. “Especially if it’s a girl.”
“Double standards.”
“Leave.”
She rolled her eyes. “Have you heard from Daisy?”
“Nope, but I figure that’s your deal. I won’t be going to check on her.”
“You want to?”
Tabitha climbed out of the window and fired the question at him, waiting. He kept on staring at her.
“You would?”
“Don’t break your neck,” he said.
He closed the window.
Asshole.
She climbed down and ran all the way back home, quickly climbing into her bedroom window. There was no sign of her parents. After stripping out of her clothes, she put on her pajamas and had climbed into bed, picking up a book when there was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” she said. She hadn’t run a brush through her hair. She hoped she didn’t have any leaves or debris in her hair.
Her dad, Tiny, entered. She put the book down.
“I assume you heard?”
“I did. Does Daisy know?”
“Whizz and Lacey are going to tell her tomorrow. She hasn’t been feeling well.”
Tabitha nodded. “It was probably the pizza at school. That stuff isn’t good for anyone.”
“Do you have any reason to believe she could have anything to do with this?” Tiny asked.
“No!” She snapped the word out and frowned. “I mean, of course not. Why would you think Daisy would do something like this?”
Tiny shrugged, sitting on the edge of the bed. “It was … considered. He wasn’t a nice person and we know he’s been a bit of a problem in the past.”
She nodded. “Of course, but Daisy wouldn’t kill him.”
“You’ll go over there tomorrow. Be with her?”
“Yes. She may not be angry or upset. She might not even care.”
“Probably not. He wasn’t her real dad. We all know Whizz takes his role seriously.”
“It’s why he adopted her.”
Tiny agreed and patted her leg. “Devil and a couple of the guys have invited us over for Thanksgiving.”
“They have?” She hadn’t been to Piston County in so long.
“Yes.”
“Can I stay with Lexie and Devil? I promise I’ll be good.”
“Honey, you know they have a lot of kids.”
“Dad, come on. I will be good. You don’t have anything to worry about. I promise.” She patted his hand.
“Do I need to talk to you about … what happens between a boy and a girl.”
“No, Dad, please. You don’t have to do the sex talk. I get it. Penis, vagina, sex, semen, babies. Protected sex. I get it.” Her face was heating up by the second and she wrinkled her nose.
“I don’t like how much you know. I wish you were still into ponies and dolls.”
She giggled. “I was never into dolls.”
“You were. If I could, I’d keep you as a little girl forever. I know I could keep you happy and nothing would ever hurt you.”
“You’re worried Simon will hurt me?”
“I know you’re going to get hurt in life. I don’t want that for you. For any of you.”
“Dad, you can’t protect me forever.”
“And I know you’ve got to make some tough choices. Don’t get me wrong, I hoped this thing with Simon would have run its course right now.”
“You mean because we’re in two different clubs?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Even with your friendship?”
“Honey, friendships aside, we’re not the same. We don’t always make the same choices. We work together where we can. Lash has taken the club in a direction I never even thought of. He’s been a true leader.”
She moved toward her dad, hugging him tightly. “I love you.”
“I love you too, but when you have to make these choices, make them with your heart. Don’t make them because you’re being forced.”
“I won’t.”
She was aware of what would be expected of her. Even if she put off the inevitable by going to college, there would always be that question. Would she remain a Skull, which would mean her relationship with Simon may have to come to an end? Or would she give up being everything she knew, and take on Simon’s patch?