AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It’s real.
Nervousness bubbles as he approaches us, and I laugh, but it comes out of my mouth in a choked sob.
It’s fear.
I recognize it because I’ve felt it before.
I look at Jake with tears blurring my vision.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
It’s no use. I can’t breathe.
It all makes sense.
“You?” I stutter.
Jake holds his hand out toward him. “If you take another step toward her, I’ll kill you.”
He stops walking, but his eyes don’t leave mine.
It’s unsettling looking at myself.
Seeing what Mama sees.
“You’ve been trying to build a case against Rob and looking for backing from him?” My shoulders shake and I’m not sure if I’m crying or laughing anymore.
I don’t let him answer me. Instead, I take his face in my hands and focus on his eyes. “We’ve been so stupid. There’s a monster protecting a monster.”
“Ms. Marino, that’s enough.”
Hearing the name I no longer use has me spinning back in time, but I don’t scour. I did too much of it.
Head high, I hold his gaze.
Mygaze.
“It’s Russell now, but you already know that.”
He rears back like I’ve punched him.
He knew where I worked, where I was, who I was, all this time.
Sam said the captain was taking the case more seriously because I was involved.
Now I know why.
How heart-warming.
Every word spilling from my mouth feels like poison when I say, “It’s good to see you too, Papa.”
