Shaylee sucks in a sharp gasp. “What?”
Ben looks back at her and the emotions are almost too much for me to handle. “Chelle and Jake were short on cash and when they asked me for a loan, I couldn’t help them. I gave them Anton’s number and…fuck, Shay, I really fucked up.”
“What happened?” I demand, spitting through my teeth as Blake stands as an imposing, shaking mess behind me.
Ben’s head drops back to his hands. “Anton gave them the money and when they couldn’t pay it back on time, he went looking for them.”
“I don’t understand,” Shay says. “We have plenty of money. Why couldn’t we help them? Why did you send them to that…that man?”
“Because we had no money,” Ben shouts. “I gambled it. Every single cent. We were broke and I hid it all from you. There were days we barely scraped by. That’s how I knew Anton in the first place. He gave me the money to get by and I was able to pay him back with your car.”
“My car?” she gasps. “You told me it was stolen.”
Ben shakes his head and continues. “Anton isn’t a man who allows his debts to go unpaid and when Chelle and Jake couldn’t pay him back, Anton came to me. He didn’t know where to find them and…”
“And you gave them up,” I cry
“I had no choice.”
“YOU ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE,” Shay shrieks. “That was my sister. How could you?”
“I…he would have killed me.”
“And instead, he killed them. Their blood is on your hands. How could you have kept this from me all these years? What kind of marriage is this?”
“You would have left me.”
“You’re damn straight I would,” she yells, dropping to her knees as her face falls into her hands. Sobs come tearing out of her. “I wish it was you. They had children, a family to look out for and you were only looking out for yourself.”
“Shay,” he whispers.
“GET OUT! I don’t ever want to see you again.”
Ben glances around, begging us for some kind of help, but he won’t get it, not from us and especially not right now. Realizing that now isn’t the time to try and fight for what’s left of his marriage, he silently picks himself up off the floor and trudges out the front door, leaving nothing but torment and destruction behind.
Ben betrayed our parents. He was the one who introduced them to Anton, he was the one who told him where to find them. This is all on him. He was family. He should have protected them instead of throwing them to the wolves. Because of this man, my parents were killed and Blake and I spent thirteen years living in hell.
How are we ever supposed to move on from this? How is this ever going to be okay?
Chapter 19
I run down the street with tears streaming down my face.
How could he have done that? How could he betray my parents like that? Because of that man, my parents are gone. How am I ever supposed to live under the same roof as him?
My eyes are glassy and I find it near impossible to see the street in front of me.
Thirteen years of pain. Thirteen years he’s lied to Shay. Thirteen years of betrayal.
My chest rises and falls with rapid movements and I try my best to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. Despite only seeing him less than twenty minutes ago, I need him now more than ever.
I find Slade out front with his sisters, running around with a basketball. They’re desperately trying to steal it from him and take any measures possible. Emma is dangling from his shorts, making him lose one hand as he tries to hold both her and his shorts up while Rain jumps up his back, trying to grab the ball that he holds high above his head.
Any other time, this vision would have my heart melting but right now, all it does is make me think about all the times that Blake and I would have missed out on playing ball with my dad. It makes me wonder if one day these little girls will grow up and betray their brother, it makes me break.
I get just a few houses down when Slade notices me. I don’t know if it’s from my crying or the sound of my feet against the sidewalk, but he’s quick to drop the ball and peel his sisters off him. “Go inside,” he demands in his no-bullshit tone that has them both straightening out and looking up at him, wondering why the sudden change.
“Go,” he repeats a little firmer, making them both jump and start walking toward the door while grumbling between themselves.
The second the door closes behind them, Slade rushes me. His body crashes against mine and his warm, loving arms close around me. His hand takes the back of my head and he holds me against his chest right where I can hear the heavy thump of his strong heart.