Daddy Dearest

Chapter Forty-Seven

Alex

Systema taught me to take any pain I receive and turn it into energy I can use against my enemy. I’ve been studying it since I was thirteen and it has helped me manage and redirect my rage. I was a very angsty little kid, so my music and martial arts became my outlet.

As I was growing up, my parents weren’t the most attentive and loving. My family owns an international conglomerate and we manufacture everything from cars to shampoo. My father, however, decided to branch out on his own and became an investment banker, who made his first billion by the time he was forty. My mother is from a Russian Jewish dynasty whose money comes from petrol… and other questionable means, if you believe the rumors. She is a trained barrister and one of the smartest, most driven people I know, and that’s saying something, because I come from a family of overachievers.

A neglected child who was showered with gifts instead of hugs and kisses, I was on a path to self-destruction until the day I encountered Melody Plum. At the age of twelve, everything became clear to me. I was born to be with this girl and needed to be worthy of her. Frankly, I stopped being a little shit. There is a darkness in me that I’ve never been able to suppress all the way, but being with Melody helps keep it caged. Well, her and a fuckton of medication. With genius, they say, comes a side dish of crazy. My IQ is 165. How crazy do you think I am?

Melody, I’ve noticed, has daddy issues. Her father died and was never really around during her formative years. That’s the crux of her crush on Davenport. Oh yeah, I know all about it. I’m not a genius for nothing. I know everything there is to know about Melody Plum. I know Davenport has had some less than noble thoughts about her. The minutes he steps out of line, I’ll take him out. Hasn’t he heard of the rumors of my mother being a Russian Mafia princess?

Over the years—I’ve been watching the girl since grade seven, but only decided to target her in grade ten—anyone who even thought of asking Melody out has been dealt with one way or another. Justin Evans had his eye on her, so I dislocated his shoulder during lacrosse practice last year. A kid named Robbie Alvarez, her old lab partner who wanted to ask her out, suddenly had to transfer schools because his father was offered a high-paying job in the East Coast. Nicky Johnson got separated from his group during a field trip in Angeles Mountains and was found severely dehydrated and confused three days later. He had to transfer schools, too. There were three or four more, but honestly, I have people who handle these things for me, so I can’t be bothered to remember all of them.

I think I’ve figured out who’s been stalking Melody, but I haven’t dealt with it because I’m… at a loss as to how to manage it.

You see, she has two stalkers. One just wants her to keep away from her target of affection and the other… means her harm. But the latter is close to her and she will be devastated once everything comes to a head. That should be any day now. I was going to be lenient with this person because she means a lot to Melody, but she has caused harm to Melody twice now. This time, she almost succeeded in killing Melody. If Davenport hadn’t moved her out of the way quickly enough, she’d be dead. The very thought of it makes me want to tear this girl apart limb from limb with my bare hands.

A cool hand touches my face, bringing me out of my thoughts. “Alex,” calls Melody’s sweet voice.

I turn her hand and kiss her palm. “You’re beautiful tonight, my love.”

“Just tonight?” She has a teasing glint in her eyes.

“Well, some days, you don’t look half bad.” I shrug and she shoves her fist into my stomach. “You ready to join the fray?” There’s a little knot between her eyebrows, so I can tell she’s still worrying about Nancy. “Come on, cricket, she’s a grown woman. She’ll be just fine.”