The Traitors

Chapter 10 - Logan

Brian Monroe.

Her dad had to be Brian fucking Monroe.

Not going to lie, the news felt like a punch to the gut. The man was far from sainthood in Sister Joan's book and was just below my father on my shit list. My heart ached for this girl who had to live under the same roof with that man and I felt a similar burden from having to carry the last name of an unlikeable fucker. 

I couldn't even fault her for not speaking up sooner because I had done the same exact thing to her. Breton outed me in the office earlier, but she hadn't reacted. I was blindsided, especially after I specifically asked him not to. I think her discovery of my full name gave her the courage to be open with hers. 

I liked her and to not give her a chance because of who she was related to felt hypocritical. Fi wasn't her father in the same way I wasn't mine.

In the end, I found myself more concerned about her wellbeing. I knew what Monroe was like in a sadistic work environment. I prayed whatever happened in her home life didn't mimic any of the horrific experiences I had with him or the ones I had with my own father. The look in her eyes held a story, but her hesitation told me it was difficult to confess.

"Our last interaction was," she paused, "violent." She shook her head. "I never went back after that and he didn't seem to care. We haven't spoken in years." She chuckled. "We never really talked when I lived with him, or I should say I never talked. He would go on and on about this historical breakthrough he developed and how he was going to change the world. He was just an egotistical narcissist," she rolled my eyes as she curled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. 

"Did he tell you about his research or what he was doing?"

"Not exactly. He was vague about everything and I never bothered to ask. It's not like he would've told me anyway. We didn't have that kind of relationship."

She doesn't know what he did to me? To us?

Fi wasn't lying which gave me some conflicted feelings. On one hand, I was grateful for her honesty. I was so used to Anna lying to me all the time that I was just accustomed to it. It was refreshing to have someone be transparent about things. But on the other hand, how was I going to explain how horrible her father truly was? The things he had done to, not only me, but Hunter, Kayla, and Breton were unforgiveable. I don't know if she was ready to hear about them and I certainly wasn't prepared to tell her.

"What about your dad?" Fi unexpectedly asked.

"What about him?"

"Did he hurt you?" My brows rose as my own question was directed back at me. "Nolan seems so intense. I can't imagine he's a real treat."

"Everyone around here always assumed I lived a life of luxury because he was my father." At least, that's what Breton thought. "Truth is, he's a fucking nightmare. He expected perfection from his children, but he was especially critical of me. He believed everything I did was out of spite and to embarrass him," I heavily sighed, "which was why I was his favorite to kick around." I rolled my eyes. "It didn't help my siblings blamed their faults on me as to not damage their relationship with our father which gave him more excuses to fuck me up."

"Jesus."

"I took hits for them, hoping to gain an ally in that house, but my sister always made things worse and my brother was too much of a coward to step in. A debt they will never repay to their worthless little brother."

"You're not worthless."

"Say that to my father. He'd be happy to give you a list of all the reasons you're wrong." Fi's eyes softened into a look of pity to which I scoffed. "Don't look at me like that."