“There really isn’t.” The words only felt somewhat true. I’d said them in various ways a million times in the last few months, and every time, they’d been correct. But this time, Sebastian rang in a tiny recess of my mind.
I gulped as nerves began to slowly take over. How long would he be gone? Would Sebastian be too late? The idea of him returning home to find me dead on his lawn was enough for me to lunge forward and grab the gun off the table. I shoved the chair back, and it clamored to the concrete. I pointed it at him, and he raised his hands slowly and stood, keeping eye contact with me. As he slowly rose, a smile followed, making me uneasy. We circled each other, walking around the perimeter of the pool. I forced him backward, hoping he’d stumble.
He stopped and chuckled. “You really think I’d put a loaded gun on the table for you to grab? That gun is filled with rubber bullets. But this one isn’t.” He reached around and pulled another gun from the back of his pants. “You shoot me, and I’ll shoot you.”
I stared at my father. “Who did it? Who was the one to put the knife in her middle and then hang her up to be found like that?” Tears slid down my cheeks as the memory of that morning flashed through my mind. The gun in my hand shook as rage took over.
Elliott took in my question, then laughed. “Who do you think? The one who gave her thatSimon Saysjob, or the one who helped set up the meeting? Or what about the lawyer who created her contract, or was it the ex-boyfriend?” Elliott laughed. “Or maybe it was the one she fucked purely to get his perfect genes.”
“Who was it?” I shouted.
He rolled his eyes. “It was the one with the most to lose. Me.”
I pulled the trigger. The kickback made me stumble into the grass—and then a second bang rang out. All the air left my body as pain burst from my left shoulder. I collapsed, forcing my head up to keep my eyes on Elliott. He’d lied. There was a bright-red hole in his abdomen. He’d banked on me being too scared to shoot.
Joke was on him. I wasn’t truly scared of anything.
Except Sebastian finding me dead.
The thought rang out in my mind, and I knew then that I had to fight back. Truly fight back. I couldn’t let Sebastian find me like that.
Elliott stared at the wound on his belly in shock. I looked at the one on my left shoulder, then scanned him from top to bottom. Struggling to breathe, I forced myself to my feet. Slapping my hand over the bullet wound, I stalked over to him. He was fighting to stay upright, one hand on his belly and the other waving wildly to maintain balance. Elliott’s eyes lit up as he tried to reach for me, but instead of saving him, I reached forward and pushed on his chest, and he fell into the red pool.
My ears still rang from the gunshots, but his scream pierced through as he splashed and fought to stay afloat. I collapsed and watched him flounder. He looked like he was drowning in a sea of his own blood. The pain in my shoulder was blinding, and I knew I didn’t have much time before I fell unconscious.
If I could just watch him die first, I could follow in peace.
No!my mind screamed.
I straightened myself and looked back at Elliott. He’d fallen into the deep end, but he’d found his footing and was trying to swim. I was too tired to survive a physical brawl. I needed to end this now. Getting back on my feet, I walked slowly to the opposite side of the pool. Elliott was moving slowly, but...
There was a small metal box I’d seen Sebastian use often. He was always afraid Cujo and Precious would get out when he wasn’t around and jump into the water. I opened the box and scanned the buttons, grateful that they’d been labeled clearly.
CLOSE POOL.
I pressed it, and the machine whirred to life. Turning, I watched the black cover slide out and slowly make its way across the water. It was so close to the surface, there was no room for air.
Elliott heard the noise and spun around in the water. It took him a moment to see what was happening, but he wasn’t fast enough. He was pulled under as the cover overtook him. He pounded on the tarp, but it was useless. The cover finished its journey to the other side of the pool and locked into place. I watched as my biological father, one of the most famous men in the world, pushed against the seal for a moment, and then stopped.
Something in my soul knew when he was gone. I stared at the spot I’d last seen movement, and then my legs gave out, and I crashed to the ground. My eyes closed as I heard barking and then Sebastian’s voice.
Good, I thought as the darkness overtook me. I’d made it at least until he got here.
He didn’t find me dead.
Just…nearly dead.
Chapter 68
Evie
The Closing Image
“That should do it.”
Bryce’s voice pulled me from the darkness. My eyelids were heavy, but I fluttered them open. I wasn’t outside anymore. I was... Where was I?
“See, you’re already waking up. How ya feel, Final Girl?”
