“I know. Technically, the kid is Finn’s, but that’s splitting hairs. Look, I just came to say goodbye. Runo and I had the same goal, so this isn’t just a goodbye to you but to this life.”
“Your goal?”
I nodded, my grin softening, but the thrill pulsed through me, a dark heat. “Yes, you suffering. A goal that’s now accomplished. However, Runo did say this night was mine; excuse me.”
I patted the table and stood, ready to take on my new life. I waited for Dad to scream more or tell me that I couldn’t leave him again. I even had the speech ready, falling into it without him even prompting it. “It’s going to be fun leaving you here. You see, Tyrone was really adamant that he thought it was me and my men. I couldn’t have that, and unlike you, I’ve been collecting information for years, piling it up to save my ass should it ever come to it. And now Tyrone was wholly convinced that it was you, and it’s overshadowed everything about the Three Terrors. I wanted to keep playing, and so I offed him like I did the rest. You needed something to keep you in your seat, and now you’re behind bars. Primrose is now in shambles, confused, unsure of what to believe and I’m free to go cause chaos somewhere else.”
Dad leaned back in his chair, his shoulders falling in defeat. I waited for those last words of his to give me satisfaction but instead, I realized I had missed something.
A slow, sinister smile spread across his lips as he met my eyes, triumph flooding his features. “You definitely played to win, Runo. I thought I had you but damn. Good game, son. Good game.”
My smile disappeared as horror flooded my expression, a quick knock on the door bringing Hanson back to retrieve me. I dashed toward the front door, not even waiting for the right protocol before stuffing myself into my car, confused and terrified.
I’d won, but his words suggested he’d been pulling strings too, and the realization chilled me as I walked out, leaving him cuffed and broken.
In the end, though, he was still behind those bars and I would make sure he stayed there. It didn’t feel right that he had been playing me the way I had been playing him. But it made sense. I couldn’t have gotten all my crazy from Mom. I hated it but I wasn't going to dwell on it. I wanted nothing to do with the man after tonight, I wouldn't ever have to see him again. But, he wasn’t wrong. It had been a good game. And I had won. I just wish Mom had been around to see it.
EPILOGUE 2
JADE
Three Years Later
“Call him.”
I shook my head as I stared at my adorable three-year-old terrorizing her stepfather. He was just trying to play nice but Echo was having more fun cackling every time she jammed a play knife into his leg. My man had a plethora of bruises from her heavy hands and her taunts, even though childish, reminding me of a man I wish I could forget.
A man who had me wrapped up so far in his darkness that all I wanted to do was hang off his every word. Having left that world, I could see how big of a mistake it was to be anywhere near him.
Finn.
Just the thought of that bastard was laughable.
He used me and then was going to kill me when I became useless.
Just like he fucking killed his own boyfriend. Allegedly.
“Jade, honey,call him,” my mother urged as she sat down beside me. She pulled me into her side and I rested my head on her shoulder, too tired to do anything else. I thought having this child and starting a new life would be the relief I needed.
It hadn’t been.
Every single waking moment with Echo reminded me of Finn. Well,Runo, I guessed.
Even down to those mismatched eyes Killian had had and the darkness beneath her smile. I’m not even sure how I could tell but I knew she was just as evil and warped as her father. The doctors hadn’t mentioned anything and her psychiatrist thought I was overreacting, mostly because I hadn’t explained who her father was. I’d been told HMD and DMD were just myths, that they meant nothing.
All they saw was an adorable little girl who was just a bit rough.
“Fuck!”
I refocused my attention on my husband and sighed, regret flooding my chest. He was holding Echo at arms’ length, a welt along the length of his calf. He shook her a little bit, his lip starting to curl up in disgust before I rescued her. I might be terrified of what she represented but that didn’t mean I didn’t love her.
“I’ll take her, Nathan. You go check on Riley, okay?” I held my breath, hoping and praying that Nathan would just march off into the baby’s room and stay there for a bit. The only reason Nathan stayed was because of our 3-month-old son. Echo hadn’t even really met him yet because she was too rough. She had no remorse and even when she said sorry? It was like it was just a word to her.
I felt like I’m raising a fucking psychopath.
Nathan dragged a hand down his face and then nodded. “Babe, I know you love Echo and I’ve tried but we’re going tohave to fucking talk soon. Kindergarten & Pre-K starts this fall and no school will take her. You sure as hell aren’t fucking homeschooling her.”
Echo leaned her head on my shoulder, fingering some of my hair strands. I tightened my hold on her, trying to find the right words. “We’ll… figure it out. I got her.” Nathan didn’t even kiss me as he slipped down the hall, leaving me with my mother and Echo.
