Page 94 of InfraRed

“BecauseI’m a businessman,” I tell him as I look over at Will to see if he’s ready.

“Makes sense to me,” Sebastian—Bastian says as he walks up. He opens his jacket, revealing he’s been strapped the whole time, and shrugs. “Business can get dirty.” He grins wide.

I start for the front of the SUV, pausing for a minute, then face them. “It’s unnecessary for you to go.” I wave my hand at all of them. “Any of you.”

“I already told you, whatever the fuck happens, I’m there,” Henry replies.

Bastian’s lips spread wide, a maniacal. “I’ve been bored as shit at this thing. No fucking way I’m missing the show.”

I nod, not wasting the time arguing. We all climb into the SUV, Will behind the wheel. The smell of burning rubber singes my nostrils as we peel out of the parking lot.

I’m going after my girl, and I’m ending this bullshit once and for all.

Casey

Sound is the first thing that reaches me as awareness trickles in. Voices, though muffled from my hazy mind, drift to my ears. The second is feeling. I’m sitting up, my head lolled to the side, something over my mouth, and my hands bound behind me.

Anxiety slams my heart against my chest as I try to push through the fog clouding my mind. My lids are leaden, my lashes cling to my cheeks as if I’ve cried. Slowly, memories slip through the cracks.

The gala. Dancing with Graham. Enjoying my friends. One by one, they seep through the haze.

My breath catches when I recollect my encounter with Mom, her vile words, the bite of her nails against my skin, the sting of her palm against my cheek.

Agony rips through me as I recall what I overhead from Graham and Jagger. A soft whimper builds in my throat, but I choke it down.

My panic doubles when I remember accepting the handkerchief from the stranger—such a stupid, naïve move—and him lifting me from the ground.

When the clouds in my mind part, and I realize I recognize one of the voices, a pained sob escapes me, muffled by the gag around my face. My heavy eyes open, tears streaking my cheeks, when I see my mom sitting across from me.

Her red lips curl in a sneer as she swirls a glass of wine. Disdain and disgust lace her features as her cold blue eyes rake over me.

It only takes me a second to realize we’re on a plane. My stomach swoops with fear but then eases slightly when I realize we’re not moving. We wouldn’t just be sitting here if they’d taken me somewhere, right?

I take a deep breath through my nose, forcing the fear away. We’re not in the air yet. We’re probably still in New Jersey, close to the resort.

Graham will find me.Graham will find me.

I repeat it over and over, forcing myself to believe it. To know he will leave no stone unturned until he does.

But if this plane takes off, I’m uncertain it will matter.

“Look who’s awake. About fucking time.” Mom says as she lifts her wineglass to her lips.

I try to speak, but it’s no use. My words are unintelligible with the binding around my mouth.

“All you had to do was convince your father to drop the charges,” she says as she crosses her slender leg over the other. She leans on the armrest, propping her head against two fingers. “It wasn’t a complicated request, Casey, but you wouldn’t even try.”

Of course, I wouldn’t. Mom could’ve killed Dad that day. He is still going to physical therapy twice a week from the injuries she caused when she ran him down as he stepped off the sidewalk.

What’s worse, is Dad did it to save Lily. Mom was aiming for her. I can’t imagine the damage she would’ve caused had Mom hit her instead.

Dad and Lily deserve justice, and Mom deserves to face the consequences of her actions, whatever her motivations might’ve been.

I can’t answer her, so I sit quietly, refusing to look away from her glower. “Maybe if you hadn’t been born, we wouldn’t be here.” She says it casually, coldly. Not a single emotion flickers in her tone or her eyes. She lifts the glass to her lips again, swallows, then stares at me. “The moment you were born, you became a pain in my ass. He was fucking obsessed with you. If you hadn’t happened, then we’d probably still be together.” She shrugs as if she’s not spewing toxicity, then laughs. “Who am I kidding? Liam was never good enough for me. He was just easy to manipulate. Who knows? Maybe you weren’t so bad after all because all I had to do was dangle you in front of him, and he came like a sad puppy every time. Just like he will now. Just remember, you forced my hand. All you had to do was talk to him. Now I have to be the bad guy again.”

They say sticks and stones, but the truth is, broken bones heal. Words are like venom, poisoning your heart and your mind. They’re the most devastating tool a person has.

All my life, I’ve tried and tried to understand what was wrong with me for my mom to hate me. Why she never wanted me? I never understood why, if she hated me so much, she didn’t just let Dad have me.

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