Teaching My Bookworm Stepsister

Maverick's P.O.V.

************

As soon as school was over, I looked for Kapri. By the time I made it to the parking lot, Brooke and her were driving away. I ran to my car, and got inside. Brooke's words have been echoing in my mind all day.

Is Kapri really that far gone? What made her feel this way? What did April tell her that could be so bad?

Just as I was about to pull out of the parking lot, my phone rang.

"What?" I bit out without looking at the caller ID.

"Don't you even think about going after her now, Maverick. You've been doing so well," Grandpa said from the other line.

I gripped my phone tighter.

"Do you know what the hell is going on with Kapri?" I asked.

"I could take a few guesses," he replied.

How does he even know so much?

"Is this your fault?" I asked.

"Yes and no." Grandpa said.

"What the fu.ck is that supposed to mean?" I spat.

"That means that you get your fu.cking sh.it together. Go to class. Do well in school. Leave that girl alone." He spat back.

Images of Kapri's broken face filled my mind. That dead look in her eyes. The things that she said.

"I can't," I mumbled.

"Speak up boy." Grandpa ordered.

"I can't." I repeated louder. "I can't leave her alone. I can't stay away. If you're just going to make her life a living hell anyway.. I might as well be a part of it," I said. "Don't do anything stupid, Maverick," Grandpa warned.

"No. You don't do anything stupid, Grandpa. You leave Kapri alone. And I am going to start going to class. I'm going to do well in college, and learn everything I can. And then when I take over for Dad.. I'm going to take away everything you have. Everything you built will be mine, and I'll make sure you have nothing." I promised.

"Mav-"

I hung up before he could say anything else. I should have done that sooner. I should have done this all sooner.

Time to go get my nerd.

********

I stormed into the house. Brooke's car was in the driveway so I know that Kapri is here. When I slammed the door shut, I noticed that Jas, Jes, and April were in the kitchen. "Maverick.. You're home." April said with a smile.

I looked at her. She's been crying. Her eyes are swollen and red, along with her nose.

"Mav, are you staying this time?" Jas asked me.

"Yeah, we miss you." Jes added.

"Stay for dinner at least." April rushed out before I could even respond.

"No!" Jas shouted, causing all of us to look at her. "You have to stay, and take care of Kapri! You have to!" She continued to shout.

"Jasmyn." April scolded softly.

"Maverick can talk to her though! He'll make her talk to him. Then she'll come out of her room, and she'll play with us again, and smile again." Jas continued. Jesse looked at me with sad eyes.

"Can you really do that, Mav?" He asked me.

I just blinked at the two of them. Just how bad have things gotten here? Apparently really bad if Jas and Jes are being affected.

I should never have left. I shouldn't have let Grandpa threaten me into leaving Kapri. At least I'd have been here for her through whatever she's going through. "Maverick, I.." April trailed off.

I turned in time to see a single tear fall from her eye.

"If you can get her to talk to you.. to come out.. to just.. feel better.. I would really appreciate it, Maverick. I'm so worried about her." She told me as she tried not to cry. "What is going on exactly?" I asked her.

April put her hand over her mouth as she started to steadily cry. I was just about to ask her to step into the living room, when someone interrupted us. "Maverick."

I looked up to see Dad standing in the doorway of the kitchen. He's giving me a hard look. One I returned instantly. "Come with me." Dad said.

Then he turned around, and walked away without waiting for an answer from me. I sighed, and followed Dad up to his office. I walked in, and shut the door.

"You better not tell me that this is none of my business. I-"

"Relax, will ya?" Dad interrupted me.

I closed my mouth, and waited for Dad to say more. He sighed heavily before pulling out a fifth of brown liquor, and two glasses. Dad poured us each a glass, and handed me mine. I looked at the glass in my hand, and back to Dad.

"What the hell?" I asked.

Dad has never shared a drink with me before.

"You're going to need it, trust me," Dad said.

I downed the entire contents in one go. Then I set the glass down on the desk. I expected my father to take it, and start explaining. Instead, Dad just refilled my glass.

I slammed my fist on the desk.

"I don't want to drink with you Dad, I want to know what the hell is going on with Kapri." I stated angrily.

