Because he will never, ever let me go.
“Because of the things she did—because of the things they all did, this whole accursed town—I lost your mother. And then she lost you. They owe me fourteen years of poverty and struggle, of misery and longing. They owe me a company and all of the research and money that went with it. They owe me a reputation and a social life.” He reaches out to cup my face again, stroking his finger along the length of my jaw as I shudder beneath his touch. His hand his warm, his touch gentle and kind, but there’s a quiet menace to it that penetrates deep into my very soul. “Mostly, they owe me fourteen years with my beautiful daughter, years that I can never, ever get back.” He drops his hand and smiles again, back to his cheerful self. “Fourteen years, fourteen victims, on the fourteenth day of Parrish Vanguard’s disappearance. Poignant. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my new life.”
Start?
Did he just say start?
“So … you’re going to kill more people then?” I whisper, hating myself for not sounding stronger, but unable to cope with even one more item on my already overflowing plate.
Justin’s smile turns into a rictus grin.
“No, princess: you are.”
And that … that’s what I’ve been afraid of all along.
Tess is waiting just inside the door when I get home, pacing the floor in a navy-blue pantsuit with a pale pink dress shirt underneath. She stops as soon as I step inside, Justin pausing just beyond the threshold.
I glance back just in time to see a sly smile spread across his face.
“We’ve made an incredible daughter together, don’t you think?” Justin asks, about two seconds before Maxx and Chasm appear on the staircase together. He looks up at them, beaming like the psychopath he very clearly is. “Hello, Kwang-seon. I’m assuming you’re coming to my party on Friday?”
“Uhhhh,” is Chasm’s response as he narrows his amber eyes at Justin, his left hand curling around one of the metal bars that lines the staircase, the jail cell reminiscent bars. “My dad mentioned something today …”
“And Maxx Wright.” Justin turns to him as Tess stands there in stony silence, seething and crossing her arms over her chest. “Dakota mentioned you kept her up all night last night.” He laughs as my cheeks go red and Tess squinches up her face for a second. “You really shouldn’t play games until sunrise.” Justin turns to look at Tess. “Video games can be fun, but they shouldn’t be a teenager’s primary source of entertainment.”
“Are you finished lecturing me in my own home? Goodbye, Justin.” Tess moves to slam the door in his face, and he stops it with his palm.
“Actually, I’m not. Until we arrive at a date for the custody hearing, I do have temporary full custody.” Justin gestures loosely at me, and I exhale, tucking some black hair behind my ear. This is gonna suck some serious donkey balls. “While I’m not the sort of monster who separates a child from her family, I do want some parenting time. What do you think, Dakota? After school tomorrow?”
I force a smile. Oh, there we go. I’m forcing smiles again. Lucky me.
“That sounds great,” I grind out between my teeth.
“You think that’s how it’s going to be?” Tess says, her voice a low, dark, frightening thing. “You dictate to me when you get our daughter, and I just say ‘yes, sir’?”
“If you would, that’d be lovely,” Justin agrees with an almost believable level of seriousness. “Or I could just take her now and you can wait for the hearing?”
Tess’ entire body ripples with rage. The worst kind, too, the cold kind that fills you to the brim, demanding an outlet when there isn’t one. If Tess attacks Justin, then she’s essentially throwing in the towel on her custody hearing.
“Fine. Tomorrow. But only for a few hours.” She tries to shut the door but once again, Justin is stepping forward, putting his shoe between it and the doorjamb.
“I’ll be taking Dakota on Friday as well. Seamus has been kind enough to offer me the use of his home for the hosting of Milk Carton’s official launch party. But don’t worry, I’ll have her home by midnight, like a proper little princess.” Justin winks at me again. “Enjoy the rest of your afternoon, honey.” He points at me. “And don’t stay up all night with Maxx again.” With another laugh, he turns and heads for the limo where Raúl is waiting.
“Excuse me. Seamus is hosting the party?” Tess snaps out, but Justin ignores her, sauntering off with a little wave. “You bastard.”
Tess slams the door so hard that I jump. Maxx and Chasm wait silently on the staircase, exchanging a knowing look between them. I’m glad to see Chas here but like, I’m also nervous as hell.
