Gabriel might’ve been the one who manhandled her into place, but I clamped the restraints shut. I pushed the ball gag into her mouth.
I told Claudia everything she needed to know to kill this girl’s father.
I have no love for Daphne. She’s tormented me since grade school. And everything I read suggests her father is a complete scumbag. The world won’t miss him.
But… I lost my dad.
I know the pain that cuts open your chest and twists into your heart. I know that grief is endlessly bleeding through that open wound, and you walk around trying to act normal with a fuck-off big gaping hole in your chest. Eventually, you get so good at pretending that people stop seeing your blood and guts spilling all over the floor, but the hole is still there. Always.
I don’t know if I can live with carving that same hole into someone else’s heart.
“Get out of my face, bitch.” Daphne switches tactics, going from sniveling victim to bitch princess.
“Manners, Daphne.” Claws strokes a nail along her cheek. “We’re not here to hurt you. We just want to have a little chat about your father.”
“My father?” Daphne’s jaw sets. “What does he have to do with anything? He’s dead.”
“That’s not true, is it?” Claudia crosses the room and throws an arm around my shoulders, pulling me in close so I can smell her heady perfume. She’s wearing something of Ainsley Malloy’s tonight – some vanilla and floral scent that reminds me of Mackenzie wafting past me in the halls before she slammed me into a locker. “You see, George here has learned that your old man is very much alive.”
Daphne glares at me. “I never thought a goody-goody freak like you would do something like this.”
I swallow. I never thought so, either. I don’t say anything. If I open my mouth, I’m going to scream.
“You know I’m going to sue you when I get out of here, George Fisher. Your poor freak hippie mother won’t have a single thing left by the time I’m done.”
Claudia tsks. She slides the hem of her dress over her thigh in a slow, languid motion that makes Gabe moan. From the leather sheath strapped to her thigh, she draws a thin, silver blade. Claudia turns the point on the pad of her finger, drawing a droplet of crimson blood. “If you want to make it out of this room alive, insulting my best friend is not the greatest way to start.”
Daphne’s eyes widen as she watches the knife. Her whole body goes rigid. Claudia stands and crosses the room again. Blood rushes in my ears. Claudia bends over her captive. I taste acid in my mouth. I want to scream, to hurl myself across the room and stop this, but I’m frozen in place.
Why don’t Gabe or Noah stop her?
Noah stands behind Claudia, beefy arms crossed over his chest. He peers down the cross, dark eyes narrowed with hunger. Gabe lies across the bed, chin resting in his hands, gazing up at Claudia like she’s a goddess come to life.
They won’t stop her.
Gabe’s words thrum against my skull.If you want to escape Emerald Beach and the Triumvirate, your window is closing fast.
Claudia leans over and draws the flat of the blade across Daphne’s naked skin. Daphne’s eyes shudder closed. Claudia hums to herself as she winds Daphne’s long, perfect hair around her wrist, pulling it taut until fresh tears stream from Daphne’s eyes.
Your father owes money to people I know,” Claudia says.
“Newsflash, you psycho,” Daphne hisses. “Tell me something I don’t know. He owes a lot of people money. Why do you think he… he offed himself.”
“Still lying, I see.” Claudia yanks Daphne’s hair, tipping her head back and stretching her long neck. Daphne whimpers as Claudia swipes above her fist. Clumps of Daphne’s hair tumble to the floor. “All we want is a location so we can go and collect on his debts. That’s not too much to ask, is it? Now, answer the question, or the next swipe will take one of your pretty little fingers.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Daphne spits.
“Wouldn’t I?” Claudia grabs her wrist, flattening her hand against the edge of the cross. Daphne’s jaw works as she stubbornly and stupidly remains silent. She still thinks Claudia is bluffing.
Claudia swings her arm. A half-circle of blood splatters the wall.
Daphne screams.
And screams.
And screams.
A bloody finger joins the clumps of hair on the rug.
