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“See, Claire,” he starts, reaching into the drawer, “She shouldn’t get both of them. It’s not fair. She doesn’t get to take my girls away. She doesn’t get to leave me. But if she’s sure, then she doesn’t deserve both.”
Fear traps me. I’m pinned, and I can’t move.
He has a fucking gun.
“My wife was always compliant when I pulled this out. Let’s see if it works on you.”
I don’t know why I’m not surprised.
A part of me was expecting it.
He interrupts my scattered thoughts, grabbing my wrist and yanking me to a kitchen chair. I flinch, his fingers digging into the bruise he already caused. “Sorry. Did I do that?”
He pushes me back, and the air whooshes from my lungs.
“You’re a flight risk. Let’s keep you away from doors and household appliances.”
He’s crowding me, arms on either side of the table. The chair is painful as it digs into my skin.
And he has a gun.
What am I supposed to do?
He runs a thumb across my lips.
He erases another touch.
“I dated a woman a long time ago.” His fingers motion circles on my cheek. “She was beautiful like you. You don’t look like her. But she had the brightest blue eyes.” He pokes my nose again. “Like you.”
This madness isn’t even about Jake.
I’m pretty sure that the woman he’s referring to is Jess.
He doesn’t know about me and Jake.
He’s snapped all on his own.
The smell of stale liquor from his breath makes me want to heave. “I’m a man with nothing to lose, Claire, and nothing to gain. I got a call earlier. I thought I had some friends, but apparently, it’s not looking good for me. My job is gone. My family is gone. And I won’t go to prison.”
Oh no.
Did my threat toward my father cause this?
I just need to get Hannah out of here.
“Let Hannah go. She’s innocent, Rob. She’s your daughter.”
He scoffs a humorless laugh, backs away, and grabs the gun from the counter.
I hold my breath for a beat.
And another.
He’s still laughing when he pulls canisters from the cupboard.
Gasoline.
“Rob, no.”
