Page 29 of The Eraser

"Is today the only time your father has hurt you?"

She glances away, unable to meet my eyes.

"No lies, Jessica," I remind her, and she clamps her mouth shut. "Has he hurt you?"

She blinks just once, but it's enough for me to know that yes, he has.

"Badly?"

She takes a step backwards, retreating. Her expression is clear. "I'm sorry, Mr. Maguire, you said you wanted to know something. You now know it." She turns and walks away, and I know that the fucker has done more than just hurt her.

I'm going to find out what, and when I do, I'm going to rain holy hell on Thomas Grace. He deserves to die, and I'll be happy to fucking assist him in doing so.

ChapterTwelve

JESSICA

"Jessie,"my uncle Jerry calls, and I tense, knowing he'll want to find out about why Dad hit me. "Are you okay?"

I nod. "Yeah, I'm grand."

His eyes narrow. "Grand my ass. Your da has always been an asshole, but never thought him to be stupid, girl," he mutters. "You know you can call me any time."

I nod like I should. I wouldn't call my uncle if he was the last man alive. He's the reason my ma is dead. Him and his stupid feud. He's not stopped doing his stupid shite. In fact, he's in business with the very men who killed Ma, and for that alone I'll never forgive him.

"Jessie," he says quietly, his hand clamping around my wrist and pulling me toward the door to the library. This time of the evening, everyone is in the ballroom having fun and dancing. "Talk to me, girlie. What's going on?" he asks once he’s checked the library and found it empty.

The room is barely lit, the light on the wall dim. The deep red walls make the room even darker, but it also has a homey feel about it. The carpet hasn't changed since I was a child, yet it's still fluffy. I used to love walking barefoot in here. I move out of his grip and take a seat. It's been a while since I've been in here. It used to be my safe haven, where I'd come when Dad was on the warpath, but he found me in here and I haven't been back since.

"Talk to me," Jerry demands, and the harshness of his voice has me sitting up straighter. "What's on your mind?"

I swallow back the fear. I know what he's done and what he's capable of. "You and the Kellys. How the hell are you working with them after what they did to Mam?"

He frowns. "Jessica, what are you talking about?"

"The Kellys killed Mam, Jer. They shot her dead, and you're best fucking friends with them!" The anger in my voice is unmistakable. I'm never disrespectful to him. I'm usually quiet, nod along, and do as I'm told.

His eyes widen for a fraction of a second before they narrow. "Who the fuck told you that?" he snarls at me, his jaw clenched.

"Dad," I fire back. "He told me. I had every right to know what the hell happened to Mam."

He shakes his head. "Fucking Thomas," he growls. "Jessica, your ma wasn't killed by the Kellys. Do you honestly believe that I'd make deals with the bastards if they had killed my sister?" His lips curl in disgust as he paces. "Christ," he spits, and the word is filled with anger. "You really believe I'd work with the fucking animals who killed my Patty? That I wouldn’t slit their throats in the beds they lie in?"

I shake my head. What the hell is going on? "What?" I hiss, needing answers.

"Jessica, loveen." I shiver at the word. It's what Mam used to call me. "I need to have a talk with your father, that's for fucking sure. The Kellys weren't the reason your ma died."

I glare at him, the anger that I've held inside for years bubbling to the surface. "Then who's responsible for her death? Hmm? You?"

He sucks in a sharp breath, and the rage that builds behind his eyes is enough to have me take a step backward. "No, I'm not the fucking reason. I always thought I was, but no one is stupid enough to go against me. Fuck, I've got the backing of both the Kellys and the Gallaghers for whenever I find out who the fuck shot her." His smile is sinister, and I shudder at the sight. "When I do, there's nothing in this world that's going to stop me from taking their life. I promise you that, Jessie. I promise you your Ma's death will be avenged."

I believe him, though I shouldn't. Everything in my mind is screaming at me that he's lying. But I look at him, and I see the sincerity in his eyes, the pain and suffering he's felt since we lost Ma, and I know he’s telling the truth.

Everything is starting to make sense now. Why no one seemed to know how Mam died or who killed her. But Dad told me it was Jer, and my anger and hatred has been boiling up since then. Now I find out it was all a lie. God, my dad’s a fucking asshole.

"Then why did Dad lie?" That's what I'm unable to wrap my head around. Why would he lie?

"That's what I'm going to find out. Don't worry, Jessica, I'll find out what the hell is going on." He gives me his megawatt smile, the one he used to give me when I was a little girl and he'd sit me on his knee and tell me stories about Mam. "Now, the real reason I'm here. How long has that asshole been hurting you?" Darkness enters his voice again.

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