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Valerie sneers. “You’re a pig.”
I open my mouth wide, showing my chewed food to her. Her face twists into a scowl.
“Eric. Stop that. And go shower. Your father will be home soon, and I’d like us to have a proper family meal.”
I open my mouth to argue that Keith isn’t my father but think better of it. He always insists that I think of him as such, and I don’t want to hurt my mother’s feelings. Besides, he’s far better than my old man, who doesn’t give a fuck if I’m dead or alive. He writes a fat check every month, and that’s the extent of his fatherly duties. He’s too busy being a shark on Wall Street, after all.
On my way to the stairs, I glance at Valerie again. She’s staring at me in a peculiar way, almost as if she wants to tell me something but can’t.
“Val, dear, would you like a cookie?” Mom asks, drawing her attention.
“Sure.”
I shake my head. I must be imagining things. I decide then that I’m going on a recon mission after dinner. Maybe I can catch someone up to no good. It’d be fun if I got to wear my Santa mask again. That’d set the town in a panic. A serial killer who strikes only around Christmastime. I chuckle. Now that’s what I call a jolly idea.
* * *
VALERIE
Dinner was painful. Eric sat across from me and stared at me the entire time. I had to pretend I didn’t notice his searing gaze, especially in front of Theresa. Ever since she found out I screwed her son, she’s been watching us like a hawk. She never told me how she found out, but my father remains in the dark.
Thankfully, dinner is over, and I can hide in the safety of my room—that is if Eric doesn’t decide to sneak in to torture me more. I lie in bed and hope he’ll come, but when it gets late and he doesn’t show up, I’m disappointed.What did you expect, Valerie? You put him in the icebox for a year.
I should try to get some sleep, but the sound of a door opening in the hallway makes me alert. I don’t hear footsteps, so whoever is out there is trying to be stealthy. My heart skips a beat, thinking that it’s Eric finally coming here, but my door never opens. What the hell!
I get out of bed and, on soft feet, walk to my door. There’s no one in the hallway now, which means they already made it downstairs. I’m almost certain Eric’s the one sneaking around the house this late. I put on my fuzzy slippers and go down. Thanks to all the Christmas lights, I can see where I’m going without needing to turn on the main lights. There’s no one in the kitchen—I thought perhaps he came down for a midnight snack. But then I notice light pouring through the cracks of the garage door.
He's sneaking out!
Maybe he’s going to meet a hookup. Jealousy makes me see red. I know it’s crazy. Eric isn’t my boyfriend, but hell, the idea that he might have someone in town makes me sick to my stomach. I march to the door and open it wide just in time to see Eric steering his bicycle toward the garage side door.
He’s dressed to go out in his puffy black coat, beanie, and scarf. He freezes and looks at me. “Valerie, what are you doing down here?”
I close the inner house door behind me and walk over. “Where are you going at this hour?”
A flash of guilt shines in his eyes, but he recovers fast and narrows them. “None of your business,sis. Go back to bed.”
“I’m not your sister, jackass,” I hiss. “And I’m not going to bed unless you come with me.”
His eyes widen, then a slow grin unfurls on his lips. “Is that an invitation?”
Fuck. I misspoke. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
He props his bike against the wall and shortens the distance between us. I try to escape, but he’s faster and pushes me against the storage unit behind me, resting his hands on either side of my head, effectively caging me in.
“Don’t lie to me, kitty cat. Why did you follow me out here?”
“I want to know where you’re going at this hour. Are you meeting someone?”
He chuckles. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous,” I snap.
He grabs my chin roughly. “You’re such a little liar. Tell me the truth.”
I don’t answer right away, but his eyes never stray from mine. He’s trying to read my mind. My heart is beating savagely inside my rib cage, anticipating an attack of the best kind. If Eric doesn’t kiss me now, I might die. But I won’t initiate it this time. I did that once. If he wants me, he needs to claim me.
“You’ll have to pry the truth from me.”
