Page 2 of Acceptance
“At least you both got off before we killed you. The camera we set up beforehand caught all of it. If it would make things easier for you, we can play it while you die,” Beckett says.
Scott’s eyes widen, the towel still stuffed in his mouth. He mumbles something, and Brock just laughs.
“Sorry, man, I wasn’t able to catch that.” More mumbling, and he shakes his head again. “Yeah, I didn’t get that, either.”
“Take the fucking towel out of his mouth!” Bill shouts.
“Oh, that’s what he wants,” Brock says. “Okay. You just have to ask. Calm down.”
He rips the towel away, and Scott shouts, “You have to delete that!”
“You shouldn’t hide from who you truly are. It’s not healthy. And living a double life is so 1995. Seriously, no one gives a shit if you’re in love with Bill. Well, your wife might, but other than that, who gives a fuck?”
“That’s not true. You have a problem with men loving me,” Bill says. “That’s it, isn’t it? It’s because you think we’re gay.”
Shaking his head, Beckett looks confused. “You aren’t good at listening, are you, Bill? We don’t give a fuck who you fuck. The don’t ask don’t tell policy in the military was fucking stupid. Let people be who they are. Someone’s sexuality didn’t bother me on the battlefield because when you’re in the trenches, it doesn’t fucking matter. Be a decent person and have my back.”
“The problem you have is the part about being a decent person. Besides, we have a guy in the club whose son is gay. We’ve never once discriminated against him, and if Joe wanted to join, we’d welcome him,” Brock says. “We really don’t care who you take to bed unless it happens be one of our women.”
“Who’s Joe?” Beckett asks.
“Ash’s son. You’d love him. He’s best friends with Tripp’s wife, Avery. And he married a doctor, which come to think of it, I can’t believe we haven’t tried to capitalize on it. Can you imagine the benefits of having someone with actual medical training on hand?”
“This little trip down memory lane is all cute and shit, but what’s the plan for us?” Scott asks.
Narrowing his eyes, Brock shoves the towel back into his mouth. “You lost your talking privileges. But I think this is exactly why your wife is cheating on you. There’s no compassion. Except when you’re fucking Bill.”
“You know she’s cheating, too?” Bill asks.
Scott’s head snaps to Bill, his eyes wide, as he pulls on his zip ties. Laughing, Brock points to the warden. “Wait, you knew your lover’s wife was fucking around on him, but you never told him? Did you worry he’d stop seeing you to fix his marriage?”
“No, I… I heard her with someone one day, but I never saw who. I thought it was Scott, but he was waiting for me in his office. But I never told him.”
“Because you thought this would come to an end?” Brock asks.
The blood from his temple drips down his face, and he looks at the floor. Nothing. Which confirms it.
“You know,” he says, “when Scott’s dead, they’ll probably promote Tony to warden. Then his wife can marry the guy who’s actually pleasing her, and she’ll be the warden’s wife again.”
“Wait, Tony’s banging the warden’s wife?” Beckett asks.
Nodding, Brock laughs. “He’s pretty much doing all the women out there. Even Nurse Ratchet. That one I can’t figure out.”
“Good for him.”
Bill gapes, and the bat hits him in the mouth, blood covering the teeth left intact before he can say a word. Watching Beckett,it’s clear something isn’t right. He doesn’t look like he’s getting any satisfaction from it.
“What’s wrong?”
Beckett sighs and drops the bat. “Only a bitch ties someone down and beats them with a weapon.”
“You want to—”
His fist connects with Bill’s jaw, and the crack as he breaks it brings a smile to Beckett’s face. And Bill’s moans of pain make it grow wider.
“Never mind.” Brock turns back to Scott. “Ramsey never mentioned how Beckett was Special Ops, did he? I know Tony left that out of the dossier he gave you. Beckett may not be the biggest motherfucker around, but he can take out pretty much anyone. You two are nothing.”
More mumbling. It annoys him, and he sighs. Removing the towel, he waits for whatever it is Scott needs to say.
