Page 100 of Hold Me Before You Go

Not for her me.

Not for the hundreds of Robert’s victims.

Not even for her own daughter, little Amy.

“Your son abused me for years, Donna,” I said, telling her something she clearly already knew. I didn’t care. I was going to get this out. “Your other son kidnapped me. I think I know what the hell I’m talking about. Nothing you do or say will hurt me. Spouting off shitty insults about something I no longer care about isn’t going to cover up the fact you raised a serial killer and let him out into the world, knowingexactlywhat kind of monster he was.”

Now, it was her turn to scoff. She flipped her thin, frail hair over her shoulder as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Now you’re saying you don’t care about Robert or your marriage.”

I shook my head. “Nope.”

Anger flashed in her eyes then, and she took a single step forward. “He was your husband.”

“He never knew the meaning of the damn word,” I shot back. “Your son wasn’t my husband; he was a fucking monster who is burning in hell for what he did.”

She stiffened, my words hitting her where it hurt.

I took another step forward. “Drop this high and mighty act, Donna. It doesn’t suit you.”

“You’ve gotten fat,” she hissed.

My head tilted to the side. “That all you got?” I prompted.

She surged forward then. “Has your new man, the one with the scar, told you about Robert’s victims, huh? Did he tell you what they looked like?”

I said nothing, waiting for it.

No, Grayson hadn’t told me about the victims, but I knew of the St. Louis River Killer.

“The reason why you needed to be skinny for Robert was because if you weren’t,he would’ve killed you,” she seethed, gesturing to my body. “This—it would’ve driven him over the edge.”

The door shot open behind me then, banging against the wall, but I didn’t flinch. Hell, I didn’t even blink, keeping my gaze on her, the twisted mother. She snarled with satisfaction before that snarl morphed into a sharp laugh as she tossed her head back. “You thought it was abuse, my darling girl?”

My lips parted, a chill skating down my spine.

Grayson cut in. “Enough,” he growled, his chest against my back now, his hands landing on my upper arms, ready to steer me away, but my feet were planted firm.

“That wasn’t abuse! He was doing that to save you. He starved you so he could save you!” Donna yelled out, putting her hands into her hair as her gaze pierced through me. “Don’t you see? Underneath it all, he was a good person.”

I shook my head. “Don’t try to justify him,” I pushed out through the hatred, my hands balling up at my sides.

He would’ve killed you.

He starved you to save you.

Don’t you see? He was a good person!

A good person.

A good human.

A good husband.

Donna lost it then, throwing her arms out wide. “He was my son! My perfect boy, and you killed him!”

I stumbled back into Grayson, my face going slack as her words penetrated, their claws digging themselves deep into my soul, shredding all the healing I’d done.

She lunged for me then. “You bitch—”

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