Somebody had to come.
Somebody had to find me.
Nico came to a stop in front of me, slowly dropping into a crouch that brought us nearly to eye level—those empty eyes.Instinct wanted me to look away in revulsion, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.I couldn’t show weakness.
“Now, Miss Nova,” he muttered, drawing out the sound of my name.“I’m going to ask you this, and I want an honest answer.Tell me what I need to know, and I’ll make it quick.Just as quick as I made it for your friend back in your apartment.He didn’t feel a thing, I promise you.He’s already in a better place.”
“Fuck you,” I spat.Max.Poor Max.It was all my fault.If I weren’t so determined to go back there, he would be alive.He hadn’t wanted to go.I had forced him into it.Like this was all a game, though I had always known it wasn’t.I had fooled myself into thinking I had a measure of control over any of this and had been smacked down hard.I would never forgive myself.
If Nico had his way, I wouldn’t hate myself for long.A sly grin touched the corners of his mouth before he murmured, “That’s fine.Get it out of your system now.I promise, if you make me wait for the information I need, youwillregret it.You will regret it with every breath you take.I’ll see to it.And trust me…” he added, his smile widening, “… you will end up begging me to put an end to it.I’ve forced men a hell of a lot stronger than you to beg me to stop and kill them.Right here in this very room, in fact,” he added, spreading his arms as he stood.
They dropped to his sides, and his face fell along with them.“Plus one woman.Only one.An old friend of yours.”
Why?Why did he have to do this?Wouldn’t it be enough to kill me?“Mom,” I whispered.“You fucking bastard.Why did you do that?Why did you kill my mom?What did she ever do to you?”
“Much like you, you meddling little bitch, she couldn’t leave well enough alone!”His voice echoed in the abandoned space, doubling and tripping on itself until he became a chorus of hate.“Oh, it was fine to enjoy the spoils, wasn’t it?The money, the vacation house, and the cars.She had everything anyone could ever ask for, and that wasn’t enough!She had to dig.Ask questions.Demand.She didn’t have the first fucking clue what was going on,” he barked.
He fell silent except for his harsh, ragged breathing.“So she fled here.Thinking she’d take a little time to think things over.I couldn’t let that happen.”
“So you killed her?That was your solution?”
“She was talking about going to the police!”he screamed.The flames danced, light moving over his face.“Do you know what that would’ve done?Guess what, kid?You’d be dead now, too, if I let that happen.I did it to protect the casino and your father and you!”
“And yourself,” I spat.“Don’t forget about yourself.I guess you think you’re a hero.It’s probably the only way you’re able to sleep at night.”
He lowered his brow, his nostrils flared, every breath making his shoulders rise and fall.“I’m not the one who got us into this,” he whispered, his words chilling, his expression murderous like a bull ready to charge.“All I’ve done is my best to keep us together in one piece.You want to talk to the person responsible for all of this, you talk to your father.He let them manipulate him in the first place.Those fucking mobsters.He opened the door, he let them in, and I told him not to.I did, I warned him.But the casino wasn’t doing so well.They had money.Connections.He wanted them.You were a baby,” he added with a sneer.“Judge all you fucking want, but you weren’t there.It’s been enough for you to float around, little rich girl, in your little-rich-girl bubble.You never had to think about where the money came from.All you ever had to do was spend it.And you have the right to judge me?”he concluded with a scornful look, scoffing, his mouth twisted in disgust.
My mother.My mother died in this house.All these years, and I didn’t know.All these years, missing her, wondering, wishing I hadn’t done whatever it was I did to make her go away.Praying at night, in my bed, praying she would come back.But she was dead all along.
“Did you bury her out here?”I whispered, dreading the answer but unable to resist the question, forcing back the tears clogging my throat.I wouldn’t let him break me.“Has she been here all along?”
“Does it matter?”he countered, lifting a shoulder before he began rounding the chair.“You keep thinking about things that don’t matter.I’m the one asking the questions now, anyway.”
I cringed in revulsion when he stepped up behind me, a hand on my shoulder.His touch was icy, like death itself.Death that would soon be mine.“Now, you’re going to tell me everyone who knows about what you saw, smart girl.Who did you tell?Yourhusband?”
My heart clenched, and a chill ran through me as Vaughn’s handsome face and charming smile came to mind.My body suddenly felt much heavier, and the sweat beading on my forehead began trickling down my face.I couldn’t let him get hurt.He was too important.“What?I don’t?—”
“Fuck off with the lies.He knows.You told him.”Slowly, his grip tightened, that strong hand of his grinding my bones together until I was sure he would dislocate the joint.I bit my lip, shaking when the pain was too much.“He won’t be widowed for long.He’ll join you soon.”
No.Not Vaughn.This was why I didn’t want him to know.I should have run away from the beginning—not to another casino but to another state.Back to England.Just as far as the money in my trust could take me.
This was all my fault, and now Vaughn might die, and I loved Vaughn.All it took was being minutes from death to figure it out.Now, it was too late.He would never know.A broken sob forced its way through my clenched teeth.
“Who else did you tell?”Just when I thought he couldn’t squeeze harder, he did, so much harder, finally tearing a pained cry from deep in my chest.“Who?”
“No one!”I sobbed.“I didn’t tell anybody else!I just… I just needed somebody…”
The sudden sweep of bright light outside the half-boarded windows silenced us.My body sagged with relief when Nico released me, withdrawing the pistol tucked into the waistband at his back as he approached the windows overlooking the driveway alongside the house.Every line of his body revealed the tension that had him in its grips until he relaxed slightly, barking out an almost silent laugh.“Perfect.I hoped he would get here in time.”
Fresh terror swelled in me.“No, no,” I whispered.“What did you do?Did you tell him to come?Don’t hurt him, please!”
He looked at me over his shoulder, the faint light of dusk casting him in a silhouette.“You think your husband came to save you?”he asked, chuckling.“I must’ve hit you harder than I thought.But then you were out for a long time.”
Heavy footsteps rang out beyond the windows, crunching desiccated weeds before the door swung open.No, not Vaughn.The man standing in the doorway, staring at me, was shorter.His shoulders more narrow, his head gleaming in the last light from the setting sun.
“Dad?”I breathed, relief almost choking me.“Dad, he’s got a gun, he’s?—”
“Shut the fuck up,” Nico barked.“Just keep your mouth shut.”
