Curtain Call (The Jewel Project #7)

44. Somebody to Die For

"He was their favorite," Freider began, nodding towards Davyn, his tone filled with spite. "Even more so than Ron. It always felt like his birth brought about a second chance for their family. It was the first time I saw them caring for anyone but each other. It was sickening and pathetic--"

"And what you saw in our relationships, wasn't it?" Kyle asked, because after so many years, they finally had a potential answer to that particular piece of madness.

Freider's gaze moved to him, but the question seemed to fall in with his story so he answered instead if making a smart-ass remark about his bastard status. "Yes. Obsession, neglect, an unhealthy need to always be with the other person, away from the world. And when I looked at you and her..." His eyes moved to Kay. "I saw them." He turned to Davyn and Maxi. "I tried so hard to warn  all of you against the pain such a relationship could cause others. You didn't care, just like my parents didn't. And because of their lack of care, when my father died and my mother went crazy, it destroyed the family.

"I found myself stuck with two minors to look after. Bill wanted no part in this. And why would he, anyway? He'd left the family over ten years before it all went to shit so why would he came back now? It fell on me. I was expected to care for the brother I'd always despised and a moody teenager."

"Oh, shut up, you had me emancipated," Davyn said, rolling his eyes. "You didn't have to care for me at all. Just Ron. And you did a piss-poor job at it anyway."

"He was not my responsibility! If our parents hadn't been with their heads far up their asses, I wouldn't have had to be put in that position in the first place," Freider raged. "And neither of you made it easy, anyway. The shame I felt when I was called into the hospital and then the school because Ron had almost drugged himself to death. The rage that came when I found out it was your fault."

Neither Davyn nor Von Crooken contradicted him on that, so Kyle didn't see the point to do it himself. He wanted Freider's story as raw and as honest as possible.

"I had to come to school so often just to make sure that little shit didn't drop out or kill himself. And that's when I met her." Freider paused again, focusing on his wife. "So innocent, and helpful and flirty."

"I wasn't flirty," Maxi snapped. "I was just being nice. I was sixteen for God's sake, I saw you as a grown man, not a potential love interest."

"Well, you did a great job at hinting otherwise," Freider snapped back. "You were always there when I came by, always smiling. When I told you about my issues and why I had to come in, you were so understanding."

"You creeped her out," Davyn said with a shrug.

"Yes, maybe I was a fool to fall in love with her, but she didn't give me any sign that she didn't share my feelings. I knew it would take time for our relationship to grow, but I had patience. Until I came in one day and saw you kissing him."

"He was my boyfriend, and you knew," Maxi said between her teeth. "There is no way that you're not the creepy stalker in this story."

"Is there?" Freider narrowed his eyes. "Because I think I'll be getting to that part soon." He turned back to look at Sam and Jerry this time. "It was the first time that I'd ever been in love and for a moment, I saw a silver lining. I considered that maybe my parents hadn't been crazy. But it wasn't meant to be. She broke my heart. And it was the golden boy who was taking her, just like he'd always taken everything else. And not only that, but he was living a double life so that he could have that and be an underworld leader as well with the Snitch Gravel persona. He wanted to have everything."

"You forgot the part where you wouldn't stop coming to school to see Millie even after you found out we were together," Davyn pointed out.

"Why would I stop? Why not give you a little competition and have you earn it for once? But I didn't really need to do much because you fucked up yourself. The riots, the looting, the fire." Freider nodded towards Von Crooken. "Your choice of friends. As it was, I happened to be there when it mattered, to save her from death when you weren't around."