Page 59 of Science Project

“I’ve earned it?” I whispered, letting the pendant rest in my palm.

“You let me take you to get a makeover without complaining once,” he said.

I curled my hand around the pendant and gently pulled it away from him, heart pounding because I’d finally gotten it back. Tears welled in my eyes. I hadn’t thought I would ever get it back. Not willingly. I’d thought I’d have to steal it and hide it.

Or pay Poison to steal it for me.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

He placed a hand on my inner thigh and squeezed. “Anything for you, Nikki.” After I fastened the necklace around my neck, Dad’s hand moved up my inner thigh. “You know that I would do anything for you, right?”

“Yes,” I said stiffly.

“Like I would have done anything for Hannah, if she had listened to me.”

“I know.”

But I didn’t.

I couldn’t.

How could I?!

My skirt bunched as he trailed his hand higher and higher up my inner thigh. “We’re going to Henry’s, so a couple of my buddies and I can play poker. You’re going to be a good girl for me tonight.” He moved his fingers against my underwear. “Aren’t you?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“And?”

“And I’ll make them all feel good.”

“How?” he asked, still moving his fingers.

“However they want me.”

He chuckled and lifted my chin with his opposite hand. “You’re so much better than your sister ever was. You make me a very happy father, Nikki. I don’t know if I tell you this enough, but I’m so proud of you.”

CHAPTER

THIRTY-TWO

AKIO

Mom stabbed the knife into Duncan’s ribs. “I told you to get me the fucking money.”

I leaned against the farthest wall and scanned the room to find an exit strategy without looking like I was finding an exit strategy. Mom had been stabbing and torturing him for about three hours now, and I wanted to go home.

Why did she insist that I watch this? She knew I wasn’t going to do anything for her.

And I sure as hell wasn’t going to be her puppet that she could use and throw away.

When another scream left Duncan’s throat, I glanced over to see him convulsing. Two guards held him steady, their arms around his to keep him upright. I didn’t ask how they had stood like that for hours on end, but they were loyal dogs for her.

Hell, I didn’t even know why she was torturing him or who he was to her.

“Akio!” Mom shouted. “Come here.”

“I don’t want my clothes to get blood on them.”

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