Page 59 of Insatiable

If he wasn’t a psychopath who put her through hell when they were in their twenties, then maybe they’d have a shot. But, in all honesty, from reports I’ve read about them, they were toxic.

Besides, I like Ewan.

Silence. And then. “I wish that were true, son. Ewan is the love of your mother’s life, and she is the love of mine. There’s no changing that.”

“Sounds miserable,” I say, flicking my finished smoke out the window then rolling it back up with the press of a button. “You’ve been locked up for over twenty years and you still love her?”

“Not a day goes by have I ever felt less.”

Yeah, as I said… miserable and deluded.

“I can tell you’re feeling better. Good. We’re allowed to have bad days too. It’s late for you. Why don’t you try to get some sleep before your flight?”

My eyes close as my head drops back against the headrest. “She’s there, remember?”

A pause, and he scoffs. “Then have some self-control around her.”

I hear Mum asking if everything is okay, to which he saysyesand that he’ll be right there.

“I’m going to spend time with your mother before she leaves. Go to the room and sleep. And for fuck’s sake, son, keep your dick in your pants and stay out of trouble.”

Mum scolds my dad for his language.

I chuckle. “Right.”

He hesitates. “And Kade? I apologise for what happened the last time you were here. I had no idea she meant so much to you.”

The call ends.

I stare at the screen with a bitter taste in my mouth. Dad knows more than anyone what it’s like to want someone you can’t have. His block is himself, whereas mine is that I don’t trust a hair on Stacey’s head.

We have six hours before our flight. There isn’t a chance in hell I’ll survive that. I’m honest enough with myself to say that I’m terrified to be back in that room with her.

My phone vibrates in my hand as I walk over to Barry’s car.

Speak of the devil.

Stacey: You’re not seriously going to sleep in the car? There’s a killer on the loose! I’ll sleep on the floor or the bathtub. Some dude is at the door too – he told me to wait for your return when I tried to come out for you. What’s that about?

Little does she know that I’m the monster that goes bump in the night.

I chew on my lip as she types again, still tasting her even after vigorously washing my face.

Barry is silent as I get into the passenger seat of the SUV.

Stacey: I get it, you hate me. What happened tonight was a lapse injudgementfrom both of us, but we need to be mature adults about it. We’ll make a deal not to go near each other, even if we’re tempted, okay?

Me: Stoptextingme.

An impulsive reply I regret as soon as she reads it. I try not to smile when she sends an emoji of the middle finger. Her war cry.

I glance at Barry, who’s watching with a raised brow and waiting for me to speak, his fingers hovering over his laptop. “Are yousmiling?” he asks me. “Don’t do that, it’s weird.”

“Fuck off. Can you trace who called her about an hour ago?”

“I can try. Her phone is still jammed – I can’t break into the damn thing.”

“She’s bruised too.” I rub my face. “I think whoever the bastard is is beating her. Can you look into it? My hands are tied while I’m with her.”

---