Chapter 34
Lawrence
T
he odd calm I felt approaching the beach is shattered the
moment I break through the bushy path.
Fay is lying on the sand. Ned’s kneeling over her, smashing his fists into her with animal-like fury. Fay screams and holds up her arms to try to block him, but it’s no use. With his
strength, he’ll break her delicate body in minutes.
A roar tears from my lungs. I fly at Ned, ramming into him with all my weight. It’s enough for me to make him stumble back.
“Dammit, boy,” he shouts. “You stay out of this!”
He lunges forward, shoving me to the ground. I turn back to
Fay, who’s lying motionless on the sand, and I spring back to
my feet.
“Leave her alone, Ned.” I slam into him again. It’s like pushing my shoulder into a stone wall. “She’s done nothing!”
“She’s ruined everything.”
“No! I’m the one who ruined your plan. I’m the one who
broke her heart and sent her away.”
Ned staggers away from Fay. His face is flushed. He stares
at me, breathing hard. I bend over, trying to catch my breath
as well.
“I found someone else. Someone I love. I’ve never loved Fay.
Not like that. Your plan never would have worked, Ned.”
He shakes his head. “You’re wrong.”
“I’m telling you, I never would have married Fay, let alone
worked for the mob.”
Ned’s gaze stays on me, unbroken. “So you would have left
me to the wolves then, Lonnie? After everything I’ve done for
you? After everything I’ve given you? I’ve treated you like a son, dammit. I’ve loved you.”
His words reveal his desperation. A pang of regret grips me.
“I’m sorry, Ned. I want to help you. And I will. But not
like this.”
“Well, it’s too late!” Ned voice rises in pitch and fervor. “The
mob is ready to pounce. Don’t you get that? Once they catch
word that the Cooper deal fell through, I’m a dead man.”
“Maybe if we go to the police—”
“The police? Are you mad? They’re just as bad as the Cartellis.
And they want blood, just the same. My blood.”
I take a tentative step toward him. “There has to be another
way.”
“There isn’t! This was the only way, Lon. The only way!” He’s
yelling now, his voice coarse and raw.
“I’m sorry.”
His left eye twitches. “You’re not sorry. Don’t lie to me, boy.”
RENEE COLLINS
“Ned…”
“No.” His shoulders heave. “This is all your fault. You want to see me choke. Admit it!”
“I love you, Ned. You have to believe me.”
“Liar.”
Like the crack of a whip, his arm flies forward. His fist connects with my jaw in an explosion of pain. I fall to the sand.
The moon overhead blurs and doubles. Then Ned’s face blots
it out like an eclipse.
He lifts his fist again, but I roll out of the way and scurry to
my feet. He’s stronger than me. I know that. But I’m faster.
When Ned lunges again, I dart out of the way. He whirls
around and gets the tail of my shirt in his fingers. He drags me
toward him.
This time, I deliver a punch to his face. And while Ned reels,
I dash away. He presses the spot where I struck him. He rushes
at me, arms out like a linebacker. I try to dodge to the left,
but he anticipates my movement. His fingers clamp, vise-like
around my throat.
Ned jerks me up. His face bent with blind rage, he smashes
his fist into my cheek. Across my jaw. Over the crown of my
head. Each blow blazes against my skin. I hear my own voice
gasp in pain, but I feel oddly as if I’m watching him beat me
from a distant, high place.
Ned pauses to catch his breath. Then, clenching his teeth
together, he delivers the blow that sends me to my back.
My head hits the water with a splash. The upper half of my
body crashes into the shallow wave break. The cold shocks me.