Marc ignored them and focused on Nichols, but spoke to Ephraim. “Are you still hungry?”
“No, thank you.” He burped, earning a chuckle from Marc. Had Marc gone insane in the last twenty years? It was a possibility.
“I want my brother unchained and given clothes,” he said to his men.
Ephraim was shocked. The chains, the same ones he woke up wearing twenty years ago were about to be removed. He was afraid of what he was going to see there. He watched nervously as the chains were removed. Then he sighed with relief. His wrists were perfect. He felt strong and healthy. He didn’t hesitate in dressing as he watched Marc. He was curious about him.
“Ten years ago, Nichols, my father asked you to take care of a young lady named Elizabeth Perkins. Do you remember? I must tell you that you should not lie, because I know you remember. You brag about it in fact.”
Nichols snickered. “A whore your father claimed caught your eye and played you. I did you a favor.”
Marc’s fist shot out, striking him. Nichols stumbled backwards before he was able to regain his composure. His hand shot to his lip. Ephraim knew before Nichols pulled the hand away that he was bleeding. He could smell it.
“Were any of these men involved?” He gestured to the four men.
Nichols nodded. “Yes, all four of them took part.”
“Shoot them,” Marc said evenly.
“No!” the men screamed, but it was too late. His men aimed their weapons and fired. The sound was deafening. Every man except for Ephraim and Marc jumped.
Nichols looked frightened. Ephraim finished buttoning his shirt and stepped forward and halted. One of Marc’s men held out a mirror. Ephraim stared at the reflection. Twenty years ago he was told he changed. Today for the first time he saw the changes. He ran his fingers over his face. The dry thin skin was gone. His face was filled in. His skin was healthy and smooth. He looked like a stranger. He was now a man, but he didn’t look like the thirty-six year old man he was. He looked like a man in his early twenties. His eyes were hardened, but still had that brilliant blue he liked so many years ago. He looked so different from his brother.
“You look good, little man,” Marc said before turning his attention back to Nichols.
“That woman you raped and murdered was carrying my child!”
“Lies, Your Grace. Surely you know that.”
Marc’s hand shot out and he slashed Nichols across the chest. The older man stumbled backwards. “My father may have asked you to help him for fear that I was dirtying our blood lines, but you should know that whore as you call her was my WIFE!” he roared.
Nichols stumbled backwards. His hands were pressed against his wound. “I..I..”
“You didn’t know. No one did. We married in secret so I could protect her from him. I took her virginity in our marital bed. She was not my live in mistress. Do you understand that, Nichols?” Marc said in a cold deadly voice as he followed Nichols to the wall where he was backing up. “We were married for six months. Six months! She was three months along with our child!”
“I was told…your father demanded that I take care of her.”
“Like you took care of my brother?” he mocked.
Nichols froze. He didn’t say anything. “You killed my wife and unborn child and you made sure she suffered. You didn’t feel one ounce of guilt or shame. You bragged about it. All these years I had to sit back while you bragged about your evil deeds. You like to call my brother the devil, but we both know that it’s you.”
He pointed at Ephraim who was still staring in the mirror. “You starved him for twenty years. He gets a chance at three men to fill his stomach and he gave his word like a man and kept it! He is a man and you are at your end, sir!”
Ephraim tore his gaze from the mirror and walked over to his brother. He felt uncomfortable wearing clothes, but he pushed those feelings aside and focused on his brother. “Marc?”
“Ephraim, would you like to finish this? I’m sure you have more reason than I to do it.” He could see what that offer cost Marc. His jaw was clenched and looked like he was on the verge of a breakdown.
“No, he killed your wife and child. The right is yours.”
“Thank you,” Marc’s voice broke. He lunged at Nichols and stabbed him repeatedly. Blood soon covered the wall and Marc. Still he didn’t stop. He didn’t stop even when the gurgling ceased.
Ephraim’s hand flashed out suddenly, faster than anything he's ever seen in his life and grabbed the knife. “That’s enough.”
Marc looked up at Ephraim, stunned. He took a deep breath and nodded. “Let’s go home,” Marc said in a confused voice. He was clearly lost in his grief.
Ephraim nodded. It was the last place he wanted to be or belonged, but he would do it for his brother. He was clearly hurting.
“For now.”
Chapter 1
Rascal, New Hampshire
2009
“But what if she doesn’t like me?” Joshua asked.
“Yeah, what if she doesn’t like us?” Jill decided to ask, giving credence to Joshua’s question.
Madison swore under her breath. She was going to have to take Jill aside and remind her that a fifteen year old shouldn’t add to a ten year old boy’s fear. Now Joshua was going to start crying, again.
After four days on the road with her siblings and mother, Madison was ready to flee from the car, screaming. This trip couldn’t end fast enough and apparently it wouldn’t. She had a feeling that the U-haul trailer attached to the back of her car was the reason.
She shot another annoyed look at her mother who was curled up in the passenger seat of the small beat up car with the latest gossip rag that Madison paid for of course. Her mother was broke and never worked more than a day at any job she ever held.
Candy, that’s what her mother liked to be called. Her real name was Emma and she hated it. She hated everything about herself unless a man liked it. That’s how she ran her life and the lives of her three children. If a man liked it then it was okay. If the man didn’t then Candy took it upon herself to make the change happen and if it didn’t god help them all, because her mother was not above throwing a tantrum, yelling, hitting or manipulating her three children.
Madison took a deep breath and counted to ten in her head. She was pissed and for good reason. After twenty-three years of hell Madison thought that she was finally going to make a real break for it. Candy promised to sign over custody of the kids. This time she was going to do it. Madison couldn’t wait. She had money in the bank, her college degree and plans. She was moving out of their trailer, their dumpy broken down crowded trailer, and taking her brother and sister with her. Her mother had agreed.