Page 92 of Perilous

“What more is there to know?” Annika asks, staring at me in the reflection of the mirror.

This next one might hit her the hardest. I know I claimed her. I know I own her. But this really cuts deep.

I don’t want to feel a connection to Annika, but it’s far too late now for that. I can’t tell if I’m trapped or catching feelings. But right now I have to destroy the rest of Annika’s reality.

I spin her around so I can look into her eyes.

So that I can tell her that her mother is actually still alive.

ChapterTwenty-Eight

ANNIKA

There’snothing in my stomach for me to throw up.

Also… Peri is fucking lying to me right now. He’s a fucking liar.

A liar!

He…

He has to be lying to me. Right?

My mother is dead. She’s been dead since I was—

“He set her up with close to a billion dollars,” Peri says. “Fucking paid her to go away. And she spent years writing to you. Thinking she was somewhat part of your life. Trying to get herself cleaned up. Her words, not mine.”

I’m breaking the rules now as I shake my head. I don’t care what Peri does to me next.

This. Is. Not. Fucking. True.

His right hand grabs my hair. I don’t give a fuck.

“I knew you’d be like this for this part,” he growls at me.

He turns and walks, dragging me behind him, by my hair. I stumble and want to scream but I don’t bother. I feels used and beat up right now. My head hurts from throwing up and from the truths I’ve been told.

And now… this…?

I was at her fucking funeral!

I saw…

Wait.

I wasn’t at her funeral.

I was sad. Sick. I was depressed. I was… alone…

Peri grunts as he throws me toward the bed. He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a piece of paper.

“Look at this then, doll,” he says.

The paper is tossed to the bed and he slides his hand to the back of my head and drives my face down.

“I warned you not to fucking question me,” he growls. “I told you to fucking trust me.”

“I’m sorry,” I manage to whisper before I start to cry.

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