Page 77 of The Pucking Grump

Strummer stands up, ice shards in his eyes. “Britney, is it? I’d rather you leave my house than tell me lies. My daughter and I were on the outs for a couple of months, but I still know her better than you ever will.”

Brit gulps and looks at me for help. I pause, focusing on his sentence. WERE on the outs for a couple of months. Has he reconciled with Faye over the past week? Is she stashed somewhere in this house?

There’s no way to tell. But I’ll make sure my pride doesn’t take the wheel on this one.

“Fine,” Alex spits, eyes darting at me curiously before he continues. “Do you know where she is?”

“Yes.”

That answer almost sends me crashing to the floor in relief. She’s with her father, not some hulking dude I’d have to terminate for touching her. Sure, that has its own problems, but I’ll see her before I start to dwell on that. My eyes, burning from the pain of not sleeping in more than forty-eight hours, lose some of their pressure. Sidestepping Alex, I go straight to him. “Where is she? Here?”

David looks up at me, a coy smile playing at the corner of his lips. “I answered one of your questions. Now, you answer one of mine.”

Damn it, he looks even more punchable up close. “Fine. What is it?”

“What did Faye give you to play along? You know, making a scene in front of the camera after your hockey game? Hell, what did she give you to do this, coming here and pretending you give a shit? I can’t quite figure it out.”

“Why do you care?” Brit sounds disgusted. “You need an explanation for his behavior when you start exposing your own daughter online?”

“I’m not doing anything wrong if I’m telling the truth.” He’s got on his genial smile again. “I know Faye much better than the three of you combined. She’s always had a pathological craving for love and affection. It repels people more than anything. Her fans would know this if they took a second to think. She managed to get this far ahead by convincing them she’s worthy of love. When I know it’s quite the opp?—”

He doesn’t get to say more, because I’ve got both hands clenched around his throat, halfway to squeezing the life out of him. Brit yelps as Strummer tries to beat against my hands, but I barely feel anything. All of the anger and frustration I’ve felt over the past few days is channeling itself through me now, and I’m powerless to stop it.

“You fucking bastard.” I hold on to him tighter with each word. Dimly, I’m aware of the housekeeper screaming in the background and Alex trying to pull me off. “You’ve got no idea where she is, do you? She would never even come to you for help, because she knows what a sadistic fuck you are.”

His red eyes are bulging out of their sockets. “Let . . . me . . . go . . .”

“I’m calling the police!” the housekeeper screams, penetrating my blur of rage. Alex manages to take one of my hands and twist it off him. I let go of the bastard, and he collapses in a heap on his white couch, coughing and gagging.

“I am going to end you,” he screams as he massages his throat, even before he gets to his feet. “I’ve got proof that Faye is lying to her fans again, and I’m going to use it. She’s already halfway helped me by disappearing again. This time, I’m going to permanently put an end to her.”

“She’s your daughter.” I resent Brit for sounding so dignified when all I want to do is throttle him again. Unfortunately, Alex holding me back renders that plan impossible.

“She’s no daughter of mine,” he spits at Brit. “She’s a freaking disappointment who ruined everything good I ever did for her. Who’s trying to damage me for doing my best as a father.”

I wave my free hand in his face, aching to get as close as I can. He wisely backs away, tripping over the couch.

“Do it,” I tell him. “Get your rats to start spreading that rumor about Faye. Hell, release a snippet of this conversation to the world. I’m going to go on my social media accounts and tell the world that I’m in love with Faye. Let’s see who they believe.”

Strummer’s eyes are popping out of their sockets again, this time from genuine shock. “You . . . wouldn’t.” He looks so deeply terrified that it takes a second for me to understand why.

But then, it hits me.

He wasn’t just counting on the idea that Faye was unlovable. He did a hell of a lot of research. He dug enough to learn that I’m averse to romance and have never been in a serious relationship.

His plan did not rest on Faye, but on me. He assumed that once rumors started flying, I’d find a way to extricate myself from the situation.

I hate him even more for thinking that way, but I can’t deny that he was right. Two months ago, before Faye barreled into my life, I would have shuddered at the idea of declaring my love for anyone, even as part of a PR stunt. Hell, a week ago, I would have done the same thing.

But not seeing Faye is driving me crazy. And I’d rather lose everything else than be without her.

“I would.” I can tell Strummer isn’t the only shocked person in this room. “Tell the world we’re lying, and I’m going to deny your claims. You’ll be twice ruined and blacklisted. I’ll be happy to hammer that last nail in your coffin.”

When I walk out of the mansion thirty seconds later, I do it with the pleasure of knowing that I just freed Faye from her father’s tyranny, forever. The pleasure doesn’t last long, however. The moment I slip into the back seat, the reality of not knowing where Faye is crashes over me anew. I bury my face in my hands as a headache rages up a storm in my skull.

Alex and Brit are quiet. I can almost see them exchanging glances, flummoxed out of their minds. I get it, kind of. They’ve never seen me lose control this badly.

I’ve never seen myself lose control this badly, either.

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