Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Brie cackles from her desk. I shoot her the bird.
“I’m not taking that cat,” I huff, cutting my eyes to her. “I’m not.”
“Sure you won’t.”
I’m about to continue to argue the case why I won’t be taking Mongrel—fuck, I’ve already named him!—when the door to the police station opens up, causing the words to dry up in my throat. Of all people I expected to see this morning, my parents weren’t them.
“Mom. Dad,” I greet, my tone cool.
Both of them waltz inside, their chins lifted high, as if they truly believe they’re royalty of this town. I’d always looked up to them because I thought they were pillars of our community who wanted to do right by everyone. Now, I see them for what they are. Fake. They stand on their pedestals not so people look up to them, but instead so they can look down on everyone else, including their four sons, which is pretty shitty if you ask me.
“What brings you guys in?” Brie asks, her tone slightly curt.
“Just checking up to see if our sheriff here has made any progress on the Rainbow Vigilante. Last week, the Chamber was tagged with a rainbow,” Dad says, shaking his head. “It’s getting out of control.”
I thump a file in front of me. “Been kind of busy on more pressing crimes. A kid at the school was assaulted with a baseball bat—”
“The gay one?” Mom cuts in, curling her lip up.
“Callan Kincaid,” I say, ignoring her disgusted tone. “He’s just a kid—”
“He was probably asking for it.” Dad’s words are muttered under his breath, but I hear them. I fucking hear them.
I rise from my chair, glowering at him. “Excuse me?”
“I said,” Dad grinds out, dark eyes pinning me, “he was probably asking for it.”
Brie gasps. “Mayor Bell!”
“Are you fucking insane?” I snarl. “You’re justifying the assault and battery of a young man by saying he provoked the attack by being gay? Make this clear for me, Dad, because I’m really confused. Since when is it the victim’s fault?”
“Don’t raise your voice to your father,” Mom chides. “Someone might hear and think poorly of the Bells.”
“I’m saying this town was better off before the Kincaids showed up,” Dad growls, his face turning purple. “Before that fairy friend of yours opened his faggot bar. Before the goddamned Rainbow Vigilante started painting rainbows all over the historic buildings in this town, forcing the homosexual shit down our throats!”
I’m stunned speechless. These are my parents. Never in my entire life did I ever expect to hear such disgusting, hateful words come from their mouths. Sure, Dad lost his head when I was a teenager, running my brothers off with his bigoted tirade, but I always hoped it was a one-off. That they were actually good deep down inside. That if I ever told them my secret, they’d hold me and be understanding.
“I’m gay,” I blurt out. “I’m attracted to men. I love Dante Kincaid.”
Dad gapes at me and Mom bursts into tears. Brie rushes over to me, looping her arm in mine. Her solidarity with me means the world.
“No son of mine—” Dad starts, but I cut him off.
“One of your other sons is at the very least bisexual, too.” I narrow my eyes at my parents. “This is your opportunity to think long and hard about what comes out of your mouth next, Dad. Are you going to push away yet another son because of your rigid beliefs that don’t at all encompass love?”
“This is mortifying,” Mom wails. “If people find out—”
“Quit your blubbering, Patricia,” Brie hisses. “You’re embarrassing yourself.”
“How dare you make a mockery of this family!” Mom cries out, pointing an accusatory finger my way. “After all we’ve done for you! Your father molded you and practically gifted you this career on a platter! The absolute nerve, Jaxson!”
“A family? Are you kidding?” I throw back, my body trembling as rage bubbles up inside me. “We ceased to be one when you ran off Maxton and Hayden! When you never breathed a word about the grandchildren who’ll never know you. The moment you put your son on the streets while still in high school because he was a fucking embarrassment!”
Mom swipes at her tears, shaking her head. “I won’t sit here and take this abuse from my own son.” She storms out of the station, leaving us with my father, who glowers at me with such coldness, I nearly shiver.
“You choose this path and you lose all respect from me, Son,” Dad bites out. “All respect from this town.”
“I’ll choose love over respect any day of the week.” I gesture for the door. “See yourself out, Mayor. My deputy and I are involved in a critical case that needs our attention. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”
Brie releases me so I can sit back down. Dad’s glare burns into me, fiery and angry. I ignore it to flip through the file. He waits for a moment and then the bell jingles, signaling his exit. While Brie takes a call, I flip back through the notes she took when she interviewed the kids in the history class Callan was supposed to go to. A kid named Cameron—one of Zak’s buddies—said something to Brie that stands out to me.