Safe at Last (Slow Burn #3)

Zack lost it. He laid his father out with one hard punch to his jaw. His father went down with a thump and just lay there rubbing his jaw with an expression of disbelief. As if he couldn’t believe that Zack would be furious or why. Was Zack supposed to thank him for single-handedly ruining the lives of an innocent girl and a boy, his son, whom he was supposed to love?

“You’d honestly defend the little slut? What is wrong with you? Isn’t it enough that she ruined your career? That even now you could still be playing ball? You could have won a Super Bowl, for God’s sake. You led a shitty-ass team to the playoffs the first two years you quarterbacked for them, and then you just walked away. And if you hadn’t been so fucked-up over her and had your head in the game you would have never gotten hurt to begin with.”

Zack’s fury exploded and he hauled his father up and rammed his fist into his gut and then sent him reeling with another blow, this time to his nose. The sickening crunch and the gush of blood indicated it was likely broken but at the moment Zack could kill him and suffer no remorse whatsoever.

He was out of his mind with rage. It boiled and erupted like a volcano and twelve years of worry, grief and anger were suddenly unleashed in a violent tornado of pure hatred for the man who’d fathered him. God, he’d do anything in the world to cleanse himself of his father’s blood and he wished with all his heart that they weren’t biologically related. Never would he be the kind of man his father was. He’d die first.

“I’ll have your ass for this,” his father wheezed as he took a wary, unsteady step away from Zack. “I’ll nail you for assault on a police officer. I don’t give a damn if you’re my son or not.”

“You do that,” Zack spit out. “Just realize that you stand to lose far more than I. I have nothing more to lose because I already lost everything that ever meant anything to me thanks to you. You took everything from me. But if I go down, so be it, because I’ll take you down with me and never suffer a single regret. I’ll make damn sure you spend the rest of your life behind bars. Not to mention the entire town will know what a complete sick fuck you are and you can kiss your reputation, your career and your pension goodbye.”

“You can’t prove a goddamn thing,” his father said in a smug tone that only infuriated Zack all the more.

“Can’t I?” Zack asked softly.

The two words and ensuing silence visibly unsettled his father. Worry entered his eyes and he jittered nervously, his earlier bravado fading under the confidence in which Zack spoke.

“The statute of limitations for aggravated rape hasn’t elapsed,” Zack continued. He pulled out the small recording device from his pocket and hit play, Stuart’s confession filling the stillness of the night. “If you don’t think the others will turn on you on a dime, then think again. You blackmailed them into a despicable crime and the DA will be far more interested in taking down a dirty cop than they will three losers who’ve gone nowhere in life. Think what it’ll do for his career. Expose a crooked lawman, the chief of police in a small town. It will be a sensationalistic story and will hit the AP like wildfire. In a matter of days, you won’t be able to show your face anywhere because everyone will know what you did. I’ll make sure of it. If it takes the rest of my life, I’ll make you suffer the way Gracie and I have suffered for the last twelve years. And as God as my witness, you’ll pay, old man,” Zack seethed. “You’ll pay.”

“You’re bluffing,” his father hedged. But it was obvious Zack’s vow was convincing because now his father had lost all his previous bluster and looked scared shitless.

“Oh? You should know me well enough to know that I don’t bluff. But if you don’t think I’m serious, try me.”

The challenge in his voice was unmistakable and there was tangible anticipation for his father to disregard the threat he’d issued. And his father quickly recognized it.

“What can I do?” his father asked, panic rising in his voice. “I’ll do whatever you want, but you can’t go public with this. It will ruin me and I don’t have much left as it is. Just my pension, and if this is exposed, I’ll lose that too and be left with nothing. You can’t do that to me, son.”