Chapter 11 - The Fire
Marcus stared at the barrel.
Julian looked almost peaceful.
“You always were the problem.”
Marcus coughed.
“Funny. Claire says the same thing about you.”
Julian kicked the trapped beam.
Pain shot through Marcus’s leg.
“You should have stayed away.”
“You locked my sister underground.”
Julian crouched.
“She forced my hand.”
“No.”
Marcus looked him in the eyes.
“You enjoyed it.”
For the first time, Julian’s smile disappeared.
Behind the smoke, Claire screamed Marcus’s name.
Julian glanced toward the exit.
“She still thinks people can save her.”
Marcus saw his chance.
He grabbed a broken metal rod and swung.
It hit Julian’s wrist.
The gun fired into the ceiling.
Marcus lunged.
Julian stumbled back.
The pistol slid across the floor.
Marcus grabbed Julian’s ankle.
Julian kicked him in the face.
Marcus tasted blood.
“You ruined everything!” Julian screamed.
“No.”
Marcus tightened his grip.
“Your father did.”
That hit something.
Julian froze.
Then Marcus realized.
Samuel Reed had known something else.
Something personal.
Julian bent down and grabbed Marcus’s shirt.
“Don’t talk about him.”
“Samuel?”
“My father.”
Marcus stopped.
“What?”
Julian’s expression broke for half a second.
Then rage returned.
“You heard me.”
Marcus stared.
“Samuel Reed was your father?”
Julian laughed.
“Ask my mother.”
A firefighter burst through the smoke.
“Police! Move!”
Julian ran.
Marcus shouted, “He’s armed!”
The firefighter ducked as Julian disappeared through a side exit.
Davis and two officers reached Marcus.
“Lift on three.”
They pulled the beam up.
Marcus screamed as they freed his leg.
Claire ran back in despite everyone shouting.
She dropped beside him.
“You idiot.”
He laughed weakly.
“You came back.”
“Of course I came back.”
“We need Evelyn.”
“What?”
Marcus grabbed her wrist.
“Julian says Dad was his father.”
Claire stared.
“That’s impossible.”
“Ask Evelyn.”
Outside, firefighters fought the flames.
Police loaded Evelyn into a vehicle.
Claire walked straight toward her.
“Was Samuel Reed Julian’s father?”
Evelyn stopped.
For the first time since Claire had known her, Evelyn Mercer looked truly afraid.
Marcus saw the answer before she spoke.
Claire did too.
“Oh my God.”
Evelyn looked away.
Claire’s voice shook.
“My husband is my half brother?”
“No.”
Evelyn spoke quickly.
“No. Samuel was not Julian’s biological father.”
Marcus frowned.
“Then what did Julian mean?”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“Samuel raised him.”
Claire stared.
“What?”
“Julian’s real father left before he was born.”
Evelyn’s voice softened despite herself.
“Samuel and I were together years before he married your mother.”
Marcus felt sick.
“He helped raise Julian?”
“For six years.”
“Then what happened?”
“Samuel left me.”
Evelyn’s face hardened again.
“He chose your mother.”
Marcus understood.
“You hated him.”
“I loved him.”
“No,” Claire said.
“You wanted to own him.”
Evelyn’s eyes snapped toward her.
“You know nothing.”
Claire stepped closer.
“I know you destroyed his company.”
“He destroyed me first.”
“You killed him.”
Evelyn looked at her.
“I didn’t.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“Then who did?”
Evelyn’s voice dropped.
“Julian.”
Everyone went silent.
Marcus stared.
Evelyn continued.
“He was twenty-three.”
Claire’s stomach turned.
“He caused Dad’s crash?”
Evelyn nodded slowly.
“He only meant to scare him.”
Marcus shouted, “He killed him!”
Evelyn flinched.
“He cut the brake line.”
Claire looked like she might be sick.
“Why?”
“Samuel was going to expose me.”
“And Julian protected you?”
“No.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“He protected himself.”
Claire stared.
May you like
Evelyn whispered the truth.
“Because Julian had already stolen the money before I ever did.”