Dad sighed, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Sit down, Maverick. Take your glass. You're go-"

"Going to need it. Yeah, you said that." I interrupted him.

Still, I sat down, and downed my glass again. Dad watched me with bored eyes, and sighed again.

"Dad, I need to kn-"

"I know everything, Maverick." He interrupted me as he refilled his own glass.

I frowned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

Dad tossed back his glass. He took his time swallowing. Dad stared at me for a few moments before answering me.

"I know about your grades. About your grandfather bribing your teachers. About his recent involvement. I know about your feelings for Kapri, and that you two.. were growing closer." He said uncomfortably. "Everything. I know.. everything." He said, and tossed back his glass.

I paled.

"You.. know?" I asked.

Dad nodded.

"I have just as much, if not more, power than your grandfather. I know that he's been keeping an eye on you. Even after I told him to get lost. I thought things would be fine as long as I never allowed him to contact you. But it appears my father is one ballsy and vile man." He told me.

"So you know.. that he's been talking to me?" I asked, shocked.

Dad scoffed as he poured himself another drink.

"Talking to you? You mean threatening you? Yeah, I know." He said.

I stared at him with my mouth agape for a moment.

"W-why didn't you say anything?" I asked.

"Why didn't you?" Dad asked.

"I.. thought I could handle it on my own," I said.

Dad nodded.

"Yeah, I figured." He mumbled. "I didn't say anything because I wanted to see how you would handle things. I never thought you would just give up. I was going to tell you, but you wouldn't answer my calls, or come home. Besides, things here have been... hectic," he said. "Hectic how?" I asked, hoping he would give me some answers.

Dad sighed.

"First things first. I'm going to let the bribing of your grades go, because honestly you needed it. But you need to step up. Start going to your classes. Prove to your grandfather that you are not just a puppet," he said. "I plan to," I replied.

Dad gave me a nod, and took another drink.

"Dad.. You.. knew about Kapri and I?" I asked awkwardly.

Then Dad tossed back the rest of his drink.

"I don't want to know as much as I do, but the two of you were so damn obvious." He mumbled. "I've known about your feelings for Kapri since your mother died." He admitted. "She was the first person you ran to that day." "And you married her mother anyway," I scoffed.

"That wasn't planned, Maverick. And all you were doing was paying people for information on Kapri anyway." He called me out.

I looked Dad up and down.

"Guess you really do know everything." I muttered. "Does April know about Kapri and I?" I asked.

Dad shook his head.

"No, I was not going to tell my new wife that my son has been... I don't even want to finish this sentence," he said.

"So, what's this mean for us now?" I asked.

"For you and Kapri?" Dad asked.

"For everything." I said.

"Well, you leave your Grandfather to me. Do not answer his calls, or go with him if he shows up. I have special plans for that son of a bi.tch." He spat.

My eyebrows shot up.

"You're that mad at him for meddling in my life?" I asked, confused.

Dad shook his head.

"I am mad that he won't leave you alone, Maverick. The first time I ever hit my father was when I found out what he had done to you four years ago. But this.. this time.. he did more than just cross the line," he said. "Does this have to do with what's going on with Kapri?" I asked.

Dad nodded.

"Your grandfather was behind the release of an inmate in the Attica prison in New York." He told me.

"So?" I asked.

"So.. That inmate, was Kapri's father," he said.

My eyes widened.

"I thought Kapri's dad left them when she was a baby?" I asked.

Dad shook his head as he stared down at his glass.

"It was all a lie. April thought she was protecting Kapri from the truth, but.. Then you and I had to get involved with those girls. Nothing good comes to the women we love. I should have known that with your mother. I just thought.. things would be different now. I was wrong." He said.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"It means that your grandfather found out how to hurt us through them. Because Kapri's father was released.. April had no choice but to come clean. I can't even find the bas.tard, and April is scared out of her mind that he's going to come for Kapri." Dad rambled. "Why would he come after Kapri? What exactly is the truth?" I asked.

Dad looked up at me with tired eyes.

"The truth is, April was raped 19 years ago. Kapri was conceived of that r**e." He told me. "And now she knows everything."