See No Evil

“But, Hank—”

“Now!” he yells, his face turning an ugly shade of red.

“Don’t bother. I can show myself out,” I quip, turning my back to him and heading toward the front door.

“Fi

Instead, I just walk out, leaving everything I’ve known behind. I don’t even have the will to go up to my room and grab some of my things. This house holds nothing I want to take with me anyway. If I’m no longer a Walker as my father declared, then he can keep all my shit. I even leave my car in the driveway for the asshole to do whatever he pleases.

It was never the material stuff that made me obedient. It was the threat of being disowned from my family that kept me loyal. Being able to see my nephews and nieces grow up, or spend time with my older brothers and their wives were the only reasons why I worked so hard and sacrificed so much.

If my father is adamant in giving me my walking papers, I just hope Beau and Calvin can at least find forgiveness in their hearts, and not deny my presence in their children’s lives. They both felt my father’s tyra

Mom, though… I’m not sure how she’ll react to all of this. She’s the pacifist in our home, and I saw how conflicted she was in trying desperately to dampen my father’s temper. She’s never hid how much she loves all three of her sons, and I know her first priority is to keep this family whole. It always has been. Hopefully, she’ll make the old man see sense, but if not, I’m positive she will never turn her back on her children, no matter what her stubborn, ass-of-a-husband says.

As I walk to the house that’s been a second home most of my life, all these thoughts run through my head. So when I get to Lincoln’s after a full hour’s walk, I’m not surprised, not only to be drenched in sweat but also filled with the desire to right my wrongs. Just not in the way my family would expect.

I wasn’t lying when I said I was quitting football. If anything, this little revenge from The Society has taught me is that there are too many people pulling my strings. I want to be my own man, free of anyone’s dominance and authority. I want to be Fi

She didn’t want me because I was a star quarterback. She didn’t love me because of my family or social standing. And she sure as shit didn’t care about my money. If what Stone said was true, that she loved me before all this shitstorm went down, then I have to find some way to show her that version of Fi

Fuck that!

If The Society has a problem with what I’m about to do, then they are shit out of luck. Aside from locking my ass up in jail, I don’t think there is much more they can do to me. Sure, outing me to the police is still a likely possibility, but my gut tells me they are done playing with me. They gave out their last assignment, and I blew it big time. Because of it, they went ahead and did the task themselves, only to punish me later for not submitting to their demands.

It’s public knowledge that Hank Walker only cares about football, so of course people would assume I was just as fanatical as him. I’m sure The Society thought that falsifying a drug test would be my demise—not only for getting me kicked off the team and losing my shot at the draft, but also for being disowned by my father. Too bad they had no way of knowing my true i

I was only real when I was with her.

As I knock on Lincoln’s front door, I feel the burdens on my shoulders being ten pounds lighter than before. It’s almost as if The Society did me a fucking favor in throwing me under the bus the way they did. My smile is just as wide and manic as Heath Ledger’s version of Joker. When Linc opens his front door, I rush in, wanting to set my plans in action as fast as possible.

“Fi

The most unhinged laugh leaves me as I place both hands on his shoulders and say, “In a way, I kind of did. My father kicked me out.”

“Shit! What the hell happened?”

“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you everything about it, but first I need to ask you for a couple of favors.”

“Anything, brother. Whatever you need,” Linc answers sincerely, just as I knew he would.

“Can I crash here for a few days? Just until I get my life in order.”

“You don’t even have to ask. My house is your house, Fi

“Good, because I might overstay my welcome.” I chuckle.

“Never. You and the guys are the only true family I have left. It’s the least I can do.”

I pull him into a hug because I know Linc means that shit. He’s had a hard life, made even harder after what we did last May, yet he would never abandon us. Never forsake us. And I’m counting on his friendship more than ever to do what needs to be done.

“What else do you need, Fi

“I was hoping you’d say that. I’ve ruined enough lives as it is Linc. It’s time I start saving some, and I need your help to do it.”