Page 34 of The Villains We Make

“Did they know when she died?”

He shakes his head.

“You didn’t tell them? You didn’t tell her father that she had died?”

“I couldn’t, Phee. I couldn’t let them take you away from me.”

“But you’re my father. They couldn’t take me away.”

“You don’t understand the amount of money and power we’re talking about, sweetheart. If Gordon knew where you were, if he knew you were the last link to his daughter, he’d have done anything to get you back, especially with Claire gone.”

“Dad, the fire. Did you say you were responsible to save Silas? You wouldn’t have…”

He sighs, closes his eyes. It takes him a long minute to open them again. “Silas didn’t set that fire, sweetheart. He wouldn’t hurt you like that.”

That takes me as long to process. “But you would?”

He looks helpless and a little sick.

“I don’t understand any of this.” I stand up, wipe the fresh tears.

A knock comes on the door and a police officer peers inside. “One minute. We’ll begin transfer protocols then.”

Dad nods, but his eyes are on me.

“Phee,” he starts, reaching out a hand to capture mine. I try to pull it away, but he holds on. “I know this is hard to take in, but I was doing what I thought was best for you. You don’t know them. You don’t know what they’re like.”

“You should have told me. You should have told me a long time ago.”

“I know. I know. And if you never believe anything else I say, believe this. I love you and I think Silas loves you. I think he has for a long time. Even if you don’t trust me, trust him. Please. Let him keep you safe. And stay away from the Carlisle-Bents. If Gordon is truly dying, Chandler will be dangerous for you. More dangerous than the Foxes ever were.”

Without knocking, the officer re-enters the room and holds the door open.

“Miss.” He gestures to let me know it’s time to go.

I’m glad because I’m ready to leave here.

I turn, but my dad squeezes my hand and tugs me back toward him. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m so sorry I hurt you. I love you more than anything in this world and I will do anything to protect you, always.”

I sniffle, unable to hold back my tears, unable to hug my father or reassure him. Unable to believe him. Because any trust we had is gone. Whatever his reasons, I no longer know what was true, what was a lie, what is true now, what is a lie now. Those stories he’d tell me about Mom, were they real or were they made up? Did she love him? Did she run away with him? Or is it like the papers said? Did he kidnap her?

No. I don’t believe that last part. But the rest of it, I no longer know.

So, when the officer clears his throat, I turn and walk out the door without saying goodbye to my father. Without giving him any reassurances because they would be false if I did.

12

OPHELIA

Itry to ignore the officer riding in the elevator with me. I guess he’s stationed there until they get my dad back to prison. Mr. Higgins stayed upstairs, and I’m glad for that.

It’s true. What Ethan and Sly told me about my grandfather and uncle, it’s all true. How has Dad kept all this from me for so long?

It explains some things, though. Or at least forces me to see them from a different perspective. How protective he’s always been of me. Why I was never allowed to get even a summer job once I was old enough, never allowed to have friends over and going to friends’ houses was such a rare treat. With Mom being gone, I thought he was just afraid to lose me, too.

The elevator doors slide open in the lobby, which is busy with activity. Hamish pushes off the wall he’s leaning against. His jaw is set tight, his narrowed eyes boring into me. Without a word, he lets me know he’s pissed but honestly, I don’t care.

I walk past him and toward the exit doors. He follows close behind. An ambulance pulls up to the curb, lights flashing, sirens blaring. Staff runs toward the entrance, and we get out of the way as they unload a gurney from the back of the ambulance and wheel the patient away.

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