Read Online Bad Son Rising by Julie A. Richman - Free Book Online
Authors: Julie A. Richman
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that hung between them.
“We’ve hit some pretty low spots, Zac, and this is right there with the best of them,” Schooner’s jaw was tight. “How much lower are you going to sink, hmm?”
Zac didn’t answer his father, at least not verbally. His eyes spoke volumes, overflowing with self-loathing and resignation. His usual defiance was nowhere to be found.
Liz stood in the doorway watching the exchange. Why couldn’t Mr. Moore see Zac? Why couldn’t he see what she and their friends saw — this amazing guy — so willing to lend a hand or do what he could to put a smile on someone’s face?
“You don’t understand…” she couldn’t continue her silence.
“Oh trust me, I understand all right.”
“With all due respect, no, you don’t, Mr. Moore.”
“Liz, don’t.” Zac held up his hand indicating that she should stop.
But she was beyond stopping, “You don’t know Zac at all. Not the Zac we know. He would do anything to help a friend. That’s what this was all about. He just wanted to help Tara with grad school.”
Schooner’s tone was terse, “With all due respect,” he threw her words back at her, “maybe I know my son a bit better than you do.”
Liz was shaking her head vigorously as tears flew off her cheeks, “No, you don’t or you’d be defending him now.”
Schooner leveled Liz a glance that made her catch her breath before addressing his son again, “Finish packing. I’ll be waiting in the car.” He’d had enough of Zac’s friends depicting him as some sort of Robin Hood. Turning on his heel, he walked past Liz out of the room.
“I can’t believe that.” Liz stood there in shock.
Zac sat down on his bed, “I’ve put him through the ringer on more than one occasion, Liz. He’s been a better father than I’ve been a son. I know it’s been a string of disappointments for him. Maybe he’s just finally reached the end of his rope with me.”
“We’ve all done fucked up shit.” Liz sat down on Brian’s bed facing Zac.
Zac smiled his beautiful smile, “Yeah, but I kind of set the bar.
Liz raised her eyebrows, urging him to elaborate.
“I almost killed his wife and my little brother when I got into this thing with her and she fell backwards down a huge flight of stairs when she was pregnant with Nathaniel. I overdosed and he missed Nathaniel’s birth because of it, he found out that I’d had sex with three of my mother’s friends senior year when I was home for a semester and now I get kicked out of college,” and with a wry laugh, “and that’s only the stuff he knows.”
Liz was silent for a moment, processing Zac’s list of infractions. Her smile appeared as if she’d just remembered a joke. “At least you’re not boring. Now that would have truly been a crime.”
As she watched Zac pack his belongings, reality sunk in. “What am I going to do here without you?”
He wanted to tell her that she was the best friend he’d ever had in his life, that she understood him better than anyone, and that he too could not imagine a day without her in it. He longed to say that he was going to miss her, that he felt like he was losing a part of himself.
“I dunno,” he continued to pack, already feeling alone and grieving the loss of a life he had really loved.
Brian helped him out to the car with the last of his belongings. “So the word is that it was Prescott.”
“We already knew that,” Zac shrugged.
“Want me to do anything about it?” Brian asked in slightly more than a whisper.
Nodding, “Three things,” Zac advised.
“Name it.”
“Beat him to within an inch of his life. Tell him I carved my initials into the insides of Britt’s thighs. And don’t get caught.”
“Done, done and done.” Brian promised, his eyes glinting.
And with a final fist bump, the hot boy roommate team of Zac Moore and Brian Brown officially ended.
Chapter Nine
The Next Morning
The Moore’s SoHo Loft
New York, NY
He felt them climb up onto his bed,
“We’ve hit some pretty low spots, Zac, and this is right there with the best of them,” Schooner’s jaw was tight. “How much lower are you going to sink, hmm?”
Zac didn’t answer his father, at least not verbally. His eyes spoke volumes, overflowing with self-loathing and resignation. His usual defiance was nowhere to be found.
Liz stood in the doorway watching the exchange. Why couldn’t Mr. Moore see Zac? Why couldn’t he see what she and their friends saw — this amazing guy — so willing to lend a hand or do what he could to put a smile on someone’s face?
“You don’t understand…” she couldn’t continue her silence.
“Oh trust me, I understand all right.”
“With all due respect, no, you don’t, Mr. Moore.”
“Liz, don’t.” Zac held up his hand indicating that she should stop.
But she was beyond stopping, “You don’t know Zac at all. Not the Zac we know. He would do anything to help a friend. That’s what this was all about. He just wanted to help Tara with grad school.”
Schooner’s tone was terse, “With all due respect,” he threw her words back at her, “maybe I know my son a bit better than you do.”
Liz was shaking her head vigorously as tears flew off her cheeks, “No, you don’t or you’d be defending him now.”
Schooner leveled Liz a glance that made her catch her breath before addressing his son again, “Finish packing. I’ll be waiting in the car.” He’d had enough of Zac’s friends depicting him as some sort of Robin Hood. Turning on his heel, he walked past Liz out of the room.
“I can’t believe that.” Liz stood there in shock.
Zac sat down on his bed, “I’ve put him through the ringer on more than one occasion, Liz. He’s been a better father than I’ve been a son. I know it’s been a string of disappointments for him. Maybe he’s just finally reached the end of his rope with me.”
“We’ve all done fucked up shit.” Liz sat down on Brian’s bed facing Zac.
Zac smiled his beautiful smile, “Yeah, but I kind of set the bar.
Liz raised her eyebrows, urging him to elaborate.
“I almost killed his wife and my little brother when I got into this thing with her and she fell backwards down a huge flight of stairs when she was pregnant with Nathaniel. I overdosed and he missed Nathaniel’s birth because of it, he found out that I’d had sex with three of my mother’s friends senior year when I was home for a semester and now I get kicked out of college,” and with a wry laugh, “and that’s only the stuff he knows.”
Liz was silent for a moment, processing Zac’s list of infractions. Her smile appeared as if she’d just remembered a joke. “At least you’re not boring. Now that would have truly been a crime.”
As she watched Zac pack his belongings, reality sunk in. “What am I going to do here without you?”
He wanted to tell her that she was the best friend he’d ever had in his life, that she understood him better than anyone, and that he too could not imagine a day without her in it. He longed to say that he was going to miss her, that he felt like he was losing a part of himself.
“I dunno,” he continued to pack, already feeling alone and grieving the loss of a life he had really loved.
Brian helped him out to the car with the last of his belongings. “So the word is that it was Prescott.”
“We already knew that,” Zac shrugged.
“Want me to do anything about it?” Brian asked in slightly more than a whisper.
Nodding, “Three things,” Zac advised.
“Name it.”
“Beat him to within an inch of his life. Tell him I carved my initials into the insides of Britt’s thighs. And don’t get caught.”
“Done, done and done.” Brian promised, his eyes glinting.
And with a final fist bump, the hot boy roommate team of Zac Moore and Brian Brown officially ended.
Chapter Nine
The Next Morning
The Moore’s SoHo Loft
New York, NY
He felt them climb up onto his bed,
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