Page 146 of The Secrets She Keeps

"I want to make this right."

Words his father had said before. When he'd first asked Trey if the Sopalmitraln he had discovered had been altered to be the drug that was everywhere in Finley Creek now. Trey knew he'd disappointed his old man that day when he'd said yes.

But his father had always been a bit of a pussy. A wimp. He had expressed his disappointment in Trey, but he hadn't done anything to stop him. His father never had.

Too afraid of making Trey angry at him? Hating him? Trey wasn't an idiot. He knew his dad had issues. He always had.

Since Precious Angela had died.

She had been a good stepmom. Trey could have had much worse. She had never let him get by with shit either. She also hadn't been stupid. She'd known he'd gotten into trouble sometimes. When she'd gotten sick, it had hurt. No denying that.

His dad hadn't ever been the same since. Even with the birth of the little bitch-rat eight years ago. His dad just wanted Trey to be perfect, or something. To make up for losing Eden and those other girls.

Trey had gotten used to not being good enough years ago. But the last thing he wanted was for his father to get caught up in this shit.

He told his father that too.

Then listened in shock as his father actuallyarguedwith him about what had to happen next.

Trey looked at Powell and her mother. She was a beautiful woman, but she'd been fucking Erickson all along. That made her the enemy now. It was time to send amessage.

Trey was in charge now. She and Heather—they had to die. It was the only way.

106

He never spokeabout it much, but Daniel had grown up in this same damned neighborhood until he was seventeen and had enrolled in FCU to get his bachelor’s in criminal justice. He knew this park, like he knew anything. He had played there so many nights before.

And he was beyond pissed that this was where he was going todie.Some damned kid was probably going to find his body or something. Maybe even Heather's nephew, that kid with Zoey's face.

No. Daniel wasn't going to let himself die here tonight. He just wasn’t. Hisfamilyneeded him. Right over there.

Gunnar was trying to get his woman back. To protect her, and the baby they were having together. Daniel wanted to see that baby more than anything right now. To know that thegood in lifestill existed. And he wanted to be there for Charlie's retirement party. Charlie and Mac and Elliot and Gunnar and Jarrod—they were hisbrothers. His closest friends on the damned planet.

He wasn't ready to miss out on the good. Elliot was going to be a father soon. Gunnar too. Charlie...Charlie and Rory hadlittle Chaz and sweet little Charis now. Charis, who looked like Charlie's devil daughter Charlotte already. They had families. People who mattered.

Daniel wasn't going to give up.

He pulled himself to his feet again. He wasn't even aware of when he'd fallen.

Daniel just kept going.

He was a block away when they found him again. Laughed. And knocked him down.

And threw the first punch.

Daniel did what he could to fight back.

It just wasn't enough. He fell to the ground right there next to the bridge over the tiny stream that led to the larger Finley Creek behind Hughes Heights. His head struck something hard on the way down.

Then Daniel didn't feel anything at all.

107

Brianna knew this was insane.

But she had to do what she had to do.

She had already had one sister hurt by Trey. She wasn't going to let him do anything that got Leena caught in the middle. Leena was just a baby. Leena slept with two teddy bears and the doll that was right there in the seat next to Brianna now.

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