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“No.” The word comes out of my mouth so fast and firm, it should slam shut any door he’s trying to pry open.
“Now, hold on,” Jack says with a sigh. “Heismy son.”
I grit my teeth, to keep from challenging him on that, since it’d only put Curty at risk. “I know what you do to your sons, given enough time,” I thunder at him. “No, thanks.”
“Even if I’m taking everyone to Disneyland?” There’s a smile in Jack’s voice. An unsettling one. “Curtus will be made to feel upset if everyone goes except him.”
It’s a threat, and he doesn’t bother to veil it. He’s going to force my hand, but for what purpose?
I take my phone from my ear and stare at it. “What the fuck game are you playing? Switching them from your diet of deprivation to Disneyland? Why the hell would you do something like that?”
“I have my reasons.” He’s clearly having fun, toying with me.
“No,” I say again, already well aware of the intentional disparities between Jack’s younger sons and how he’s already setting them against each other, making them vie for his attention, so he can lure them in, and then break them. “No going out of town.”
“Unless you come too,” he says and clears his throat. “To supervise. That’s the deal, according to my lawyers, who have thoroughly read through our formal custody agreement and think it would be callous on your part, to exclude your child from such a joyous family occasion.”
“Motherfucker.”
“Technically, I am. Yes.”
I just know he’s grinning from ear to ear.
“I fucked you right into motherhood, as I recall,” he says in a snide tone. “I’m sure you’ll find a trip to Disneyland less involved — unless you refuse to comply. Do you need reminding of the strings I can pull?”
My spine snaps straight. “No.”
“Mmm… That sounds like your favorite word today, Kira. I remember you saying it a lot on our wedding night, too. To please me, I believe. Such a pleasant memory.”
“This is harassment.”
“Or is it a fond reminder of how our relationship works?” he asks with a yawn. “I’m bored now, but I look forward to seeing you in Anaheim. I’m hiring out a whole floor of my friend’s hotel. He’s done a specific renovation for me, as a birthday gift. Every room can be entered from the one next door, and I can walk a whole lap of the floor, going through the rooms instead of the hallway, seeing everyone I want to along the way with my master key, and having maximum freedom of movement.”
My blood starts turning cold.
“Imagine being free to move wherever you please, Kira? I will be takingallmy sons for the celebration, so you may have to be very wary about where you step. I’ll request Quintus’s room to be as close to yours as ten feet will allow. That should be suitably inconvenient for my two favorite little rebels. We’re all going to have so much fun. See you, then.”
I call back immediately. Over and over. Until I send a text message, to say he’s being negligent when I’m trying to contact him regarding his son. He calls back then and sighs loudly in my ear. “Speaking of harassment… Trying to beat me at my own game?”
“Messing with people’s lives isn’t a game, you sick fuck. And you arenotgoing to have fun. I will go out of my way, to make sure you have the most miserable birthday you’ve ever fucking had.”
“I doubt I’ll let you do that, but if you need gift ideas, you might consider giving up your resistance and leaning in to the festivities, Kira,” he says. “Would you ever bless me with such a gift? Your broken will, on a platter? Or will you fight me forever?”
The line is silent, as if he expects an actual answer, and I smile. “It was weak of you to tell me that’s what you want,sweetling,” I say before hanging up again. I stare at my phone, imagining his will shattered under my feet.
Then I hear a ringing outside, and I lunge toward the window, anothernospilling from my lips.
Lucius hands his phone to Curty before Quin can connect the dots. He’s too busy looking at me, reaching out the window to rip away the phone I can’t reach.
He drops the lumber he’s carrying and rushes to Curty, gesturing for the phone. Our son hands it to him without question, but from the look on his face, the damage is already done.
Curty starts jumping up and down, whooping like crazy. “We’re all going toDisneyland.”
Fuck. Once you tell a kid that, it’s a done deal. I’ll be the monster if I manage to find a way out of it now, though that sounds fucking impossible.
Quin looks at the phone and hands it back to Loosh. He puts on a brave smile for Curty and sweeps him up into a hug, but he turns to look back at me, and I know his worried expression is a mirror of mine.
He mouths something to me, and I shake my head. He’ll find out the worst of it, soon enough.
