Disgusted
My car's parked outside Richard's mansion. I’ve been here for roughly thirty minutes. I have no logical reason for being parked out here for that long. I should drive right inside and get this meeting over and done with.
I should do that. But there was a knot in my heart, and it tightened every fleeting second I thought about driving in. Saying I was nervous would be detrimental to me, but damn yeah, I was.
What's exciting about fighting with your best friend of two decades because of his daughter?
“You're not driving inside?” Leo said, gesturing at the gate. He was seated on the passenger seat and we were both staring at the gate. He seemed as nervous as I was.
I didn't say a word. I just…inwardly tried to chill my nerves. The gate was literally calling out to me but I couldn't drive in just yet.
My eyes popped when the gate opened and Lucy walked out with Tracy, a few servants carrying their luggage, and Richard's lawyer.
There was a BMW parked across the street. Funny how I didn't notice it until now. Lucy and Tracy got inside it, and the servants helped put their luggage in too.
“Where are they going?” Leo asked, as we both watched them.
The servants walked back into the gate. Richard's lawyer got into his own car and drove behind the BMW.
“Why does it look like he just divorced her?” Leo asked, glancing at me.
I was way too tensed up to indulge in that conversation so he was ignored. But yeah, it did seem like Richard just divorced Lucy. I hope that's the case though. She messed with his health. That's unforgivable.
“You know you're gonna have to drive inside at some point, right?” Leo asked, looking at me.
I took a firm breath. Fuck it. Turning on the ignition, I drove right through the very open gate. Getting closer to Richard's mansion, I spotted him standing on the front porch.
Something in his gaze shifted when he saw my car approaching. I killed the engine and alighted from the car. Leo did the same.
I couldn't get my eyes off him quickly. It's been so long since I last saw him conscious and healthy. A few things changed about him, especially his eyes. They're dimmer, heavier. And he seemed a bit stricken. Still, it's great to see him alive.
Richard said no words but just turned around and began heading inside. Leo gestured to me that we follow him, and we did.
Bnbh
Inside the cozy living room, I slowed, thinking we'd be having a conversation here. But Richard was going upstairs. Leo and I had no choice but to follow.
We were approaching Elena's room and I felt my wolf twirl. She's in there. I almost stopped at the door. I already did, matter of fact. I was gonna go talk to her first. My hand was already on the damn doorknob.
“Vince,” Leo whispered in a warning tone. “You didn't come here for that.”
I sure did. Half of me came here for this.
“C'mon, man.” Leo pressured. “Richard's waiting.”
I took a regretful look at Elena's door before trailing behind Leo, as we headed to Richard's study.
I was the last to walk inside so I took that as my cue to shut the door. Everyone was quiet. Richard had his back turned to us. Leo wouldn't stop glancing at me with those very apprehensive eyes. Dude was more scared for me than I was for myself.
Finally, Richard turned around. His haughty gaze held more words than he could ever say. I held that gaze stubbornly, refusing to even flinch.
He began taking a few steps closer to me. I didn't move. I waited for whatever was coming. And it did come. A monster punch to my lips had me staggering backwards.
Rage flashed through my eyes. But I was quick to stop myself from retaliating. I was quick to stop myself from throwing back a punch. A quick sensor went off in my head reminding me that I deserved this. That I was the villain in this situation. So I deserved all the punches in the world.
I barely regained balance when another punch landed on my other cheek, forcing my face to the side.
“You bloody…” another punch. “... disgusting…” a harder punch. “...son of a bitch!” An uppercut punch that had blood flying out of my mouth.
I fell, crashing down a chair. He wasn't done. He kicked my guts, forcing out painful grunts from me.
“How.could.you.do.that.to.my.daughter?!” He kicked my face.
Fuck!!
“She was supposed to be like a daughter to you, bloody creep!” He lifted a chair, with eyes filled with rage.
I didn't move. I waited for it. And fucking hell, it came. Right on my damn ribcage. I could swear something snapped in there.
My grunts were loud, long, and excruciating. He lifted the chair again and I shut my eyes, awaiting the harsh pain.
“Richard, man. That's enough, please.” I opened my eyes to Leo, holding him back. He gritted out a curse and dropped the chair.
I coughed hard on the floor, staining it with drops of blood from my mouth.
“How could you do this to me, Vince?!” He barked. “You were supposed to be my best friend. Elena was supposed to be your god-daughter. How could…how could you…” He stopped.
I wasn't looking at him to know why he did but I could guess he was too disgusted to complete it. My eyes were shut as I tried to will my body into hurting less.
“How could you, Vince?”
“I'm fucking sorry, man…”
“Oh, hell, you're not. Don't you dare make me look stupid, Vince. I know you too well. You're never sorry for anything!”
I couldn't argue that. Because a part of me wasn't sorry.
“I already feel so stupid for not clocking it a little sooner. All those times you went out of your way to get things she wanted. All those times you did the impossible for her. All those times you risked your life to save her. I should have known there was a sick motive behind your actions. I shouldn't have been so fucking naive and carefree. I should have protected her from your sick ass.”
Yeah, you should have! I almost said, but my mouth was hurting really badly. I was more focused on slowly picking myself off the ground and numbing my pains.
“How aren't you disgusted by your actions?! How…how…aren't you disgusted by the fact that you slept with a girl you watched grow up?”
“I was disgusted, damnit!” I snapped, tears flooding my eyes.