Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 142764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
“The first woman he poisoned was your mom. She knew she was in trouble and ran. And that poisoning stayed with her, making her sicker and sicker over the years.”
I gulp, hot tears building and falling down my cheeks. But I’m focused on Seb now. “You knew?”
“It’s not his fault. I asked him not to say anything until we could figure out a plan. Sebastian’s private investigator is the one who uncovered the information, mostly from your mom’s doctor. Please don’t blame him. It’s my fault. I asked him to keep it a secret until we knew everything.”
I gulp and swallow my rage down. I sure as hell can be mad at him, but I’ll wait until we get home to discuss it with him. Like Drew, he didn’t trust me with his plan. Neither of them did. Because they think I would have ruined it? Or because they thought they were protecting me? I don’t know.
Drew’s dad coughs up more blood. “Just finish it if that’s what you’re going to do. If you…” He coughs again. “Just want to talk me to death, this entire event is going to take fucking forever.”
Drew walks over and kicks him hard in the ribs, spraying blood in an arc out of his father’s mouth. His eyes flutter closed, and Drew kneels. “You don’t get to die yet. Not until we say you do. We aren’t done getting our answers.”
Victoria places her hand gently on the back of Drew’s neck, and for a heartbeat, I see the broken boy in his face. The one who only wanted one parent to love—actually love and care for him.
I wrap my arms around my legs and hunker further into myself. How did I get here? This feels like a nightmare none of us will ever wake up from. I’m in a fucking wedding dress, for fuck’s sake.
Victoria resettles her feet to keep her balance, and Dr. Brooks is right there at her side, clutching her close, keeping her upright. And when her arm droops with the weight of the gun, he lines his own up with hers and helps her carry that weight too.
I bet he got to know the plan. Then almost instantly I scold myself for being a child. This is life and death, actually life and death. It’s not that he didn’t trust me. He needed things to go off perfectly, and with me knowing, it was one more variable to manage.
Another wave of nausea rolls through me. I might still be mad about the drugs, though.
I breathe deep and then regret it with the scent of iron heavy in the air. How is Drew’s dad still alive after being shot twice?
Victoria steps closer, and Drew’s dad slowly, so fucking slowly, pushes off the floor and stands. Blood smears down the front of his white shirt, and across his mouth and cheeks. It would almost be admirable if the man wasn't possessed by a demon or something right now.
“Any last parting words, Bel or Sebastian?”
I shake my head instantly. Funny how hours ago, I considered convincing Drew not to go through with his plan to murder his father. Now I couldn’t care less what happens to this man. He’s the reason my mother suffered up until the day of her death.
He deserves everything he’s about to get and more.
Sebastian clears his throat. “Why would I have anything to say to him?”
“Don’t play coy. You know the truth. No matter how deep you dig the hole to bury your secrets, they’ll eventually be unearthed. The answers you seek are right here. I thought I’d give you the courtesy he never did with your mom, and let you say whatever last parting words you might want to before I kill your father.”
35
DREW
Father? I’m not sure my brain is comprehending my mother’s words. Everyone appears to be wearing the same shocked expression. Holy shit. We miscalculated all of this. In a few ways, I myself feel duped, but I’m grateful to have my mom at my side and to finally end this once and for all.
I glance at Bel and notice the burning rage in her eyes. She’s glaring at Sebastian like she wants to rip him apart, piece by piece.
“What the fuck, Sebastian! I knew you were hiding stuff, trying to protect me, but this is a pretty big thing.”
He exhales through his nose, a flash of guilt in his eyes. “We can have this conversation after we take the trash out. I’m not talking about it right now.”
“Sebastian,” I whisper. “Give her something here.”
He flicks his cold eyes to mine. “Like you always do?”
She lets out a sigh of defeat. “When this is over, we will be talking about this.”
Sebastian growls low in his throat, the tone sheer frustration. “Our mother and Drew’s whatever he is now were set up in an arranged marriage. I was the result of said marriage. Once I was born, she started planning her escape. During that time, she met someone new, got pregnant with you and made a deal with my grandfather—our grandfather—to trade me to him in exchange for her being able to run without being hunted, for her to disappear with you.”