2 Betrayal's child: Truth and Dare. Part 1

Junior snuck in through the back door of the house. His house. No, he corrected himself, His father's house. Halfway through his way across the hall, Junior's cell phone went off. Startling him half to death. He turned it off and pressed himself against the wall. Relief washed over him. No one had heard it. He was about to enter the main room that connected the living room and the front door. In it rested the stairs that led to the rooms.

Junior froze. Inside was none other than his father. He pressed himself against the wall and stayed there. His father couldn't stay there forever.

Could he?

"What the hell were you thinking!"

At first, Dani couldn't find her voice. Her father had been silent all the way home. And he had already taken a few shots. She tensed her body to keep it from shaking

"Wait I know what you were thinking! Nothing! I take you in after your mother dumps you. And you yell to everyone the loathsome mistake I've been trying to keep secret!"

Dani felt her eyes burn. That was how he saw her. As a mistake, he had to live with.

"Dad I .. It's just.." Dani stammered .Her father started towards her. She instinctively backed away until she hit the wall. Her father grabbed her arms with the same vice-like grip. Dani flinched and tried to break free. Without much success.

"Do you want to throw your life away Dani?" He said menacingly. "You want to follow in your brother's footsteps?."

Dani pushed him back with strength she didn't know she had. "Don't bring Junior up" she whispered fiercely. "He isn't throwing his life away. He's trying to live it. And it's because you can't respect that. That he left. You should know about throwing one's life away with what you did when you were married to Isabelle.." Dani felt the slap before she even saw it coming. His hand connected with her cheek and she lost her balance. Slumping against the wall.

She was in full-terror mode now. Her father was coming towards her again….

"What are you doing ! Stop!"

Junior stood at the doorframe fighting the urge to knock his father out into the next room. He went to where Dani was and glared at his father.

"Don't blame her! Nothing that's happening is her fault. You cheated on my mom. My mom left. I wanted to leave."

His father met his glare with one of his own.

"Are you seriously gonna throw everything away because of that Kris-girl? Wake up! Do you know what your problem is? You can't see beyond tomorrow. I made the same mistake! I sold my soul to a woman who couldn't care less. And look what I had to deal with" He said pointing to Dani.

"You had a life dad. You threw it away. I'm 19! I'm starting to live my life. Let me!"

His father gave him a final glare. "You will be back" he said to him "And you!" He said to Dani. "I'll see you in the morning!"

With that, he stormed out without as much as a second glance.

Junior gave a frustrating sigh and turned around to see Dani. She was standing now. Leaning on the wall for support. He walked towards her.

"Hey" he said softly. She didn't look at him. He gently, briefly, touched the white mark on her face and she finally looked up. Tears were forming in the back of her eyes. But she was holding them back. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I-I'll be fine. Please don't go. I mean what am I going to do with what he said.? With what he did? What do I do with that?"

"Come with me" He offered. He knew what she meant. No way was he going to leave her here now.

She shook her head.

"I don't think that's the answer for me. I mean, my dad will force me to move back. And I'll have to live here or he might even keep me from seeing you"

That was true. Their father was powerful. He could arrange that easily. But he still didn't want to leave Dani alone.

"You're not gonna disappear. Are you?". Dani asked snapping Junior out of his thoughts . Was he going to disappear? Was that why Dani had gotten so mad at their father when he bought Junior up? Did she think that when he said in that note that he was gone that he was leaving her behind?

He put an arm around her shoulder and she leaned in, he put his other arm around her protectively. "No, of course not I'll call you as soon as I get there. Look, what if, when I get a place I get an extra room you can come and visit when things here get too difficult."

She looked up at him and smiled. "I'd like that. Thanks. And Junior?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm-I'm sorry your mom left because of me"

Junior couldn't believe it. He knew she meant it but all he could think of was how his mom had rejected Dani. Had she really blamed a baby for what their dad did?

"Don't be" he said gently, but firm at the same time. "She made her choice. If she wanted to leave instead of just taking you in. It was her loss"

"Yeah I guess, but still…"

"I know" he sighed. It wasn't as if he hadn't missed having a mom every now and then during his childhood. But it was worse for Dani. She was a girl. And there were things in which he really didn't know what to do or say. It was frustrating not to be able to help her.

"Listen, I have to go. I'll call you as soon as possible. Try and get some rest ok?"

She stepped back and nodded , "Yeah, ok. I'll try, something tells me I'm in for the king of all hangovers."

Junior had to laugh at that. Dani hardly ever drank more than necessary. She hardly ever got drunk. Usually he was the one who pulled stunts like that.

"Are you serious? That's what set dad's fire off ?"

"Yeah" Dani mumbled lowering her gaze.

"Don't worry about it. Dad's going on a trip at noon. It'll blow over by then. Listen to the voice of experience"

That did it. Dani couldn't help but laugh. Junior had to be the only one who could take something like getting drunk at one of your father's functions and joke abut it. Even more amazingly he made people laugh about it.

"Take care ok" he said finally. Dani nodded. He turned around started to lave.

"You know, you can go out the front door now" She called at him with a grin.

Junior smiled to himself. It was nice to have the old Dani back "Yeah I know. But the garage's this way"

"Whatever happened to trying it without the Porsche ?"

"I'll just go on a final ride .You know. A last moment between a guy and his car" He retorted as he headed out. "Night"

"Night"