he isn’t coming here as soon as he graduates? That he doesn’t have a responsibility to uphold? That he didn’t sign a contract?” he shouted, each question growing in volume. “When you start working for the company in June—” he started, launching into the same lecture he’d given me a hundred times before.
Baseball didn’t factor into his mind at all. The draft wasn’t even on his radar. What I wanted never mattered.
“I don’t want to work for you,” I said in a calm tone, but his face turned an unusual shade of red as I said it. “I don’t know why you can’t accept that. I have zero interest in your company or having a job there.”
“That’s non-fucking-negotiable, and you know it,” he yelled, slamming his fist on the table again. His glass did topple this time, spilling the contents all over the floor.
“Dad—” I tried to sound reasonable, but there would be no reasoning with the man.
“You signed a contract. We made a deal. You will abide by the terms of said agreement,” he chastised me, acting like some deranged business partner.
“I was just a kid. I wanted to go play baseball. I would have signed anything you asked me to.” I started to get emotional. I was tired of playing nice. Tired of tiptoeing around the fact that the last thing I wanted to do on this fucking planet was work for or with him.
“Just like your mother. Always leading with your emotions instead of your fucking brain.”
“Why would you want to force me to do something I don’t want to do?”
“Force you? I’m giving you a gift. God, Mackenzie, you can’t even see the opportunity I’m handing you. Other kids would kill for this much money and influence, and all you do is disrespect it. You’ve been that way since you first held a bat in your hands. I never should have allowed it. Ruining your life for a game. A game you aren’t even that good at.” He tossed the last words like an arrow, sending them straight into my soul. They burned on contact, killing a part of me.
“You really hate me that much?” My heart ached with the realization as I pushed to a stand.
“Yes!” he screamed, and I almost passed out from the shock, but at least he’d admitted it. “You ruined everything!” he kept yelling, and I had no idea what he meant. “You were supposed to be like me. But instead, you’re just like her,” he screamed the words like they disgusted him as he pointed at my mother, who was watching the two of us through terrified eyes. “Chasing dreams in your head instead of money, like two fools. You’re nothing but a disappointment, and I hate that you’re my son. Anyone would have been better than you.”
“Shut up! Just shut the hell up!” I yelled.
He stood up and threw his chair away from his body. It hit the floor with a crash. He stalked over to me, and I stood firm, but I was scared to death. I’d seen Dick mad before, but I’d never seen him downright murderous, the way he looked right now.
“Watch your ungrateful fucking mouth,” he spat as he spoke.
I refused to back down. I stood my ground and puffed out my chest. “What are you going to do? Hit me?” I taunted.
He’d never once gotten physical in the past, but he looked like he was about to lose what little self-control he had left.
“Do it then. Since you hate me so fucking much! Since I’m the worst thing to ever happen to you!”
I wanted him to do it. At least that way, I’d have a valid enough reason to leave and never come back.
“You always have to have the last word, don’t you? You can never just shut your fucking mouth and listen. Maybe this will finally shut you up.” His fist hit my jaw with so much force that it sent me flying sideways.
I’d basically asked for it, but I couldn’t even gather my wits around the enormity of the surprise I felt.
I covered the side of my face with my hand. It never even crossed my mind to hit him back. I was too paralyzed by the realization of what he’d just done.
And then he did it again. I thought he might have broken my jaw as blood dribbled out of my mouth and onto the floor.
“Richard!” my mom screamed.
I shook my head to regain focus, making sure he didn’t go after