Austin & Beth Read Online Free PDF Page B

want to go in there. Did. Not. Want.
    He pretty much had to drag me.
    Close enough to glimpse Joe's rigid, scary profile, I forced myself not to flee. Particularly when I saw him cradling the tarnished shotgun. The same shotgun missing from the wall.
    "Dad?" Austin said, skirting ahead to confront his father. " Why are you holding that shotgun?"
    Eyes blank, staring, Joe sat unmoving.
    Austin's gaze found mine and he nodded toward the corridor, pleading for me to get out of here. Too bad my legs wouldn't work. Damn muscles locked and all I could do was watch this train wreck.
    Austin's eyes flared. He lifted his arm and pointed. "Beth, get in the goddamn bedroom. And—grab my phone while you're at it."
    "I can't."
    " Why ?"
    "I can't move."
    Just then Joe came alive. Or at least his mouth did. "When did it start?"
    I feared answering his question. So I asked, "When did what start?"
    "You know. When did you start fucking my son?" His grip tightened on the barrel.
    I regarded Austin for help.
    "Dad," he said, nervous gaze darting between us. "Honest to god, we didn't want you to find out like this. We planned to tell you tonight. And, uh, now can you tell me why you're holding the shotgun? I really, really think you should give it to me."
    Joe slowly shook his head.
    Frustrated, Austin bowed his head and raked his fingers through his hair. Soft strands stood erect, wild.
    "Jesus Christ, Dad. Beth's six months pregnant. Get rid of the fucking gun ," he exploded, face flushed.
    "Six months?" Joe released a bitter chuckle. "More like seven months. I'm not a dumb-ass."
    Austin and I stared at each other.
    "So you know the baby's mine, and you know when this started," Austin said. "Can you—just give me the shotgun?" He proffered his right hand.
    "Nope. I'm not a dumb-ass. Something told me this shit was going on. A man knows his wife, knows when she's trying to hide something. So I bought two GPS devices to track Beth's movements. One for the old SUV and one for her car. I knew where she went. What she was doing. Everything."
    "But—I never dreamed she was fucking my own son. You can imagine my shock when I got home to an empty house, then found the SUV's location."
    I blinked, wished to god this would end.
    "Dad, will you listen to me?"
    "I'm not interested in what you have to say. It's too late for that shit."
    "No, Dad. It's not."
    Joe turned to me. His eyes were red, glassy as if—he'd been crying . That astonished me more than anything. Even more than his implied threats of violence.
    "I guess it didn't seem like it, but I did love you, Beth. Still do. We could've worked on it instead of pissing everything away." Joe elevated the shotgun and clicked it.
    Exactly what he clicked, I'd no clue.
    "Austin," I cried. The dim room spun. I took a step backward and lost my balance, tumbled to the floor. Pain went to my stomach. At first I thought I'd been shot.
    Austin bolted, crouched by and cuddled me against his chest. Shielded me from his father's crazed wrath.
    "It's okay, baby. You're alright." Brief pause. "God fucking dammit , Dad, knock this shit off and gimme that fucking gun before you hurt someone!"
    "That's the whole idea."
    "Dad—"
    "You have any idea how it feels to find out the love of your life is a whore?"
    "Dad, stop—"
    "Do you know how it feels... what it's like to discover your child isn't even yours?"
    " Shit, Dad, I'm sorry—"
    "AND do you know how it feels—to find out your own blood betrayed you in such a sick, twisted, fucked-up way? I pray to god you never find out. I'll make it so you never do. And I'll make sure Beth doesn't live to hurt anyone else."
    "What? You can't be fucking serious." Austin stiffened his embrace.
    "Everything's pointless. Living's pointless. But I won't be the only one exiting this shit hole of a life. Unless—"
    An odd quiet ensued. My eyes snapped open. Joe leaned and handed the shotgun to Austin's eager hand. Then the beastly weapon was propped upright next to me, single