“Don’t act like you’re responsible for this girl in any way, shape, or form, other than a small contribution of semen.”
My mouth gapes open at Tess’ boldness—she’s usually, um, way more WASP-y than this.
Tess moves between me and Justin again, pointing at the door with a shaking hand.
“Get out,” she snarls, but Justin isn’t afraid of her. That much is clear. He puts his hands back in the pockets of his slacks.
“Tess, don’t be like this. I won’t want things to get ugly, but Mia is my daughter, too.” His voice takes on this cold, domineering tint, so at odds with his appearance. The two of them stare at each other, close enough to touch.
There’s a disturbing level of tension between them.
“How did you react when you first found your child after fourteen fucking years? I’m sure you wept and shook, kissed her forehead, held her close.” Justin reaches out like he’s going to tuck a loose strand of Tess’ hair behind an ear. Her hair was perfect when she got up this morning, but all her flailing around just now has knocked some of that carefully arranged hair loose.
She knocks his hand away.
“I’m taking her out for a few hours. Just a few. I’ll bring her right back.”
Tess lets out this high, quaking laugh. It’s hysterical, is what it is.
“You’re not taking my goddamn baby anywhere,” she snarls right back at him, and I’m stunned by the deeply protective note to her voice. I know I shouldn’t be, considering her crazy coddling and keeping tabs on me and all that, but … wow. It sounds like she’d quite literally kill to keep me safe.
My throat tightens up.
She loves me, I think. Even if she doesn’t like me.
She really would die for me, right then and there, I’m sure of it suddenly. As sure as I know the sun will rise tomorrow. Damn it, Tess.
“What do you think, Dakota?” Justin asks, turning to me.
God. Damn it.
I exhale sharply, squeezing Chasm’s wrist for support. I haven’t let go of him this entire time; he’s anchoring me to reality. His smell is soothing away some of my violent, crippling anxiety.
Focus, for Parrish. For Parrish. Anything for Parrish.
“I … I’ve never had a father,” I admit, lifting my right palm up and out in a placating gesture. Tess’ eyes go wide as she snaps her gaze back to me, like I’ve betrayed her somehow. She immediately switches that expression to one of terrible fear and desperation.
“Dakota, before you even think about going with this man, we need to talk.”
“Oh, come off it, Tess. Harping about he-said, she-said bullshit from fourteen years ago is not going to help our daughter. You heard her: she’s never had a father.” There’s an unspoken implication in his words, and it’s exactly this: she may never have had a father, but she did have a mother. Ouch. “Don’t stand in the way of a man and his child.”
“I said no. Last chance to leave before I call the police,” Tess says, her voice wicked cold. “Get out.”
Justin takes a few steps back and then carefully peeks out the window beside the front door.
“Like those police out there?” he asks, turning back to her. “How do you think I got in the front gate? Things are about to change in Medina, Tess. You forget: I was born and raised here. You were invited.”
“Alright, I’ve had it,” she says, taking her phone from her pocket. She turns back to me and Chasm. “Go upstairs and lock yourselves in a bedroom.”
“Don’t be dramatic,” Justin chides gently, his voice absolutely patronizing. He doesn’t even acknowledge Paul’s existence as the other man moves up beside his wife, his face reddened with anger. “And here I was, ready to offer you a way to save your missing son.”
My heart breaks in half as my attention flicks over to Chasm. He catches my gaze before turning back to Justin. Did he … did he really just admit to kidnapping Parrish?!
“Don’t you dare bring up my son,” Tess whispers, her voice dark with rage. “Don’t you fucking dare.”
“Tess, calm down for a minute,” Justin offers patiently. But like, when has one person ever told another to ‘calm down’ and not intended to be an asshole. I’m still stuck standing here in total disbelief.
“What the hell is he doing?” Chasm grates out, pulling me just a little closer to him. I want so badly to just turn and hug him right now. I feel like I could use a hug. A real one, not one where it feels like a man is trying to choke the life out of me.
“You know that I’ve been working on my facial recognition software since high school.” He gives her a charming smile to go with the memory. “Well, we’re gearing up for a big launch. This product is going to change the world.” He gestures with a hand, sliding his palm through the air like he’s imagining his name in lights. “We even turned down an offer from the US military.” He gives Tess a look, his hand still lifted up in the air. “My company would like to offer to track Parrish Vanguard, free of charge. We can search traffic cams for his face, gas station surveillance cams, even the dark web. If there’s footage of your son out there, we’ll find it. We’ll find him.”
