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And they hated his son.
Oh God.
“Is that…” I swallow. “Is that why you have a bike now?”
“Yes.”
“And the motel. Is that why you’re staying there instead of the manor?”
“Yes.”
“Because your dad took out a restraining order on you,” I say. “That’s why you haven’t been home in two years. Two years, two months and…”
Wait.
Justwait.
Is that a coincidence?
That everything in his life exploded almostexactlywhen it exploded in mine.
A chill runs through my body then.
Is it a coincidence?
“Interrogation’s over now. You —”
“No,” I tell him with determination, with dread. “Tell me if there’s a connection.”
“Echo —”
“Tell me if what I did is somehow connected to what your father did.” I swallow brokenly. “To you.”
“No.”
It’s a lie. It’s a fucking lie.
I know it.
I dig my nails in his heated biceps. “Just tell me the truth. I just want to know the truth.”
Please, please tell me.
I beg him with my eyes. With every breath I take.
With my whole body.
And I know when he gives in. His chest shudders with his own gusty breaths and his fingers loosen from around my wrists. “When I heard about what happened at the manor, about you being arrested, I…” He clenches his teeth, as if refusing to talk about it even now. But then, he goes on, “I wanted him to take back the charges. I wanted him to punish me instead. Because I was responsible for whatever you’d done. And so I offered myself up. And he accepted. Kicked me out of his will, disowned me, told me to stay the fuck away and all that crap.”
His eyes flash and flicker with his fury, with memories. “I thought if he took it out on me, he’d forget about you. He’d forget whatever he’d planned for you. But I guess I underestimated him. I underestimated how much hehatedme. Because he didn’t leave you alone after all, did he? He sent you to St. Mary’s. And he did that because he knew how much I didn’t want him to. He did it because he knew how important it was to me that you remain,” another clench of his teeth, “safe.”
Safe.
He wanted to keep mesafe. He wanted to protect me even back then.
So it was him then.
Nothis father.
