Hidden by T K Barber

Author:T K Barber [Barber, T K]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-10-31T16:00:00+00:00

Lyle

Twenty-two years. Meticulous planning. Suffering for the sake of this endless war. With her. For her. Them. His chest tightened. Achingly familiar eyes stared back at him, rimmed with tears. Thomas blinked, and Lyle exhaled.

“I have something that’ll make this far less painful. For both of us. Come.”

He turned and walked toward the left of the room. To the set up they’d been using for many of these years. He fished the bottle out of his blazer pocket and frowned down at it.

Amobarbital. His own research showed Ryker hadn’t lied. And the dosage was confirmed by the pharmacist. But still . . . planning was different than doing.

He gripped the plastic tighter. This was necessary. This was the time.

They reached the single metal chair flanked by a metal table, empty, save for a single glass of water, a spoon, and a charred piece of wood.

He winced when his eyes fell on it and refocused instead on the bottle.

There’d be no single other opportunity to win. To show her. He would have been the better choice. They could have been . . .

A lump formed, and he snarled as he slammed the bottle down on the table, rattling the wood against the glass. Useless fucking tears.

“Have a seat.”

Years of practiced detachment kept the waiver from his voice. When Thomas didn’t move, Lyle turned a glance over his shoulder.

His son was chewing his cheek with his brows knitted, his gaze drilling into the chair.

Lyle blinked twice as a pang of guilt stabbed him in the gut. This was all her fault. All of it. Since day one. Since she left.

He gripped the bottle and turned back to pour the powder into the glass. Despite what he had assumed, letting the mask crack, slip away, wasn’t difficult. It was freeing.

“Son, I really am trying to help you. I know it hasn’t seemed like it.” He picked up the long-handled spoon and stirred the mixture slowly. “I’m making the choice easier.”

“W-what choice, pop?”

Lyle smiled, focused on the swirl in the center of the glass. “The choice to save her.” Another glance back at Thomas as he tapped the spoon on the rim of the glass. “From yourself.”

Tommy’s eyes widened, wheels visibly turning as he passed a few rapid glances around the room. “I’d never hurt her!”

Lyle set the spoon down and lifted the glass, giving it a sniff.

“You love her.” He stepped to the left and gestured to the chair again. “Believe me, I know how much damage a love like that causes.”

The words soured his throat. And stung his heart. Thomas drew his bottom lip in and worried it. He blinked a tear onto his cheek, and Lyle swallowed.

“You’ll hurt Annalise, son. Just by being you.”

Tommy’s eyes closed, and he wiped a hand down his face, then crossed his arms. “I—I don’t wanna hurt her, pop.”

“I know. Here.” He held the glass out with a small smile.

When Thomas cleared his throat and took it, Lyle exhaled. Two long draws and Thomas wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, setting the empty glass down with a metallic clink on the table.

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