Incendiary: Inferno, #5

By Yolanda Olson

We both know that I've done my best to be a good father to these children.

Sometimes, I felt like I had done right by them, but all I've ever had are disappointments.

I'm going to give myself one more chance to get this right now that Darby is out of the way.

Maybe they'll listen, but I doubt it. It still doesn't change how I feel a family should be run.

And you …

You're always so quick to believe the lies of children.

Honestly, it makes me laugh.

If what they told you makes you sleep better at night, feel free to imagine that it's true.

Anyway, let me tell you what happened before he went off to find his sister.

And if you still want to find some comfort in what he's already said, then by all means--continue believing their lies.

They'll fight me; I can already see it in their eyes.

But you know what they say.

You can't keep a good man down.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Yolanda Olson
• Release date: Jul 6, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201833343

Yolanda Olson

Yolanda Olson grew up in Bridgeport, CT and currently resides in Bloomington, IL. Through her love of writing, she has channeled the emotions of early life experiences into characters that are intriguing and powerful. Her vivid imagination and her love of video games and horror movies are evident in her writing style.

Book preview

Prologue

I’ve been looking out the window for the past hour.

The only regret I’ll ever have is putting that bitch into the well instead of breaking her like I did her mother.

Useless fucking kids, I think irritably as I run a hand over my face.

Maybe I should throw the other two down there too. I could always take the boy and girl into town like I did with the slow one and leave them with someone who might give a shit about them.

But that would be too easy.

He hasn’t had a chance to learn yet and she’s too defiant for her own fucking good.

A good father doesn’t give up on his children.

He molds them, shows them how things go, and when he’s successful—like I am from time to time—can be proud of the kids in front of him.

Granted, I almost got it right with Darby, but she was just like her fucking mother.

She pretended to love me.

A smirk creeps up the corners of my mouth. The sentiment is wasted on me. I don’t want or need anyone’s fucking love. That’s not what makes men strong and sure as fuck isn’t what gets things done.

Luckily for the boy, he’s afraid of me. He knows to fear the hand that feeds instead of bite it, but the girl… she’s a different matter.

She needs to be taught.

She needs to learn.

And even though I’m the only one that can really show her how to survive in this family, I’m more interested in making the boy do it.

After all, he’s going to be a man in a few years, and practice makes perfect.

How old are these fucking kids?

I never did care enough about any of them to guess, but I’m pretty sure that the boy is a teenager by now and the girl has to be a year or two younger than him.

Richter and Skylar.

The last apples of my eye that I have sway over.

The last ones that will have to carry on the Greene name.

The purest form of love is the one kept between family, and I refuse to let the branches grow too far from the tree.

I reach down and pull up the pane of glass and rest my arms on the windowsill, my eyes still on the well.

There’s no ‘Mommy’ to save them now, though I always felt insulted by the thought.

Salvation is for things that are warranted; no one in this fucking house has ever needed saving.

Now that Darby is gone, all they have left is their father.

Eventually I’m going to have to show them how to keep the line pure and the tree growing high into the crisp blue sky.

And I think today is as good a day as any to get the lessons started.

Chapter One

I walk into the living room and roll my eyes when I see Richter sitting on the couch, staring at a blank television screen. He has this annoying fucking habit of spacing out ever since his mother went down where she belonged, and I’m assuming he thinks it’ll get him attention.

I take a deep breath and let it out in a huff as I walk over and sit next to him. He flinches instantly, then scoots a couple of inches away from me, and I chuckle.

Fear and respect is the only way to properly run a house and, at the very least, I have one if not the other when it comes to him.

Where’s your sister? I ask.

He shrugs, his eyes still on the empty screen and I clear my throat loudly. When he finally gives me his undivided attention, I try again.

Do me a favor and go find her. I want to talk to you both about something and I don’t feel like repeating myself. I’ll wait here.

Richter gets to his feet and quickly makes his way out of the living room. I let out a content sigh as I cross one leg over my thigh, then click my tongue against the back of my teeth.

Skylar’s turning into a beautiful young woman. She reminds me of Darby in a way, but I guess that’s to be expected.

I drop my foot to the floor and lean forward, rubbing my face tiredly. I haven’t had pussy in years, but that’s not something Skylar needs to worry about. I’m not here to be her husband, I’m going to teach her brother how to be one.

After about ten minutes, I blow out my breath impatiently and get to my feet. I don’t know what the fuck is taking so long, but I’m sick and tired of waiting and I wouldn’t put it past those little shits to try running away.

Their grandmother and her brothers tried it. Hell, I’m sure even Darby thought about it every now and then.

I don’t have all fucking day, I bark as I make my way toward the girl’s room since I’m sure that’s where I’ll find them.

Just inside, I see the boy sitting on the edge of his sister’s bed, running a hand up and down her arm.

It seems like he’s trying to console her, so he understands that it’s time to learn how to be a man like I am..

I don’t walk in right away.

I stand by and listen to see what I’m going to be up against instead.

But I don’t want to, Skylar tells him quietly.

"Me either, but you know how he