AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His voice is low and dark as he stares them down. “I don’t think you want to do that. I’m itching to make one of you bastards hurt for all the beatings you’ve inflicted on my friend.”
Drew’s hand brushes my shoulder, and I focus on him again. “What do you need from me?”
He shakes his head, keeping his eyes on his mom, though. “I don’t think there’s anything you can do right now, Flower.”
Fuck. I feel useless. I don’t know how to fire a gun, or fight, or do any of these things that seem integral to this world. Am I useless to him too?
Victoria slides off the side of the bed until her bare feet settle on the hardwood. Dr. Brooks rushes around flustered, helping her to stay standing.
“Victoria, you should stay in bed. I understand you need to do this, but you shouldn’t be moving if you don’t have to be.”
She glares at him for a second, and it’s the look of a lover, frustration and hope? “I do have to be up because that asshole isn’t dead yet.”
He sighs long and deep, and simply helps her forward. She limps and wavers every step of the way. When she reaches Drew’s dad’s feet, she stops and waves the gun at Seb. “Lock the door. I don’t want any more surprises. This ends now.”
Another gunshot rings through the room. I flinch and draw my knees up to put some distance between me and them, but the second I move, Drew stops me, keeping me close. Drew’s dad jerks, and blood pools around him more. He coughs and sits up, wincing as he does. There’s something crazy in his eyes, like he still might try to fight back even though he has two holes punched through him.
I should be more horrified, more scared, but right now, I feel Drew is finally getting the justice he deserves, and apparently, so is Drew’s mom.
“I’ve been sick for ten years. Ten years you’ve been slowly killing me. Ten years you’ve been murdering me.”
There’s so much venom in her voice even I’m a little scared right now.
“And you know what?” She speaks louder. “I’m not the only one he slowly killed. Although I think it took a lot longer for your mom, Bel.”
I flinch at the sound of my name and then process what she’s saying. “Wh-what?”
Her gaze skims Sebastian who is standing jaw set tight. He knew. He knew, and he didn’t say anything to me. “What do you mean?”
“The first woman he poisoned was your mom. She knew she was in trouble and ran. And that poisoning stayed with her, making her sicker and sicker over the years.”
I gulp, hot tears building and falling down my cheeks. But I’m focused on Seb now. “You knew?”
“It’s not his fault. I asked him not to say anything until we could figure out a plan. Sebastian’s private investigator is the one who uncovered the information, mostly from your mom’s doctor. Please don’t blame him. It’s my fault. I asked him to keep it a secret until we knew everything.”
I gulp and swallow my rage down. I sure as hell can be mad at him, but I’ll wait until we get home to discuss it with him. Like Drew, he didn’t trust me with his plan. Neither of them did. Because they think I would have ruined it? Or because they thought they were protecting me? I don’t know.
Drew’s dad coughs up more blood. “Just finish it if that’s what you’re going to do. If you…” He coughs again. “Just want to talk me to death, this entire event is going to take fucking forever.”
Drew walks over and kicks him hard in the ribs, spraying blood in an arc out of his father’s mouth. His eyes flutter closed, and Drew kneels. “You don’t get to die yet. Not until we say you do. We aren’t done getting our answers.”
Victoria places her hand gently on the back of Drew’s neck, and for a heartbeat, I see the broken boy in his face. The one who only wanted one parent to love—actually love and care for him.
I wrap my arms around my legs and hunker further into myself. How did I get here? This feels like a nightmare none of us will ever wake up from. I’m in a fucking wedding dress, for fuck’s sake.
Victoria resettles her feet to keep her balance, and Dr. Brooks is right there at her side, clutching her close, keeping her upright. And when her arm droops with the weight of the gun, he lines his own up with hers and helps her carry that weight too.
I bet he got to know the plan. Then almost instantly I scold myself for being a child. This is life and death, actually life and death. It’s not that he didn’t trust me. He needed things to go off perfectly, and with me knowing, it was one more variable to manage.
Another wave of nausea rolls through me. I might still be mad about the drugs, though.
I breathe deep and then regret it with the scent of iron heavy in the air. How is Drew’s dad still alive after being shot twice?
Victoria steps closer, and Drew’s dad slowly, so fucking slowly, pushes off the floor and stands. Blood smears down the front of his white shirt, and across his mouth and cheeks. It would almost be admirable if the man wasn't possessed by a demon or something right now.
“Any last parting words, Bel or Sebastian?”
I shake my head instantly. Funny how hours ago, I considered convincing Drew not to go through with his plan to murder his father. Now I couldn’t care less what happens to this man. He’s the reason my mother suffered up until the day of her death.
