Page 33 of Love Sick

I suddenly feel sick for another reason. This is an advantage he has over Alanna, but what will Dutch have to sacrifice to play her at her own game?

“It doesn’t mean anything,” he says softly. “I’ll do what I have to, to make sure you’re safe.”

Tears sting my eyes because I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be wrapped up in this mess…and that’s the reason I am going to kill this fucking bitch.

“Luna, no!”

But my mind is made up. It’s a risk I’m willing to take because I am sick to death of being helpless. Why do the monsters get to win?

No.

I refuse to surrender.

You reap what you sow, and Alanna is about to reap her karma—tenfold.

Dutch’s blue eyes plead with me one final time, but my mind is made up. This ends now. An eye for an eye, and as I see it, Alanna has destroyed my life in every possible way, so I plan on bugging out her fucking eyeballs before shoving them down her throat.

There’s no place to hide, so I decide I only have the element of surprise on my side.

I quickly place all the fallen medical tools back onto the table and arrange the room how Alanna left it. I race toward the doorway and press my back up to the wall, planning on striking the moment Alanna walks through.

My heart beats uncontrollably and I realize this entire nightmare begun because of the one thing we all have, the one thing which makes us do some fucked-up things all in the name of love. And now is no exception because in the name of love for my son, for Dutch, and for myself, I am going to take what Alanna took from me—her heart.

The sound of her heels announces her arrival and the moment she enters, I raise my arm, ready to drive the scalpel into her throat, but what I see has me retreating quickly because I did not factor in the possibility that she wouldn’t be alone.

But whose hand she holds has me realizing that Dutch is right—this intricate web has the ability to trap us all, making us Alanna’s prey.

“It’s okay, Bobby,” she says sweetly to the young boy with hair rivaling the sun. “This is Dutch. He’s sick, but I’m making him better.”

Dutch has the perfect poker face, but I know he’s just as shocked as me.

Who is this child who looks no older than five years old? And more importantly, where are his parents?

An image of a little boy riding his bike without training wheels careers into me and it’s so lucid, I’m certain it’s happening right in front of my eyes.“You’re doing it all by yourself. Good boy, Misha.”

My memory is coming back and instead of being frightened, I use it as fuel to avenge what was taken from me.

“Dutch is a very talented pianist. Would you like to hear him play?”

Bobby turns into Alanna, afraid.

“What is this?” Dutch asks, keeping his tone calm.

“This is Bobby,” Alanna replies smartly. “He’s going to stay with us for a while.”

Dutch doesn’t want to scare Bobby, so he’s keeping calm. “Why?”

Alanna runs her fingers through the young child’s hair. I have no idea what her motives are until Dutch shakes his head, clearly disgusted.

“Cover your ears, Bobby.”

He does as Dutch says.

“You think he’s going to keep you safe?” Dutch spits. “That keeping him a prisoner too will somehow win over his love? You can’t make people love you, Alanna! That’s not how love works!”

I now understand what Bobby’s role is in all of this.

Alanna believes Dutch won’t hurt her because he won’t want Bobby to witness such violence. She clearly doesn’t trust Dutch. It’s a smart plan only a psychopath can conjure up because it will work. As long as Bobby is here, Dutch won’t hurt Alanna, which means she is afraid of Dutch.

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