Page 242 of The Art of Almost Losing It
“He’s right. I am just like Dad,” I say quietly.
“No.” Grayson grabs me.
“I hit her.”
“What?” Grayson says slowly.
“In the face. There’s a big bruise on her face. I must have—in Switzerland.” I look up at him through the tears in my eyes. “I hurt her. I know that. I know I’m a bad person. I know it’s for the best that I never see her again. But I don’t want to be by myself. I’ve always been around at least one of you every day. I’ll miss you.”
“I knew you all were going to cover for each other—”
Connor jumps up. “It’s the FBI! I’ll distract them—get Graham out of here.”
“Fuck, it’s just Frank.” Spencer moves toward my stepfather.
“Are you here to arrest me?” I stand up and try to get around Grayson, who’s blocking me from Frank.
“Not yet—if you make this easy”—his voice drops—“and tell me what you did with Dani.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt her. You saw her,” I tell him. “She was out with me. I wasn’t trying to lock her up. She wanted to be my girlfriend.”
“Save the bullshit for the mirror,” Frank barks.
“I know I scared her. I know I did something bad. I know I’m a bad person.” I hold out my wrists. “I’ll go to jail willingly.”
“No, he won’t.” Grayson slaps my hands down.
“I don’t actually technically work for the FBI right now,” Frank says bluntly, “and I’m worried you’re about to give your mother a heart attack. So I haven’t gone to them. Yet. So I’m asking you again. What did you do with Dani?”
I’m confused. “What do you mean? I told you.”
“She’s missing, Graham!” Frank roars at me. “She’s missing. Stop being an asshole and tell me where she is, or I am just going to hand this over to the FBI, and maybe they’ll torture it out of you. What did you do with Dani?”
“Wait—she’s missing?” I choke out.
Missing. Missing.
The word bangs in my head.
“Yes, where is she?” Frank demands. “She left Claire and Ryan’s at 6:57 p.m. Now it’s eight. She’s not at her parents’ house. Claire’s been trying to reach her.”
My heart starts hammering.
“Her parents don’t know? What about Piper?” I ask in a rush.
“They don’t know, but you do.”
“No, I don’t.” I shake my head. “I’ve been here with my brothers.”
“You had to have something to do with it,” Frank says, but now he sounds uncertain. “She said she went to the office to work, but when I went by there, the security guard said he didn’t see her at her desk when he made his rounds. Didn’t see her dog or any of her stuff either.”
“The security guard…” I frown. “Where’s Kraig?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to him in days. I know you did something to Kraig, though.” He takes a threatening step toward me.
“Kraig is after Dani. Kraig is the one who took her!” I explode.
Frank matches my energy. “Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare smear my son with that bullshit. You’re trying to put blame on my son when you’re the monster.”
