CHAPTER FIVE
VAN RELLIK
“SHE NEEDS TO disappear,” Mr. Scout argues.
He pulled me, the guys, and our dads into his office downtown for an emergency “family” meeting. Henley showed her face at school today, and now the Founders are all losing their shit. Not sure why they’re so surprised. We knew she’d return. The girl had nowhere else to go.
“How do you propose we do that?” Law asks from my right, unwrapping a piece of gum and shoving it into his mouth.
“I don’t give a shit if you tie her leg to an anchor and drown her in Lake Miles. Fuck, bury her alive in the backyard, and I’ll have concrete poured tomorrow,” he snaps.
Scout and I both look over at Monroe. I haven’t had any chances to talk to him today to see where his head is at. But I’m guessing it’s nowhere good. He didn’t seem affected by her presence earlier while at school, but as the day has gone by, he’s become agitated. He sits with his fists on his thighs, his back ramrod straight, and his chin up. His jaw is clenched, and his eyes stare out into nothing. The man will snap her neck without a thought. He wants her dead. We all want her dead. But … not like this.
“If she goes missing immediately after her return, it will look suspicious.” Scout speaks my thoughts.
It’ll be just like the trial all over again. Too many questions will surface, and I refuse to put my best friend through that again. The only difference is, this time, he would be guilty.
All our fathers’ heads snap in Scout’s direction.
“What do you suggest we do?” his father growls, roughly undoing the button on his suit jacket. A clear sign he’s pissed off.
“We force her out,” Scout explains. “Henley needs to leave of her own free will. It’s a process and will take time, but it is very doable.” He lies.
The guys and I have a plan for her. Well, they do. I couldn’t really care less about Henley. But my loyalty lies with my Reapers. So, if they want to play with a doll, then that’s what they’ll do. But we don’t want our father’s knowing that. They’re getting impatient, and we want to do it on our own time.
Will Monroe, Dax’s father, shakes his head. “If she’s alive, she can talk. And I don’t want her fucking opening that mouth for anyone.”
Law snorts. “She can open her mouth for me.” He grabs his crotch for emphasis in case none of us got his joke.
His father lets out an audible sigh and runs his hand down his unshaven face. “Keep it in your pants. Next thing you know, she’ll be accusing you of rape,” he growls.
Law just chuckles.
“You think that’s funny?” His father arches a brow.
“We’ll take care of it,” Ryan assures him, getting back on track.
Silence falls over the room before Mr. Scout lets out a huff at his son’s words. “If you’re going to do this, I want it done under the radar.” Scout smirks. “I mean it, Ryan. No talking to her at school. Don’t even look her fucking way. She does not exist to you while around anyone who isn’t present in this room.”
He rolls his eyes at that. “That’s a little unreasonable.”
There’s no point in having a toy if you can’t play with it whenever you want.
“And no fun,” Law whines. I know he wants to show off his new toy. Play with her in front of everyone like we’re back in elementary school when we had show-and-tell.
His father pins him with a glare. “Stay away …”
“It’ll have to be public.” I agree, finally speaking. In order for this to work, kids need to see Henley for who she really is—a lying, backstabbing bitch. My goal isn’t to fuck her or kill her. Whatever they want to do to her is fine with me.
“Wouldn’t that be the ultimate slap in the face?” Scout adds to get his point across. “For everyone to see her hanging around with the man she accused of rape and murder?” His eyes slide to Dax’s for a quick second. “To see her fucking the very man she turned on?”
At least think he’s fucking her. I’m not sure how far he would go with her if he had the chance. When it comes down to it, he may choose to leave her to Scout and Law.
The room falls silent, letting the weight of what he said sink in. No one believed her, but one way or another, Henley will confess she lied and beg us for the forgiveness she will never get. And we’ll make sure that the world sees that when it happens.
“I’m trusting you to keep her under control,” Will, Dax’s father, adds. “She does not stir up any trouble.”