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Ugh. My stomach is turning. I feel dizzy and my head’s thumping.
‘Sure you don’t want that beer, sugar?’ asks Chris.
I shake my head. ‘I don’t want anything thanks. I think you ought to go, Chris.’
Chris drains the last of his drink, and then stands up. ‘Sorry to have been the bearer of bad news today, Addy. But it’s probably for the best that the truth is out now. You know, considering your husband is already married, and he’s only been involved in this entire charade for the money. I have to say, when my private detective told me how well he was being paid for this illegal pretend marriage of yours, I was mighty impressed. Not a bad little earner, being fake-married to you.’
I scowl. ‘Finn isn’t doing this for the money.’
Leaving the beige folder on the kitchen counter, Chris comes round to my side of the counter, holding on to his rucksack. He pats me on the shoulder. Finn’s hands were in that very spot just ten minutes ago. I don’t knowwhoto trust now.
‘I’m afraid he very muchisdoing this for the money, sugar-tits. A standing order for a thousand dollars a month, to be precise.’
‘You don’t know what you’re talking about, Chris,’ I say, shrugging his hand off me.
Chris walks around to face me, a sincere look in his eyes. ‘I’ve been a jerk, Addison. A real bona fide jerk. In fact, I’m glad you got me banged up for a while. I needed it. I’m a reformed man now. I’ve been wanting to thank you. Prison was a real wake-up call. When I got out, I tried to get in touch, but I couldn’t find you, so I hired a private detective, to make sure you were okay. That’s when I found out about this conman who’s pretending to be married to you —’
‘Heismarried to me,’ I say. I don’t know why I’m fighting this battle. I don’t know why it feels so important to me to believe that the proxy marriage is real.
‘You deserve more than this, Addison. You’re the love of my life. Always have been. Remember that time we spoke about how much we wanted children, at that Italian restaurant downtown, that place where we had linguini on our two-year anniversary? And the in-house orchestra came and sang us that song with the violins? Remember how romantic that was?’
I look down at my hands, wincing at the memory. ‘You grabbed my wrist so hard when I tried to leave you that night that it left a bruise on my skin for a week.’
Chris sighs. ‘I’m not like that anymore, Addison. I was misguided back then. Couldn’t stand the thought of you with any other guy, because I loved you so much. Still do love you, still can’t stand the thought of you with anyone else… but I know you need your independence too. I recognize that now. I can’t keep you in my clutches twenty-four seven. That’s not healthy. Not for either of us. And I’ve changed. I wanna look after you, prove that I can be whatever you need. I can be a…’, he grimaces, ‘…Daddy for you. You can be my Little girl. I can tie you up, change your diaper. Whatever kinky shit you want from me.’
Ugh. It sounds so creepy when he says it. Because I know it’s not him. He’s faking it.
I notice that he’s beginning to shake. Not just his hands — it’s a full body tremor.
‘I really want you to go now, Chris,’ I say softly.
Chris looks at me for a while, a strange, sad, twisted smile playing on his lips. ‘It’s like that then, is it?’ he says, reaching into his rucksack. ‘Guess I’d better say goodbye then.’
He takes his hand out of his rucksack, and I’m so overwhelmed by everything that’s going on, that it takes me a second to realize that he’s holding a pistol.
Holy crap.
I’ve seen far too many guns today to hang about. Without a moment’s hesitation, I let out a loud, ear-piercing scream.
16
FINN
I’m just climbing down the steps — satisfied that because the winds have died down there’s no longer a threat of wildfire in the area — when I hear it.
It’s not just the sound of her screaming that freaks me out. It’s Eric barking too. The two of them together, making a cacophony in the otherwise silent forest.
I reach for the revolver in my back pocket, and sprint like lightning. What a fucking idiot I am. Leaving that innocent girl on her own in the cabin. What was I thinking? I’ve been trying to make sure she feels like she’s got her freedom, like she’s able to be independent and live her own life without constant fear — but I should have never let her out of my sight. Not a time like this.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Luckily the route to the cabin is downhill, which propels me down even faster. I watch the ground beneath my feet, checking for trip hazards. It’s like everything is in slow motion. When I get to the cabin, I don’t even stop to look into the window to see what’s going on. I just barge right in through the door, scanning quickly for threats like I was taught to do in the military, only in extreme emergencies.
And when I look to my right, toward the kitchen, I see instantly what kind of emergency I’m dealing with.
‘Well, well,’ says Chris, still pointing the pistol at Addison’s head, but turning to look at me. ‘If it isn’t husband dearest.’
I’ve seen a picture of Chris before. Violet showed me one she’d printed off his Facebook page a good while ago, but he looks different now. I’ve seen enough drug addicts in my time to know that he’s a user. And by the looks of things, he’s in need of his next hit about now too. The pale, clammy skin. The circles under his eyes. The shaking. A man in this kind of state is capable of just about anything.
