Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 60576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
She shrugs. “It’s not your fault, you don’t know me. I guess part of me is glad for the time away from that family, even if I am trapped in a basement.”
Gosh, is it that bad?
“That doesn’t sound great,” I flop down onto my bottom.
“It isn’t. Do you think we’re going to get out of here?”
I tuck my knees to my chest and shrug. “I don’t know, I don’t even know what he has planned. All I know is that whatever it is, he is determined to crush my father and in doing that, he is going to crush me.”
“Are you afraid?” Nia asks.
I shake my head. “Of that piece of shit? No.”
She laughs, softly. “He’s a real cry baby when he doesn’t get his own way.”
We both giggle.
“Well, it’s good to know that we might be able to outsmart him,” I say, exhaling.
“I hope so. I’m ready to get out of here, even if I’m not looking forward to going home.”
That bad? I feel for her, knowing that she would rather be trapped in a dirty basement then to go back to her own family. I only experienced her mother for a second, but from what I could tell, she was intense. I thought it was simply a mother desperate to get her child back, but now I’m wondering if it’s so much deeper than that.
“Well, here’s hoping he gives us something to work with. I’ll find a way out of here, no matter what. I promise you that.”
Nia studies me. “You’re really his daughter, the Shadow Butcher?”
I shrug and nod. “Yes, unfortunately. I wish I wasn’t, but there is no changing it now.”
“What was he like, as a father?”
I shift, leaning against the wall beside her. “Believe it or not, he was a great father. I think that’s what makes it worse.”
Nia nods in understanding. “I can only imagine. What do you think it is that breaks in someone so badly that they can murder people yet come home and be good to their families?”
“I wish I knew,” I tell her, honestly. “Until recently, I never saw any kind of mental health issues in my father. If you had asked me back then, I would have said he was the most stable person I knew. Obviously that wasn’t the case.”
“It’s a scary thought.”
She’s right. It is.
The door unlocking has both of our heads turning just in time to see Caleb walking down the stairs, followed by the same two guards. He is smiling, so pleased with himself, like he has already won. He hasn’t, but I’m going to let him think he has for a while longer. It’s his weakness, I’ve already figured that out.
“I see you two have gotten acquainted, wonderful.”
“Get to the point,” I mutter. “Nobody wants to hear you drag on for ten minutes.”
His eyes harden, but I don’t waver. I hold his gaze until he has no choice but to look toward Nia.
Yeah, Caleb has a big weakness, and I’m going to play on it.
“I suppose you are wanting to know my plan,” he crosses his arms.
“Not really,” Nia mutters beside me.
I press my lips together.
Caleb shoots her a glare.
“You might think you’re tough now, but that won’t last long. I’m going to make the both of you wish you ate your words. Spilling your hatred is only fueling my fire.”
God, he’s delusional.
“Are you going to tell us your wicked little plan?” I snap. “You’re already boring me.”
He bares his teeth in a threatening way. “You won’t be so mouthy in prison, girl.”
Prison?
“Oh, cat got your tongue?” he chuckles. “That’s right, I’m sending you to prison, right there beside your father. Nothing in this world would hurt him more than having his little angel locked up, and for the world to think she’s a killer.”
What is he talking about?
“I really wish it didn’t have to come to this, I quite like you, Nia, but you’re just a part of the bigger picture. You see, Mera here is going to prison for the rest of her life for your murder.”
Reality dawns on me.
This sick motherfucker is going to kill Nia and then frame me for it so I’ll go to prison. He’s right, it would kill my father to see me in prison. It kills him that I’m already living in his toxic shadow, let alone adding that to the mix. Killing me wouldn’t be enough, my father could grieve that and move on. No, sending me to prison is the ultimate revenge.
All my father ever wanted was for me to remain the innocent little girl he thought I was.
The one he so desperately tried to create.
“You’re an idiot if you think that will work,” I mutter. “Wolfe has proof, he will find a way to show it was you.”
Caleb grins. “Oh, about that. Wolfe won’t do shit, because he’ll be dead.”