The Skeletøn Bøy

FØURTY

++ C H A P T E R | F Ø U R T Y ++

"Meredith?" Adrian laughed, but it came out strangled. "Her name is Mary."

Keith looked over the Anna's middle foster child with disgust. He didn't suspect this child to understand anything about his mother, but it bothered him that he couldn't even get his mother's name right. It bothered him even more that he was Meredith's son and not his.

Years later, and he was still pissed about that. Pissed that, when given the option, Meredith chose to marry his own brother. Keith regretted the day that his brother Theodore came home from school, only to single handedly ruin everything. Including stealing the only girl Keith actually cared about.

It was why, when Meredith had called, Keith had no problem killing off his nephews. It was because he hated them, because he wished they had never existed.

"You're wrong. Your mother's name is Meredith. It has occurred to me that she's told you nothing."

"I don't want to know anything! You're just as batshit crazy as she is!" Adrian struggled out of the handcuffs around his wrists, but it was impossible to break through. Impossible to even bother escaping. All he could think about was Elliott and Mat. Oh, Mat. Adrian looked down to his younger brother and felt the world shift off kilter. It was one thing for him to be in danger, but another thing entirely for Mat to be in trouble as well. Mat didn't deserve this.

Neither did Anna. Or the other two girls that accompanied them. Brent, however, Adrian couldn't defend. His dislike towards the jock made it harder for him to sympathize.

"Keith, I didn't tell them anything for a reason. And Elliott, he doesn't know a thing." Mary butted in, smiling sweetly to Keith, the same boy she used to hate.

Keith's jaw locked. He looked at the girl sleeping on the couch angrily. "This is a discussion we don't need to have now, Meredith."

Keith looked at Wes, his only son. There was a lot Wes didn't know about this particular family. Including the fact that he and Elliott were related. But, Keith decided it was better to keep his son in the dark about this. If Wes knew Elliott was family, he would never go through with it. With any of this. The boy was already defiant, due to his crush. Which is messed up, considering they're related, Keith couldn't help but shudder. His son's attraction towards Elliott was unnatural and wrong. Even more of a reason to end whatever they had this soon. Plans had indicated that Elliott wasn't supposed to be handed over for another week or so, but Keith felt the importance of speeding everything up. Before Wes could back out.

"Wes, gather them into the basement. Meredith will show the way. Carry the girl down as well." He motioned towards Elliott.

Natasha, who had been paying attention, gasped. For a moment, she couldn't believe her ears. Elliott is a girl? A girl? And for a moment, she didn't believe it. Couldn't believe that Elliott, the boy she'd broken up with Brent for, was a girl. And that Elliott had been hiding this secret all along.

Would make juicy conversation if I ever get out of this, she thought to herself. If they want ransom, daddy has no problem paying them. Good for me, not so good for the others. She cast a long look at the others in group - some of which she'd never met. The girl with purple hair intimidated her, but Natasha couldn't place who she was. The older woman, who Natasha assumed was Elliott's mother, stood sobbing beside her. The other two Cole siblings were shaking, but not yet crying. And Brent, well, he looked calm. Angry, even. But not scared.