Page 100 of Savage Daddies

She’s not gonna like it.

“He used to kill all the time. I’m talking sometimes several people a day.”

Wrangler’s eyes turn annoyed. “Yeah, you said he’s a serial killer but failed to provide evidence. What’s going on, Bully? Tell us what you saw.”

I turn out of the circle and meet Warren’s poisonous eyes.

He struts over. “I’m gonna have to ask you all to leave.” His gaze diverts to Zoe. “Even you.”

“You’re kidding.” Zoe scoffs. “You’re pointing fingers at the wrong people here.” She folds her arms over her chest. “He’s going to kill Fiona, but you already know that, don’t you?”

No response.

“You answered her phone,” she says.

“This is all on you, Zoe,” Warren tells her. “You were warned.”

“But he’s going tokillher.” This time, her voice falters. “Don’t you understand?”

“I understand perfectly.”

“Then help, somehow,” she pleads. “She’s your daughter.”

Warren continues staring at Zoe like he’s impartial to the whole thing.

It saws my chest in half seeing her like this. She’s on the verge of breaking down. Tears glass her eyes, and they look like they’re about to shatter. All she needs is her father. The vein in her neck tightens as she holds back the tears. People are looking. A camera flashes in front of us, so I return the favor and flash them my worst pissed-off face. That turns some people away, but not all of them. Others raise their iPhones and capture my expression.

“Get out of here!” I growl.

A few disperse after that, but not all.

Clusters of people still surround us, and my heart thumps in my chest. I’ve been caught with Zoe, again. I’m cutting bridges with Felix instead of building them. Ishouldbe doing the latter.

But I also can’t help but focus on Zoe.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Zoe’s breathing starts to labor, like she’s in physical pain or something. “Say something!” Her hand locks around his wrist, but he flicks it away. “What don’t you understand? She’s yourdaughter. Fiona needs you.”

“Fiona killed your mother.”

“Fiona,” snaps Zoe, “didn’t ask to be brought into the world.”

“And I didn’t ask for daughters.”

Shock fills Zoe’s face. She backtracks from Warren, and tears no longer cloud her eyes. It’s like, for the first time, she understands. Finally, the truth has been unraveled. She opens and closes her mouth some, like she doesn’t quite know how to respond.

She gives up trying in the end. Just stares, eyes seeing right through her father like he’s made of glass.

An audience gathers, and each individual in the crowd holds their breath.

Finally, after a long, drawn-out silence, Zoe asks, “Why sons?”

“You girls get too emotional.”

That does it. Anger boils my blood, all of it flowing into my right hand as it tightens into a fist. The bastard’s bank account balance might be higher and he might own better clothes, but that doesn’t make him valuable. The media can post whatever they want and make millions from all of the conspiracies—none of it matters.

Nobody treats my Zoe like that.

I step forward, line my fist up with Warren’s face…

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