Chapter 19
“Fuck off, Rick,”Kingston bellowed, but I snatched my hand away like his dick was on fire and I was getting burned. “Leave us alone and I won’t kick your ass, old man.”
“You talk to him like that now?” I asked in shock.
His hand was still on the back of my head, but he dropped it to my neck possessively.
“He’s a fucking piece of shit,” Kingston said. “I won’t call him Dad, and I won’t talk to him with any respect. He doesn’t deserve it after what he did to you.”
My face darkened as I remembered. Sometimes it felt like a fevered dream, as if it was something I’d made up. I still hadn’t seen the photos, not really, and there was a big disconnect between Rick and what had been done to me. He was a stranger, even though he’d been my neighbor since I could remember and he and Reg hung out to hunt or drink beer. I didn’t know him at all.
Now I knew why, though. He’d hung back to avoid any real interaction with me. He didn’t want to see me as a human being after he abused me like that.
“Son, you’d better get your ass out here or I’m calling them. I’ve got them on speed dial. I’m warning you now,” Rick said threateningly.
Kingston opened his truck door, pulled his hand away, and exhaled a long sigh. He slipped out of the truck and I followed, letting him help me out.
We stood together on the driver’s side, and Rick stepped back, eyeballing us like crazy.
“You’d better think twice before you threaten Evie,” Kingston said, towering over his father. “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, and I mean whatever.”
He made a punching motion towards Rick’s face and the older man winced and flinched back, taking a step so fast that he almost lost his balance and fell.
“You don’t know what you’re saying, son,” Rick said, pretending I wasn’t even there. “She’s not worth it. There are a hundred girls like her who could be Tribute, who would be willing to fuck you.”
“That’s not what this is about, Rick,” I said, standing tall. “We love each other, and I know where he’s coming from. I would do anything for him, too.”
“This is family business,” Rick said, refusing to look at me. “You stay out of it.”
“I’m practically family,” I said, stepping in front of Kingston so Rick would have no choice but to see me. “You’ve known me since I was a little girl. You used to make the best waffles on Sunday mornings, and you would play soccer with us at the park. You were such a good dad to Kingston and such a good friend to me. How did you do it, Rick? How did you go from being a father figure to raping me when I was drugged?”
Rick’s features tightened into a pained grimace, and he made a strangled sound. He shook his head and took a step back.
“Answer her now,” Kingston said with force. “You owe it to her. Look at her and fucking tell her why.”
Rick shook his head but didn’t respond.
“Come on, Rick. You used to bounce me on your knee and read me books,” I continued. “Did that make you horny? How old was I the first time you fingered me? Did I even have hair down there yet?”
“I’m not a fucking pedophile!” Rick protested, looking at me at last. His eyes were filled with pain, but I felt nothing for him. I wanted him to hurt.
“So you’re just a creepy fucking rapist?” I asked and raised my eyebrow.
“It was them,” Rick said at last. “They made me do it. They made requests for the members. They had to see the goods before they agreed to make you Tribute.”
“Who?” Kingston demanded. “The Organization?”
“Yes,” Rick spat. “They told Reg it was his daughter, or Everly. He chose Everly, so they’d leave his little girl alone. But it was like the Organization wanted her all along. They had her in their sights at an early age, even before they moved here.”
“From my old town?” I asked, prodding for more information. Rick was a pervert, but he might know something, and he didn’t seem to know about my own father selling me down the river over a debt of some sort.
“Yes, as far as I know. It was suggested to Reg that he have an affair with your mother and leave his first wife. It caused tension with my own marriage, with your mother,” Rick said, his eyes flicking to Kingston’s. “She thought I took Reg’s side, but she never understood how powerful the Organization was. Even when she thought she got you away, she couldn’t escape them. They’re everywhere.”
“That doesn’t explain why you’re such a disgusting piece of shit,” Kingston said. “That doesn’t explain how you could happily assault Evie. You could have said no, you could have stood up for her. I’ve seen the pictures, Rick, and you can’t tell me you weren’t enjoying yourself. You and Reg, you fucking pigs. I should smash your fucking face right now.”
Kingston’s fist clenched and I could see him gritting his teeth, that corded muscle bulging in his cheek. He was pure unadulterated rage at the moment, and he would do anything it took to protect me. Even from his own father. The thought excited me and added to the sense of power that was overtaking me now. I was on a mission, a roller coaster on a downhill track, and there was no way for me to stop.
“I can’t explain that,” Rick said, seemingly contrite. “I lost myself in the moment. It just felt so good.” And then his eyes jerked over to me and snapped back to Kingston’s. It was a quick movement, almost unnoticeable, but Kingston reacted by pulling his fist back and slamming it into the side of Reg’s head.