Page 126 of Kept in the Dark

He was mocking her and she hated him for it. Hailey wanted to claw at him for tainting the name Trey had given her. But, despite the fury that surged through her, she let it go. Their lives weren’t worth that fight.

Ryan nodded to Sara. “I see I get two for the price of one.”

Hailey glanced at Sara whose eyes were a pool of darkness as hatred clouded them. Hailey thought Sara might actually try to kill him. Part of her hoped she would.

“If it isn’t the bastard child himself. How does it feel knowing Daddy doesn’t love you?” Sara seethed.

Ryan’s hand connected with her face and she yelped as blood spewed from her lips. “That’s rich coming from the daughter he framed for murder. He may not claim me, but he hates you.”

He nudged Hailey. “Sit by your daughter.” He waved the knife at Sara who took in a sharp breath. “Sit on the other side of Trinity.”

The two of them complied, though Hailey’s body instinctively wanted to fight back. Sara clenched her jaw and balled a fist.

Trinity silently cried and Hailey smiled, hoping to calm her. Trinity hung her head as teardrops fell to the floor. Hailey desperately wanted to reach out and comfort her daughter but refrained. She was terrified that any movement could set Ryan off.

Ryan zip tied Sara’s hands in front of her. Then, zip tied Hailey’s, his knife still in his grasp. He got inches from her face and sneered, “Say goodbye to your daughter, Hailey. I’m taking her with me, and you’ll never see her again.” He shrugged. “Or maybe I’ll just kill her.”

Trinity squealed and sobbed, and Sara lunged toward him. “Leave her alone! She’s just a damn kid!”

Hailey’s chest constricted. “No, please! Take me instead. She didn’t do anything!”

Ryan laughed at their outbursts. “She’s my prize for helping your father…Well, our father.”

“What are you talking about? He said your payment was one million dollars.”

He stood up and looked down at Hailey. “At first the one-mil sounded great. But then I got to thinking: how can I really stick it to the old man and his Little Princess?” He paused and gently caressed her cheek. She recoiled at his touch and he reveled in her discomfort. “You know, Hailey, I really, really hate you. I’ve hated you since I found out that David is my father.

“Sitting up there in your castle while my mother and I lived in a trailer with a single AC unit that could hardly keep up. Sure, Dear-Old-Dad sent money, but your wench of a mother made sure it was just enough to cover bills.”

Hailey didn’t respond, she didn’t want to escalate his agitation.

He looked at Sara. “And, as luck would have it, you were the black sheep of the family. Even more than I was. Which is quite ironic seeing as how I'm the bastard child. Our father’s hatred for you is what saved you from my fury.”

He stood over Sara and she clenched her jaw, her eyes like daggers. “But it won’t save you today. You should have left when you had the chance, Sis.”

Sara didn’t respond. She was detaching herself, turning off her emotions. She looked at the wall just behind Ryan, eyes nearly glossed over. But Hailey knew Sara was still listening, calculating.

Ryan looked back at Hailey and began walking back toward her, pointing the knife in her direction. “But not you. You were the favorite, the perfect little angel who got whatever she wanted. So I’m going to take something from you that will destroy you. And then I'll tell anyone who'll listen about all our daddy’s secrets and ruin his perfectly crafted reputation.”

He wasn’t bluffing. He meant every word he said.

Sara chuckled. “You’re a little late to that party, Bro.”

Ryan turned to Sara. “I heard about your interview. Too bad you didn’t have a big enough pair to tell them everything.” He slowly walked over to her and bent down, getting inches from her face. She didn’t flinch or recoil, she stared at him, her eyes a pool of emptiness.

“I’m honestly disappointed, Sara. I’d always heard you were the wild child, the fearless one out of Gallaghers. The one who hated her father so much she did whatever she could to ruin him…except you didn’t. You’re all talk.”

“You’re right, I hate him. Why do you think I came back? I’m out for blood. But unlike you, I’m willing to play the long-game. I’m willing to wait to uncover every secret I can in order to destroy him. I’m not content with just ruining his reputation. I want him to suffer…I want him dead.”

Hailey knew Sara wasn’t simply telling Ryan what he wanted to hear. Hailey inwardly shuddered.

Ryan smiled. “I see we both inherited his rage. We’re like him more than we care to admit. It’s what makes us survivors.”

“Then let Hailey and Trinity go. I’ll kill David for you, and you leave town with your one million. Everyone gets what they want…and what they deserve.”

Ryan stood and clucked his tongue. “Unlike you, I hate Hailey as much as I hate David.”

He came to Hailey again and grabbed her cheeks. She tried to look away, to remove herself from his grip, but he dug his nails in tighter. “You should have let me kill you that night. If you had, your little girl’s life wouldn't be in jeopardy, nor would your sister’s. All those other people wouldn’t be dead because you started snooping around in something that wasn’t your business. But no, you had to live. So now you’re going to pay the consequences.”

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