Page 33 of Black Waters

Mrs. Summers screamed, and security guards ran in to separate two madmen and an angry, daughter-killing asshole.

By the time they got all three of us out the front doors of the hospital, my dad pulled up. He jumped out of his Mercedes and ran to me quickly. “Get in the car.” He nervously looked around, trying to get a hold of me.

Finally pulled off Mr. Summers, Crash and I swung at each other again. We were both too full of anger with nowhere to release it, so we released it on each other. “I can’t believe you thought I would hurt her!”

“How am I supposed to know! Your father is a—”

“He’s your father too, asshole!”

We were forcefully pulled apart for good. I was shoved into my dad’s car while I yelled to Mr. Summers, “Two mil, or you’re going to be my bitch all over the Internet!”

Mr. Summers went to kick Dad’s car but missed as we pulled from the curb. Rolling down my window, I was ready to scream more insults until I heard Mr. Summers turn on Crash. “And you, you piece of trash, stay away from my daughter!”

My dad drove and pulled me back inside by my belt as I tried to crawl out the window of the moving car, screaming, “My brother is not trash!”

The window rolling up on me got my dumb ass to sit down and stay inside the car. Dad yelled, “You were just trying to fight Crash, now you’re sticking up for him because no one else is allowed to insult him? Damn! You two are brothers.”

I looked back to see Mrs. Summers taking her piece of shit of a husband back inside while hospital security told Crash something, probably to stay off the premises. “He’s alone, Dad.”

“Crash is twenty and has been on his own for many years. So I need you to keep your distance.”

“No! I’ve had it with this bullshit! I’m finding a way—”

He reached into his suit pocket and handed me a folded piece of paper. Adrenaline made me shake as I opened it. Three pictures fell out: one of Crash, one of me, and one of our biological father.

On the paper it said:

A riddle for the ones involved,

One plus one equals two.

Number two has come out of the blue?

A price is to be paid,

But not for the one who got away.

When papers received, the fate of the girl is set.

But remember, a debt is a debt.

Chills broke out all over my body.“Jesus, Dad. What are they going to do?”

“At this point? Whatever they want. What happened to Whit was a warning.”

“Or… she’d be dead like…”

“Yes, Constance was an example that they mean business—which wasn’t needed. I had already believed them. These sick, cruel, twisted individuals are toying with us.”

My heart ached for the hazel-eyed blonde I’d unknowingly gotten killed. “Me staying away from Whit will be a sign to not use her against you—through me.”

Dad nodded.

“They’re going after my father? For his debt?”

“It’s better than Whit, son.”

“Shit.”

“Knee deep, yes, but true.”