Chapter 5

The squeal of the brakes echoed down the suburbs.

"Got out of the way you damn mutt!" Terror was gripping me. Making me reckless.

Just a little while ago, I was at work, finishing up some things, when I got a call on my cell. I didn't want to answer but when I saw the number, I knew something was wrong.

It was Amanda's home number.

"Hello?"

"Daddy? Please, you have to get here." It was Lane. Amanda's eldest son and my third born.

"Lane what are you doing? You can't be calling me and talking to me like--"

"Daddy please--" There was a crash in the background and then I could hear the phone being dropped. I could hear screaming and yelling in the background but I couldn't make anything out.

After trying to get Lane on the phone for a second I hung up the cell and ran out. Just before the stray had ran across the road in a sorry attempt to commit suicide by my Maybach Exelero, I had called Andy and told her to wake up Michael and get over to Amanda's place.

I gunned the engine and raced to Amanda's. I didn't try to find a parking space or even turn the car off, I just ran over some of Thomas's cheap lawn ornaments and took it out of gear before I raced out to the front door

Lane opened the door as I bounded up the steps. Even in the dark I could see the tears that stained his cheeks.

"Daddy, he's scaring us. Mommy and Father have been fighting for so long! And Lisa is in there now. Please do something!"

I was about to say something when a loud crash stopped me. Lane got out of my way and went to the stairs. As I passed him, I could see Kathy, Mel, and even little Evan huddled and watching me. I could see the fear and worry in their eyes.

Later, I would blame it all on the adrenaline that was pumping through my veins, to the worry and fear that had taken hold. But right then, all I could do was remember back to when I was a child of around ten at my grandparents. I was trying to leave the house behind one of my cousins and he slammed the door, not knowing I was there. I had a glass in my hand and the door knocked it out of my grip. I have always remembered watching it slowly fall to the ground then shatter. It was like one of those old slow motion flicks. I didn't know then that it took just a fraction of a second to fall, because it seemed to take a lifetime.

I was experiencing that again as I came around the corner to the room.

Step. I saw Amanda lying on the floor. The side of her face was battered.

Step. I could feel the rage build in me. I could see the left side of her face; her eye was already blackening. A blue discoloration was forming on her cheek. My mind went blazing hot with rage as I saw a trickle of blood coming from her mouth.

You know, there are times when you think to yourself: "This is it, this is as bad or as mad or as horrible as it gets". Then God himself takes it up on himself to prove you wrong. This was one of those times.

Step. I rounded the corner into Thomas's study, just in time to see Lisa's head snap back as he backhanded her.

Everything went red.

The next thing that I was actually aware of was Michael and Andy dragging me off of Thomas.

Man, someone did a number on him. His face was busted, both eyes were blackening and he was bleeding from his mouth and nose. I even think a tooth was missing.

It was then that I realized that "someone" was me. I could hear a crunching of glass and I looked down. I had just stepped on the remains of his whiskey glass. I must have broken it as well. Regaining my senses I looked around the room. A hurricane had hit it. The desk was over turned, his chair smashed. The oak bookcase had been busted, it's contents fallen into the floor. Michael moved the remains of a computer screen and sat up one of the few remaining chairs up and tried to get me into it.

"No." Andy looked at me, I couldn't tell if she was still ill from the flu or she was this pale from fear. I had never exploded like that before.

I have never had a reason before.

I took a breath and slowly exhaled it. I was trying to decide what to do. Then Thomas spoke.

"What, what the hell are you doing you stupid fuc--", his words were slurred; he had been drinking. Then again as I looked back at him, he might be slurring because of his injuries.

"You get the hell out of here you wimp before I kick your ass. I need to teach that bitch not to back talk me. Uppity little cunt! I could have pulled out."

Well that made it easy on me. I looked back at everyone that I cared about. Amanda and Lisa were holding each other on the floor. Andy was watching me, her hand clutching at her stomach. I knew she was sick and in pain but I couldn't deal with that at the moment. Mentally I made a note to make her go to the doctor first thing tomorrow.

And Michael, reliable Michael, he was waiting for me.

"Michael, get your brothers and sisters together, pack some clothes for them and get them out to your mother's van."

"Ah Dad," he said tentatively. I could see it in his face. I had just broken the first rule. I didn't care.

"Michael, I don't care. Get Lane to help you." I turned to my wife, "Andy can you help Amanda pack? She is leaving and staying with us."

Andy just nodded. Grimacing with pain--yes we are going to the doctor tomorrow, damn the costs--she went to Amanda and helped her up. I went to Lisa and helped her.

"But... but, Alex?" Amanda stammered. But this was over. After getting Lisa to her feet, I went to Amanda, cupping her face in my hands. Then I really broke every rule.

I kissed her on the lips. I could taste her blood, I could feel her tremble, but I could also tell that my kiss was calming her down.

"What the--" Thomas was catching up. He tried to rise but quickly lost his footing and fell. I had done a job on him. I knew that there would be legal problems but right then I did not care.

"Shut up." I was almost surprised when I said that. Until that point, no matter what I achieve personally, I had been passive around him. No more. Both of us knew things had changed. He was sobering up quickly and I wanted everyone out of here before he was. I wanted time with him alone.

I turned to Lisa. "Lisa honey, are you hurt bad?" I could see a bruise on her cheek. "Let Daddy kiss that, I will make it all better baby."

I kissed my little girl on the cheek, and when I broke the kiss and looked at her I could see that she was no longer afraid.

"Lisa, get some things together for yourself, then help your brother with the kids ok?"

She just nodded at me. I let her pass me and watched as her and Michael left. Michael gave me one last worried glace back before he left but a nod from me seemed to give him courage. Amanda and Andy followed not long after.

"What the hell? Brother? He's her cousin you stupid--", I guess he still didn't get it. I turned to him and let him in on the secret in no uncertain terms.

"I have been sleeping with your wife for about 15 years now, you pathetic worm."

It took a second but I could tell it eventually got there.

"You sonofabitch, I knew you were just a fucken gigolo. You ain't taken my kids though." He tried to stand. "Those bastards are--"

I shoved him back down. "You want another beating? Those kids are mine. Every one of them. I even have the DNA proof. The eldest three know this. I think the other two do too, they just don't know how to tell me. Or you."

"You, you cuckolded me?" His face was going pale.

"No, ironically no. You know, I didn't know what that word meant until last year? Lisa found it in her sexuality class in school. Came to me to ask if that was what I was doing." I kneeled down and looked at Thomas. "But you see, to cuckold a husband, he has to be a LOVING husband. You can't cuckold an adulterer. Or a man with just a trophy wife. Or an abuser."

"I never--"

I slapped him hard across the face.

"Shut up. Do I think you were sleeping around? Nah you're not that good. You would have to brag about it, shmuck. But did you ever really care about Amanda? Seems you just wanted a little hottie to show off to your friends." I leaned forward to him, my voice becoming low and conspirical in tone.

"Did you know most of them tried to get her into their bed? It didn't matter if it was before Lisa's birth, or during the time she was showing with Mel or now. Hell, you know those two assholes you golf with? Eric and Lance? They have a bet going on who will get to fuck her first. They even tried to get me in on it. Little did they know that I had made love to her that morning. That night as we laid in each other's arms, I told her about their bet and we laughed for a long, long time. She even told me that I should take them up on it cause she could use some spending cash."

I laughed as I saw his little self-made world go crashing in on him.

"No one likes you, man. Most are either using you to rip you off and make you feel that you got them or they are trying to get into Amanda's pants. Little do they know, she's all mine."