Page 103 of Ripple Effect

His eyes gleam. “You think your girlfriend would be happy knowing about your side gig? How you played into my hands,over and over?”

“You’re sick.” I shake my head, trying to clear the fog of memories. “This isn’t just about blackmail. It’s about some twisted obsession, some infatuation you have with me, just like in high school. You spent money to watch me fuck myself on camera, and you think I’m the one who has something to be ashamed of? You’re so far gone that you can’t even admit it to yourself.”

His face contorts in a mask of rage. “This has always been about the money for me. You’re just easy prey, and that’s not my fault.”

“You’re wrong.” I grit my teeth. “I’m not that same kid anymore, the one who let you take advantage of him time and again.”

“Really? Because when I got out of jail, I came looking for you, and you were easy as shit to find. Your little game as Everett? You opened up to me without a second thought, let me in so damn easily.”

“What do you want for that, Jacks? A medal?”

His response is a hiss. “Shut up! Shut the fuck up, or you’ll see just how fast I can ruin you.”

I straighten up, refusing to be cowed. “It doesn’t matter. You have nothing on me. Everett? AfterDark? My past with you? Everyone already fucking knows. My girlfriend knows, and like the goddamn angel she is, she supports me. It’s just a fucking job, man, and I’m not hiding it.”

The door behind me swings open. Luca steps out, his face a mask of cool rage. “Step away from my house and my family, Jackson. I know where you’ve been, and trust me, blackmail, extortion? That violates your parole.”

His defiance finally wavers, the threats sobering him up. “I’m not scared of you.”

“You should be.” Luca stands tall, his voice colder than I’ve ever heard, and it chills me down to the bones. “You get one warning, Jacks. This is it. I have the money, the resources, to make sure you disappear for good.”

“Fuck you,” Jacks shouts, eyes red and wild. “Fuck your whole family. I don’t need you. I never did.”

Jacks turns, and before he can get away, Luca’s hand snakes out, gripping the back of his collar like a vise. He pulls him back forcefully, the rage in his eyes undisguised. “E, you have any last parting words for your old friend here?”

I step forward, my face inches from Jacks’, my voice low and dangerous. “If you come near my family again, my brother will send you back to jail, no question about that. As for me, I’ll knock your fucking teeth to the back of your throat first. Got it?”

Jacks’ bluster finally dissipates, and he looks genuinely terrified. He scrambles off the porch, tripping over his own feet in his haste to get away from us.

Once he’s gone, I smooth a hand over my chest, working to steady my heart.

Luca moves closer, eyes soft. “You okay?”

I shake my head, releasing a strained breath. “You knew? You knew he’s been in jail all this time, and you didn’t mention it?”

“I just wanted you to have a chance at healing without any distractions. I kept tabs on him for a few years after you got clean. I know that he caused you a lot of pain, and I wanted to protect you.”

I nod, the anger evaporating into a strange mix of liberation and exhaustion.

I remember the nights lost to darkness, the mornings I wished I wouldn’t wake up. The drugs, the pain, the betrayal. All those nights with Jacks, trying to drown out reality. But with the help of my family, and despite it all, I found my way back to the light.

I meet my brother’s gaze, his exasperation forcing a half-smile to my face. He’s worried that I’ll be angry with him for hiding the truth, that I’ll resort to the harsh words I used to sling at him. But all I can feel is an overwhelming sense of peace.

A sort of closure I didn’t realize I needed.

“Well, thank you,” I finally tell him.

“Thank you? That’s it?”

I push off the door, standing a bit taller. “Yeah. For everything. Not just now but for always looking out for me. You saved my life back then, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop feeling indebted.”

“You don’t owe me a goddamn thing, E. You’re family, and I can’t imagine losing you.”

We’ve never been the type to express emotions openly, always keeping our feelings behind fortified walls. We deal in actions, not words, at least when it comes to each other. It’s just how we’ve always been. So, hearing such raw sentiment from him is ... unexpected, to say the least.

“Same goes,” I say, because it’s about the only thing I can manage at the moment.

“But if you’re okay now, we should get back inside,” he says, briefly checking the time. “I don’t know about Daisy, but Harper’s gonna storm out here if we don’t go in soon.”

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