Page 71 of Fear Me, Love Me

I’ve been following the conversation between Tyrant and Julia with my heart in my mouth, too horrified by what I’m hearing to say a word. Julia looks pathetic as she sobs out every awful thing she’s done behind my back for the past ten months, all the while pretending to be my friend. I’ve had friends turn on me before, gossip behind my back, drop me for more interesting, wealthier, prettier people. I never imagined that someone would hate me so much that they would send three people to do one of the cruelest things you can do to a person short of killing them.

All that was shocking enough, but hearing her last words turn my mind white with shock.

At least I didn’t tell someone to rape my own child over a debt of a few thousand dollars.

I never told Julia about nearly being raped by Lucas Jones. I never told anyone except for Dad and Samantha, and Tyrant found it out for himself. For what Julia is saying to be true, it would mean that Dad borrowed money from his friend, and when he couldn’t pay him back, he told Lucas to do whatever he liked to me as payment.

I turn to look at Dad, shaking my head, not wanting to believe what Julia is saying. Hoping that I’ll see outrage on his face and that he’ll speak vehement words of denial.

Dad is looking at Tyrant in fear, and he’s turned pale and started to sweat. The rifle drops from my nerveless fingers and thuds onto the grass at my feet.

“Dad,” I say in a broken voice. “No. Please, no. Say it’s not true.”

“He can’t,” Tyrant says through gritted teeth. “Can you, Stone?”

The center of the labyrinth is totally silent. A chilly wind whips across the grass, making all the fine hairs on my arms stand on end.

I turn to Julia for answers. “How could you possibly know anything about what happened to me when I was fifteen?”

My so-called friend can’t meet my eyes. She’s sitting on the grass with her hands tied behind her back, and she stares at the ground. “I was at your house one night hiding in the bushes, trying to discover whether the photographs that I’d left on the doormat had done the trick and you weren’t seeing Tyrant anymore. Your dad was drinking beer on the porch with someone. A man. I don’t know who. They were talking about Mr. Stone’s debt to Mr. Mercer. The friend said Mr. Stone couldn’t even offer you to Tyrant because you would scream and struggle too much, just like you did with him. Mr. Stone replied that it wouldn’t work anyway because Mr. Mercer had already slept with you.”

A sickened feeling twists my guts. I picture Dad and Lucas casually drinking beer while discussing how difficult I am to assault.

Tyrant addresses Julia with eyes narrowed in hate. “You knew someone had tried to rape Vivienne, and you told those three boys to do the same thing because you knew it was the most traumatizing thing that could happen to her.”

Julia sniffles. “I thought it was the only way that I could help my father.”

There’s a moment of disgusted silence, and then Dad bursts out, “At least this girl understands family loyalty. Vivienne had nothing before she came to live with us. We gave her everything, so she should have let Lucas do whatever he needed to do to her and then just moved on with her life.”

Whatever he needed to do. I shake my head in disbelief at Dad’s cruel words.

An unexpected voice speaks from my other side. It’s Samantha, and she’s looking at Dad with almost as much horror as I feel. “Owen, say it’s not true. You didn’t tell Lucas to do that to your own daughter, did you?”

Dad gazes at her in surprise and then annoyance. “Don’t pretend to be on Vivienne’s side. You’ve told me so many times how Vivienne gets on your nerves. This way she could have been useful to us.”

“We have a child,” Samantha cries. “How do I know you won’t offer him to someone to pay off a debt? We always owe people money because you can’t put your family first and get help. I tried to overlook it for the sake of our marriage, but if you’re going to treat your children so callously then I can’t do this anymore.”

“Can’t do what anymore?” Dad asks angrily.

Samantha takes a deep breath. She’s shaken, but she squares her shoulders. “Our marriage. I don’t want you anywhere near Barlow. I’m divorcing you, and I’ll make sure you never see him unsupervised ever again.”

Dad glares at Samantha for a long moment. His jaw is ticking. A vein is throbbing in his temple. Suddenly, he lunges for the rifle that’s laying at my feet. I gasp and kick it toward Tyrant before Dad can reach it. Tyrant picks the gun up.

Taking the opportunity while we’re all distracted, Samantha turns and flees behind a hedge and we can hear her running through the labyrinth.

Dad takes off after her, murder in his bloodshot eyes. “Come back here, you ungrateful bitch. You won’t take my son from me.”

I give chase. I can’t let Dad out of my sight. He might escape, and I haven’t had time for any revenge. I need him to hurt after what he’s done to me.

Tyrant calls after me. “Vivienne, you—” He breaks off, growling, “Oh, no you don’t, you little bitch. You can’t get away from me so easily.”

Julia must have tried to make a bid for freedom as well. I keep pursuing the other two. Tyrant can handle Julia, and Dad and Samantha can’t be allowed to escape.

There are several rapid turns, and I lose them amid the narrow hedges and stone statues. Turning on the spot, I listen for footsteps over the sound of my own harsh breathing. I hear a cry and run in that direction, but I keep getting lost and going the same way over and over again. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to solve Tyrant’s labyrinth.

Finally, I round the corner to see Dad on top of Samantha. Dad slowly lets go of her throat and stands up. Samantha’s eyes are wide and fixed. Tears have leaked over her cheeks and temples as she fought for her last breath.

She’s dead.

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