Page 105 of Dangerous Promises

My heart jumps at his name, but as much as I want it to I don't let it break me. "He died protecting me," I say, and it's all I can do to not hyperventilate through this. "Victor wanted to hand me over to Chet. They had an agreement. Nicholas died to stop that from happening to me."

This time a tear runs from my eye and I quickly rush to wipe it away. Trying to stay strong and face up to this genius plan that I thought was going to solve everything.

"So, as you see, all of this is my fault. What happened to you. What happened to Nicholas. Ending in Victor's death, a death promise. And now the fact that Chet is strong enough to require the force of two families to defend me from him."

Dad looks at me with an expression that I can't quite read while Anton sits forward in concern, much less upset than he was the first time he heard this.

"None of this was your fault, Sage," Anton says. "You don't have to carry that."

I can't look at him, I just let the tears run down my eyes as I try my best to stand up straight and pretend I don't feel them falling.

"Nicholas would've said the same thing," Freddie says, gently reassuring me. "If there was any way he had to go, protecting you is the only way he would've chosen."

I look back at Freddie, wiping the tears away and finding a gentle sympathetic smile. It's like they've only just realized the depths of shame I hold. I would think it's obvious, given the lengths I went to with my death promise, but perhaps I've done a far better job of hiding hurt behind anger than I realized.

The loving silence is broken by a bark that sounds like a laugh but I know is coated in rage. We all turn to look at Dad, almost forgetting in the moment that repeating this was for his benefit.

"Don't do this right now, Dim," Anton sighs. "She was just-"

Dad covers his mouth in disbelief. "This is what you've been dancing around Anton? The secret you've been keeping? You let her do all this? Are you out of your God damn mind?!"

"I didn't let her do anything-" Anton says at the same time that I say, "He couldn't have stopped me if he wanted to."

"That's why the Rushkoffs are here, so close to us? You let them in the gates in the fucking first place."

"They really are here to work with us to fight off Chet-" Anton starts to say.

Dad stands up and starts to pace.

"Calm down, Dim."

"DO NOT-" Dad starts to shout just as his desk phone starts ringing, cutting him off. The silence is eerie while the phone rings ominously in the background. For Dad, pacing means uncontrollable rage. I've seen him do some crazy things when he's been like this before. Worse though, there's hurt behind his eyes, too. He thinks he's losing control, and maybe he is. None of us are really doing anything he says anymore.

Dad takes a deep breath before he answers the phone. A soft voice comes through but I can't hear what they're saying.

"This isn't a good time-"

Dad stops mid sentence as he listens to the person on the other end.

"They did?" he says, his eyes flicking to me. A stone drops into my stomach with his look and the tone in his voice.

"I see. I understand. Thank you."

Dad hangs up and closes his eyes. We are silent, patiently waiting for him to face us again. In the end, Dad storms off, walking away with a limp as he refuses to look at any of us. The bridge between him and the rest of us gets even longer. We stand here like a team and him like the outsider. I suspect that divide hurts us all equally.

"Dim, did you want us-" Anton stands as he starts to ask but Dad bats his hand and dismisses him.

Freddie comes closer a moment later. "I hope this isn't too much for him."

Anton shakes his head and slumps into the chair. "He took back control. Nothing I can say to him will matter now."

I frown, feeling something rich in the air. Wondering what Dad could've possibly needed to deal with so urgently. I can't imagine there's something more important than what is going on in this room right now.

Anton and Freddie continue a defeated discussion in the background as I walk, frowning, towards Dad's desk. I pick up the phone and redial the last number that was called.

It rings for a moment before a woman's voice answers.

"Yes?"