Page 171 of Felonies are Forever

“There’s no guess. It’s you and me, babygirl. I am your Daddy, and I always will be. I’ll look after you and protect you, and make sure you have everything you need. And you’ll do as I say, or else...” I narrow my eyes and watch her shiver.

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Good girl. Now, eat up, we have to get back to the North Pole.”

TEN

Ten

Holly

“What did he say?”I narrow my eyes at Cole, hoping that if he tells me again I’ll be able to work out exactly what’s going on.

I scratch my forehead, a little twinge of a headache starting. My mom messaged me to ask if I would be home soon with some money. She knows I made five-hundred dollars today, and all of a sudden the electric is about to be cut off and I need to get cash to her right away. But that’s not what’s bothering me. She can have the money. It’s something about the call Cole just received from my dad.

I don’t know, I’m just feeling twitchy all of a sudden.

“Don’t worry. We’ve been best friends and business partners for a long time. It’s not the first time he’s been irritated with me. I just told him I wasn’t working Christmas Eve. He should have listened to me at the party. He’ll get over it. I’ll bring him a bottle of Crown tonight.”

“Okay.” I blow out a breath, still not convinced. “So, you’ll drop me at Mom’s? I’ll grab the presents I have for Dad. She said I can use her car tonight so our stories will line up—”

“Holly.” He pinches my chin, forcing my eyes to his. “Stop. Worrying. I’ve got you. I’ve got this.”

“I know, but—”

“No buts. Just let me handle it.”

I already answered a message my dad sent hours ago, telling him I would be leaving soon and be at his house on time. He hasn’t replied, which is unlike him, so I’m just praying everything will go smoothly tonight.

We are back at Cole’s. He took a quick shower and changed while I talked with my mom about borrowing her car, trying to not lie but hoping to cover my bases with everyone.

Cole’s phone rings as we get ready to head out the front door and into his pickup.

“Yeah.” He answers. “Told you I’d be there—”

He licks his lips, looks at me, then away as he steps into the kitchen, lowering his voice as I listen.

“Hey, no.” There’s a long pause. “I’ll be there. Don’t—” I turn to see him hold the phone away from his ear and shake his head.

“Everything okay?”

He nods. “Yep. Just a little work issue. Let’s go. Get you to your mom’s.”

Something in his voice tells me it’s not just a little work issue, and I hate that I think he’s lying to me. But there will be time to tackle that later. Right now I need to get to my mom’s and figure out what’s going on with her.

“What the fuck?”Cole mutters as he pulls the car around into my mom’s street. And I see it at the same time as he does.

“That’s my dad’s car, I thought you were going to meet him at work?”

My heart is in my throat, because if he and my mom are comparing notes, the game’s up. Things are going to go from bad to worse on Christmas Eve, and that fairytale romantic Christmas I’ve been dreaming of? Well, I can kiss that goodbye right now, no need to wait for the mistletoe.

“Let’s just find out what’s going on. I’m here for you, baby.”

I shake my head. “No, just go to work like you were going to. Hopefully he just dropped by and there’s nothing—”

“That’s not going to happen, Holly. Your dad said he’d see me at work, but he’s here, which means he knew you were with me and I’d be bringing you here.”

“Mom could have called him I guess.”

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