𝐣 𝐞 𝐚 𝐥 𝐨 𝐮 𝐬 - 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

2.3

EARLIER ON THAT MORNING WHEEZIE HAD STOPPED BY THE HOUSE WANTING TO SPEAK TO RAFE, RESULTING IN HIM STORMING OUT IN A FIT OF RAGE WITHOUT SAYING A WORD. Amber wished she could say that was the most dramatic of events today, but it was far from it.

"Mikael, you damn well better tell me what the hell has been happening with you and your friends recently, alright?" Luis Livingston grabbed his son by the arm, dragging him into his office. Word had just gotten out that sheriff Peterkin has been killed and John B was the one that pulled the trigger. Amber didn't want to believe that he was capable of such things, but as far as she knew, no one else was suspected for committing the crime. She had tried calling Sarah as well as Rafe more times than she can count, but neither had answered the phone.

"It wasn't John B dad, I swear. He's not a killer." Mikael said as Luis pushed him onto the sofa, Amber and Stacie following in suite. "Oh, because you know those pogues so well, right? Do you have any proof that your friend is innocent?" Mikael scoffed, "What happened to innocent until proven guilty?" Luis shook his head, leaning against his desk. "He was proven guilty. There are eyewitnesses, several, may I add."

"Sweetheart, even if it wasn't John B that killed her what difference would it make? We weren't there when it happened, you can't just run off telling the police he didn't do it and expect them to believe you with no evidence. You aren't the most reliable person, honey." Stacie told her son, putting an arm on his shoulder. She was a lot more soft towards her children than Luis was, especially towards her son.

"For the love of God, the two of you own like half of Outer Banks. There has to be something you could do."

"Mikael, even if we did believe you, our hands are tied, the sheriff is dead. For the time being you're forbidden from hanging out on the cut until all this gets sorted out. I'm sorry, son." Luis sounded far from apologetic which both his children took note of.

"Forbidden?" Mikael scoffed and Amber just stood as she watched the scene unfold, a million different thoughts racing through her head. She felt sorry for her little brother, those are his best friends no matter what they may or may not have done. "Do you know how bad it would look if you're seen associating with any of them? Right now, especially?"

"How bad it would look for you."

"It's always looked bad for me, but right now it would be detrimental. For the entire family, so stop thinking about no one but yourself." Mikael couldn't believe the words coming out of his own fathers mouth. "You're calling me selfish? Me? Are you forgetting you just had Amber date Theo Thornton because you thought it would grow traction towards your company?"

"I did that for the benefit of this family."

"Yeah, I'm sure you did. You plan on marrying her off next? If it was actually for the better of the family you would've at least had the audacity to ask and tell her beforehand. But no, of course not because you don't need to ask. You make her do what you want, when you want, not thinking about the repercussions. Because for you there never is any when everyone else is doing your dirty work. So you just lay it on her and you don't give her a chance to say no; actually, you just don't let her. And you know she'll go along with whatever plan you set up no matter how much she despises it because she's your daughter and you're her father."