Slice (The Elledge Family #1) (41 page)

Callum shook with anger. “Do you remember?”

He shook his head, his fat neck turned red and then it was there. The fear. He squirmed and a tear fell from his face. “Shall we remind him?”

“Definitely,” Callum stripped him of his underwear. “You tried to fuck me. I was fifteen years old. You cold hearted manipulative bastard! How many have you fucked!” Callum drew back slapped his back with the wooden stick shattering it in pieces as the blood ran down the man's back. “How many!”

Callum's face had grown red as well. His anger had boiled over to a point of no control. I stepped back and watched him as he retrieved the knife from his pocket. The knife clicked open and Callum walked towards him.

“I should cut your eyes out.” He whispered. “I should pay someone to fuck you relentlessly. But instead… I'm going to make you bleed out slowly... Lucas… here.”

I held my hand out for the knife and walked towards him. “I’m a talker. I kind of want to know you. Tell me about yourself. When did you start fucking little boys for leisure?”

Callum leaned against the wall. His eyes watched everything that I have done.

“No words...” I sliced into his stomach watching the blood pool on the ground. My heart raged

and finally I had this feeling again. “How does that feel?” I smiled. “I felt it and I cannot lie. It feels like heaven. You are a good kill. Ugh shit, damn it. I mean… are there other rapists like you?”

I chuckled. “I mean of course, there are… I'll find the fuckers… Callum you like this project?”

“I do.” Callum nodded.

“Good, we have a new hobby...” My knife traced his face and then I applied a little more pressure and he finally started to bleed. A muffled scream filled the air and my hand slapped the sides of his face. “Shut up. Did those boys scream? How does it feel?!” I couldn't even recognize my own voice. “You sick fuck!” The growl escaped as I pushed the knife into his arms. The blood raced past his face.

“Kill him,.” Callum said.

“My fucking pleasure… open those eyes.” I pushed the knife into his heart and could feel the rhythm as it faded and the mess of blood splattered on the floor.

“Still a fucking messy killer.” Callum laughed.

“What, I like the look of blood.” I stared at his empty eyes and turned to face Callum. “How would you have done it?”

“Gun to the dome?” He snickered.

“You are a lazy killer. What's the point if you are not going to enjoy it?”

“Trust me, I do enjoy every moment of it. Let's get the fuck out of here.”
      

Cypress

His grandmother's home was a castle. It was a literal stone castle in the middle of a plateau that had a view of the Irish Sea. This was unbelievable. I sat on the park bench by myself and stared at the view. I wanted to stay here forever. There was no such peace that could be found at home.

“Beautiful, huh?” The tall man sat beside me. His curls blowing away from his face.

“It is.” I said.

“No accent, eh? Where you from?”

“America actually?”

“There is no beauty like this there.” He sighed. He bit into his apple and smiled. “What brings you here?”

I looked at him. His eyes stark gray and eerie. “Who are you?”

“Just passing by,” He said. “I haven't been here since I was a wee lad. My mum usually visits me.”

“I asked who you were?” I looked at him. Why did he look so familiar? The way he avoided answering and the way smirked whenever I was irritated reminded me of Luke.

“Feisty, just how Luke always liked them.” He tossed the remainder of the apple to the ground. “Declan Elledge… they call me, Declan Reid now. Do you know who I am?”

“Declan Elledge is dead.”

“Exactly,” He chuckled. “What is my mom cooking there? I smell potatoes and cabbage I just hope it's not any of that steak she does. Can I walk back in there with you? And is Lucas in there?”

“How dare you talk to me like this conversation is normal? All of your sons are in there. Every last one of them and you have some explaining to do.”

“I know. It's why I came to dinner. I want to meet them and talk to them.”

“Lucas might kill you.”

“I might kill Lucas.” he smirked. “Come on. Argue with me later, and congrats on the baby and apparent marriage. When did you get married?” He pointed to my ring.

“Dear Jesus, you are just like him. Get up and go in there right now. And don't walk in with me. You wait and then you come. I don't want him to think that I had anything to do with this.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

The shit was about to hit the fan and I would have to deal with it. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't. I opened the front door to the house and smiled. “Lucas!”

“Hey babe.” Lucas kissed me and placed his hand on the nape of my back. “You like the view out there.”

“I love it.” I grabbed his hand and smiled at him.

“You okay? You seem quiet.”

“I'm fine baby. Your grandmother is so sweet.”

“She is a character.” Lucas' arms wrapped around my waist and ran up my stomach. “How has he been?”

“The baby… is fine. Kicked the entire time we walked and continues to dance on my bladder.”

“Oh good boy… I see football in his future. And I mean real football not American.”

“Don't be mean.”

“I'm not, love. I am just saying there are some fundamental values that are different. And I don't mind it, but we are actually going to be a European family...”

“Knock, knock.” My heart pounded at the sound of his voice again. What was about to happen?

Lucas turned and his mouth fell open. “What the hell?” He growled.

“Uncle Declan, it’s about time you showed your face...” Callum walked into the kitchen.

“Declan?” Asher said as he stood to his feet. “Declan is dead.”

“I'm alive.” Declan smiled. His arrogance infuriated me. “I can explain it all over dinner. Hi mom!”

Nadine waved from the kitchen. She too must have known. Holly never looked up and Mark just sat with his lips in a pressed line.

“We can see that.” Mark stood up. “Okay, so what the fuck happened to you. And oh by the way, I'm your first born son you threw away.” His eyes were red. “I mean what the fuck? Do you think that you can stroll in here and we just love you? I don't want shit to do with you.”

“Take a seat.” His voice roared and echoed through the house.

Lucas stepped back and there was something that had never been there, fear. “Dad, don't yell at him like that.” He shook with his fist clenched. “You don't even know them and they have every right to be mad.”

