Page 93 of Sinister Legacy
“My dad, you mean? Yes, I did.”
She drinks her wine, downing it in one go before refilling the glass. “You need to forget about him. Nothing good comes from dragging up the past.”
The wine glugs loudly as she refills the wine glass to the top. Any more, and it will spill over the sides. She puts it down and looks at me. “Do you hear me, Keira?”
“Four people are dead, Mom. Liamand Allen are missing. Unlike you, I can’t ignore what’s happening.”
Mom looks like she’s tasted something sour. “You think visiting your father is going to change things? Bring answers? No, Keira. Your father is a cold-blooded murderer who deserves what’s coming for him.”
“We might not make it out of this alive, Mom. You do realize that, right? The killer isn’t done yet with his little reenactment or whatever psycho bullshit this is. If my incarcerated father can shed any kind of light on what’s going on, I’m willing to listen. Not only that… I’m lost. Despite what you may think, you’re not the only one who’s struggling. I was there that night, too. I loved Dad, too.” I stand up and leave the kitchen. She can drown herself in her misery for all I care.
We all deal with trauma differently. Maybe it works for her to bury her head in the sand and pretend everything is fine, that her husband isn’t missing, but it doesn’t work for me.
I can’t just pretend that something dark and scary isn’t growing inside me, thatmaybeI’m more like my father than I let the world see.
Entering my room, I make a beeline for my phone on the desk. Before Mom called me downstairs to eat with her, I was trying to get an assignment done. That’s how cruel life is; four people are dead and two are missing, but life doesn’t stop.
We’re still expected to show up.
To perform.
To give a shit about math tests or geography assignments.
The desk light is off, so I switch it on and lean with my hip against the desk while tapping into my phone. I open social media and click on King’s profile. It hasn’t been updated since he was taken to the hospital.
I bring up a picture of him at the local burger joint, taken from across the table by one of his friends. King is looking directly at the camera with a small smirk on his lips, dressed in a maroon T-shirt with the sleeves cut out and a black, backward cap.
Heat sinks to my clit as I zoom in on his face, staring for too long at his brown eyes that are so dark, they sometimes look black. Especially when he’s horny and lets his monster out to play.
I guess a deeply buried part of me is happy that Liam got what he deserved after putting King in the hospital. He beat him up when King was powerless to defend himself, and that’s the definition of weak. Liam liked to think he was all that but when push came to shove, he felt bolstered by his football friends. He wasn’t man enough to go head-to-head with King without his backup.
As I scroll through the rest of King’s posts, there’s a knock on the door, and I nearly jump out of my fucking skin.
Mom pops her head inside. “I’m heading out.”
I straighten up from the desk with a frown. “Heading out where?”
“To see a friend.”
“There’s a killer on the loose, and you think it’s a good idea to leave the house alone?”
“I’m a grown-up.”
“You’re not acting like one.”
Mom hangs her head and then, with a tired sigh, she responds, “I’m sorry I can’t live up to your expectations of me, Keira. With everything that’s happened… Allen is missing… I can’t sit around and wait. The silence… It’s too much.”
“I’ll be alone in the house. Do you think that’s a good idea?”
“I’m only going across the street to Esme’s. Besides, the cops are right outside. You’re safe, Keira.”
I snort disgustedly. “Last time we had police outside, they were brutally murdered. I feelsosafe.”
Mom ignores my sarcasm, inching the door closed. “I’m only across the road at Esme’s. Call me if you need me.”
As soon as the door clicks shut, I flip her off. What a fucking role model she’s turning out to be.
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