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“Why are we stopping here?”
“Because that’s the house.” Lukas points to the broken-down cabin a few meters away from the place I lived as a child.
My insides twist as my gaze shifts between the cabin and my house.
Was Rose kept here?
Was there a time she and I lived close to each other?
Before my mind runs wild, fabricating fresh questions that each rip out a piece of my heart, Zach and Beast join us.
Zach points to my father’s property. “What the fuck. Isn’t that the house where we lived in with Dad?”
His words take me back to those happy memories.
“We don’t have time for a meltdown, Zander.” Lukas’s sharp voice pulls me back to now, and my eyes slide to Beast, who’s unlocking the safety on his gun.
“What the fuck are you doing with that?” My lips pinch together.
“I’d be stupid to go unarmed.” He’s already marching toward the rickety cabin.
“Fuck.” Lukas shakes his head in disapproval and runs to catch up with Beast.
When we reach the unkempt porch, Lukas peers through the window before opening the door with his foot. “Roxy?”
A loud shattering noise comes from inside, and we all make a beeline toward the source.
My feet halt at the sight of Roxanne standing in the kitchen, a knife in her hands that’s pointing toward us. I can’t believe she’s the same woman who cared for us all these years.
“Don’t come closer.” She waves the knife around. “You found her, didn’t you, Ash?”
For the first time, I notice how she looks at Beast. The longing. The love simmering through her eyes.
“What lie did she tell you? Did you forget that she left you alone, taking your daughter with her? That fucking bitch!” Roxanne approaches Beast, who stares at her incredulously as if he doesn’t understand what’s happening. “How can you believe her? I stayed with you. I comforted you when you were alone. We raised the boys together. We are a family, Ash.”
A sour taste fills my mouth.
She’s fucking sick.
She places her hand on Beast’s arm, and her touch seems to break his stupor. He grabs Roxy’s throat, crushing it with his big hands.
“Ash!” We jump into action, grabbing him from behind, trying to pull him away from murdering this maniac.
“I’ll kill you, you fucking psycho. You broke my family.” Beast struggles to break free. Fuck, he’s a strong man.
In all the commotion, the knife drops from Roxy’s hand, and Lukas kicks it away. He pulls a zip tie from his pocket and ties Roxy’s hands. After dragging her into the living room, he sits her on a chair and says, “Now you talk, Roxy.”
“You kidnapped my daughter from the hospital!” Beast screams before she can say a word.
Roxy’s face turns pale and sweat trickles down her forehead. “H-how do you know?” She gasps before her gaze shifts from Beast to me. For a brief second, her shoulders curl over her chest, and I catch a glimpse of remorse on her face, but it vanishes as fast as it appeared.
“I never meant to harm her. She was supposed to be our girl, Ash. Yours and mine. But my jackass brother spoiled everything. He got infatuated with your wife when he abducted her. He wanted to bring her back here again. But when I told him about Sophia’s pregnancy, he grew quiet. I thought he’d no longer be a problem. I was wrong.”
She rolls her eyes as if the story she’s telling is nothing but a light neighborly gossip.
“He threatened a nurse and stole your baby from the NICU. I only found out when I came here to see him months later. He’d already inflicted wounds on the girl. I knew he’d gone crazy.”
Beast barks a bitter laugh. “You’re talking about crazy? This whole fucking thing is crazy. I thought you were a friend, but you…you destroyed every fucking thing in my life.” He takes a step forward, toward Roxy, but Lukas intercepts him.