“I can explain.” Declan's voice was still loud but it was angry. “I will explain to you all.”

Asher nodded his head in frustration. His brow creased and the annoyance was written all over his face. “For us it starts with more than just your death. You gave us up. I had no one but a mom that worked too much. I wanted a father. I wanted a real father and you couldn't do it.”

“Please sit down.” Declan said.

“No,” Asher said. “I’ll just step out while you fill their heads with whatever elaborate story you can conjure up. There is nothing that you can say that will change how I feel. You’re a coward.” He stood up and made his way passed Declan into the kitchen.

I glanced at Lucas. His eyebrows rose in shock and smirked. He was proud of Asher. Mark stared at Declan. “You better not say shit to him.”

“I won't.” Declan sat down on the couch. “Lucas I left so you could have a better life.” He twiddled with his fingers. “And I know that it's not a good enough...”

“You're right.” He interrupted. His voice was wavering and weak. “I could have been a better person had you been there for me. I was alone.” He gripped my hand. “I lost my mum. The only woman who knew me better than I knew me. All I wanted was a father that could be there for me. But you didn't even stay the whole funeral!”

“I know.”

“You don't know!” I could feel the agony as it bled through in his voice. “You will never know what it was like watching her die. I have done that! I watched her wither away to nothing!” The tears streamed down his face like rain. And his voice grew louder. “You’re a coward. You are...”

“I am your father and I know I fucked up, but I want to change things. Life is short.”

“You will never be my father,” Mark cut his eyes over to Callum. “Did you know?”

“It's none of my concern,” Callum said.

“None of your concern? How can you stand him Luke?”

Lucas didn't answer, he just grabbed his jacket and made his way towards the door. It was the first time I could honestly notice that he was the youngest brother. I felt him withdraw.

“Stand me?” Callum’s voice rose. “I’ve always been there for him Mark! I don't try to change who he is. I don't try to make him a standup guy.” He stepped back. “I love my cousin for who he is. You can't it’s why you constantly try to change him. You’re a fucking control freak.”

“Who the fuck are you talking to! He is my brother. I would die for him! I do everything that I can to make sure everything is right! I bend over backwards for him. You aren't shit.”

“I'm not shite?” Callum walked over to Mark. “Who the fuck are you talking to boy?”

“You know who I'm talking to.” Mark said between clenched teeth. His chest heaved and he looked dangerously furious.

“Mark,” Asher said. “Come on, it's not worth it.”

“Stay in your place little brother,” Mark warned. Asher complied as he backed towards the kitchen.

“I'll fuck you up boy.” The threat was real. Callum tilted his head at Mark. “You wanna try me ey? You think he’s crazy…” He pointed at Lucas and a small gasp escaped from my mouth. “You haven't met me yet. I'll rip your tongue out and glue it to your hand so you can learn to hold it.”

“Try me, you fucker. You talk a mad ass game, but I will have the last word.” Mark did not back down he stepped towards Callum.

“Words don’t mean shit when you’re gutless on a stone floor.”

“Was that a threat?”

“No, it was me predicting the future if you don’t watch your fucking mouth.” Callum spat.

“ENOUGH!!” Nadine yelled from the kitchen. “Everyone sit down! I mean sit down right now!”

My head spun. I had no idea what was going on. Lucas was quiet and Callum was red. “Let's just go.” I whispered.

Lucas turned towards me. “This is my family and I know that they are crazy anyone can I see it.” Lucas paused. “But I can’t leave. I have to stay. You can go outside if you want. Get some fresh air. Don’t let this stress you.”

“It’s not me that I am worried about, I don't want to be away from you. You need me. I can stay.”

“Shia and Holly… take Nina to the backyard and pick some fresh veggies for the spread. Now.” She snapped. They all disappeared and she smiled. There are some things that everyone in this room needs to know and I'm gonna tell it.”

“Ma,” Declan moaned. “Let me talk to my sons.”

“No, shut it up Declan Marcus Elledge. When I speak you are quiet, nothing has changed.” The entire room grew quiet and she started to talk. “Firstly, you owe your boys an apology. You should have been a man enough to know that you could handle raising them. Though it looks like they are more than fine without you. Mark, your father was a wild kid when Luna first got pregnant. We sent him to America to learn and be educated and every time we turned around the woman was pregnant again.”

Mark scratched his head. “You didn't give us a chance.”

“I wanted to but there were things going on than that you should have not been around.”

“Why him?” Asher pointed to Lucas.

“Our plan was to send him away too.” Declan refused to cut his eyes toward Lucas. “But he stole your mother's heart with his cry. Mark and Asher… you were two quiet babies. We took you while you were sleeping and you lived quiet lives. But this one has been acting out since he came out the wound. She never heard you cry.”

“Why?”

“We were selfish.” Declan admitted.

“Obviously.” Mark interrupted.

“When she had Lucas, I made him cry.” Nadine admitted. “She cried and then she said he was hers. Declan had no choice but to agree. And he raised Lucas.”

“Barely,” Lucas added.

“I'm sorry that I hurt each of you. I'm sorry that I'm selfish. Don't take it out on Callum for me being alive. Callum is a good kid and he done what I asked. He even stopped talking to Lucas so it would not be so hard to hide.”

Callum nodded his head. “I'm sorry mate.” he said towards Callum.

Asher looked heart broken. “I guess you don't realize how hard this has been for me.” Asher looked at Declan. “Why are you here?”

“Ma told me of you boys knowing and being here. I wanted to see you myself. I wanted to tell you that I love you and even though you didn't know it, I've watched you two grow from knee high.”

“Dad, I always wanted brothers. I figured they would make me normal.”