Page 57 of His Reward
My gut instinct told me it was him that first night we found signs of the break-in.When June vouched for him, I let it go because I thought it was jealousy that she once dated him clouding my judgment.
What I should’ve remembered is that my sweet June always sees the best in people and never the worst until it’s too late.I’m the most recent example.
“Welcome home,” Tyler taunts with a smirk, standing behind June with a pistol pointed at her.“You made it just in time for the show.”
June’s sitting on the loveseat, her back straight as a pole.Though her face is emotionless, terror is evident in her eyes, in her rigid pose, and in the way she’s squeezing her hands tight in her lap.
Based on what she’s wearing, it looks like the fucker caught her just as she was getting ready to head to work.As much as I hate seeing her fear, and my blood boils that Tyler is causing her distress, I’m relieved there aren’t any signs he physically harmed her.
I hold her gaze.“Everything will be OK.”
Tyler scowls.“Fuck you!Don’t talk to her!I’mthe one calling the shots here.”
He nervously adjusts his grip on the gun’s handle and my anger intensifies.Jesus fucking Christ.He doesn’t even know how to hold it properly.Weapons are most dangerous when it’s a bad or an incompetent person holding them.Tyler is both.
“OK.Let June go, then we can talk, just you and me.”
I keep my voice calm despite the fury inside me.
“Hell no.She’s staying for the show, then I’m gonna take her somewhere else for some private entertainment.Just like old times.”
Tyler slides his free hand over her shoulder and arm.June shrinks away from his touch.I’m going to break his fucking hand.But the first thing I need to do is de-escalate, then try to get that gun far away from June.Everything else will fall into place.
I keep my voice even.“Tyler, you don’t have to do any of this.You obviously love her—”
“Yes, I do!I know she still loves me too even though I fucked up.I was working on making her forgive me until you came along and stole her from me.You caused this!”He smiles, his eyes glittering with malice and instability.“You’re going to get a taste of how you made me feel.Grab a chair.”
He points in the direction of the dining room with the gun.I hesitate for a beat.If I lie to him about our relationship, he might see me as less of a threat and let his guard down.
“You have it all wrong, man.I’m her uncle.”
“Don’t fucking lie to me!”he snarls.“I saw her post on her feed when you moved in with her.You’re together.”
I glance at June in surprise and there’s a guilty look on her face.Was she pretending on social media that I’m her boyfriend this whole time?I file away that amusing discovery and focus on the moment.
Nothing I say will change Tyler’s mind.He’s sticking to his plan because he’s come this far already.With slow, robotic movements, I go to the dining room and pick up a chair, then face him.If I get closer, I can throw the chair at him, but it might strike June in the process.
“What next?”I ask.
Tyler rounds the loveseat and grabs June’s arm, yanking her to her feet.He holds her close to his side and smirks.
“Now we go to the bedroom for the show.”
His sick plan clear, my grip tightens on the chair.He wants to violate June while I watch.I look at her to see if she understands this.The stricken look on her face says she does.She speaks for the first time.
“Tyler,please.Let’s just talk about this—”
He sneers.“No.I tried to talk to you but you wouldn’t listen.You kept blocking me, remember?Now it’s time for a little action, baby.My dick will remind you how great we used to be together.”He grins at me.“And Mr.Tough Guy will cry when he hears how much you love it too.”He jerks his chin in the direction of June’s bedroom.“Let’s get a fucking move on already.”
My jaw clenches as I struggle to remain expressionless while bloodlust runs through my veins.
Patience.
Wait until the moment is right.
With the plan he has in mind, he’ll have to put down the gun.
Reluctantly, I take the chair with me to June’s bedroom.Tyler follows with June.He orders me to position the chair by the side of the bed and makes me sit.Next, he gets out white zip-ties from his pocket and shoves one into June’s hand.
