Page 59

“Why didn’t you help me? Why didn’t you tell me that Jake was my stepbrother?”

“Was?” Kristine asks hesitantly.

“Oh. Yeah. I forgot to mention that we killed him,” I say, smiling at my mother.

She looks horrified. Cash just sits there, his eyes glazed over. I’m not sure if he’s checked out or if he just doesn’t care, but either way, he clearly didn’t hear what I just said.

My mother glances at him, and I assume she’s given up on thinking she had a sliver of a chance of him helping her. He’s completely useless. It’s too bad she didn’t have that revelation sooner.

“Tell me why,” I state again, crossing my arms over my chest.

“I hate you.” Kristine spits.

I rise off the bed and walk over to Attie, touching him on the shoulder.

I pause. “I’ll be right back. Try not to have any fun without me. Okay?”

I leave the room and dart toward the bathroom. I know this house like the back of my hand, along with everything in it. When I reach the bathroom, I crouch in front of the sink and open the cabinet. I pick up the bottle I was looking for and give it a little shake. There’s about a quarter of it left. That should be more than enough.

Perfect.

I jog back to the room and round the bed to be closer to my mother.

“I brought you a gift.” I shake the bottle in front of her face, and she gasps.

I glance at Cash to see if he’s finally paying attention. This time, his eyes are locked on my mother.

“What do you think you’re gonna do with that?” Her tone is jarring, suddenly different from earlier—unwavering and full of attitude.

“You looked parched from all the hatred on your tongue. Here—let me help you.”

I open the bottle and grab my mother’s chin while she attempts to shake her head out of my hand, thrashing her body around as if that will benefit her.

I squeeze and hold tighter as I pour the clear liquid down her throat. She chokes on the offensive-smelling chemical, sputtering and coughing some of it out. I pour until the bottle of bleach is empty. Tightening the lid, I throw the bottle across the room, and it lands in an open dresser drawer.

Cash doesn’t take his eyes off my mom. He’s fully expressionless, booze aging his cracked, leathery face. Sun spots covering him, more prominent now than they were years ago, and black bags sit beneath his cold, dark eyes.

I bring my attention back to my mother when I hear her groaning and convulsing on the bed. Foam pours from the sides of her now-blue lips, and her eyes roll back. She looks possessed or like a rabid animal.

“It’s okay, Mother. Now we’re even.”

I blow her a kiss. “Oh, and if this didn’t make it any clearer—I hate you, too.”

CHAPTER 38

ATTICUS

That’s my Strawberry Girl. I don’t think I could be more proud of her than I am at this moment. She didn’t need me. She handled her mother all on her own. Fuck, she’s so hot.

“Attie?” Lyr pulls me out of my thoughts with her soft and sweet voice.

“Yeah?” I push off the wall next to Cash and stand tall.

“I think it’s time we have a little one-on-one with Cash. Don’t you?”

Cash perks up at the sound of his name.

“Don’t get too excited,” Lyr replies to his abrupt movement.