Page 44 of Cursed to Be Mine
“She went off with Daniel before you left with Henry. They’ve been dating for months, so no one will dig further into it.”
I flinch. So Derek knew all this time and didn’t tell me. “You’redating?” I hiss, my voice venom as I tug my shirt back down.
“It wasn’t serious,” Daniel says, not looking at me. “It was one bad drunken kiss.”
“Fuck you.”
Stepping away from him, I head for my car. Derek intercepts me. “You need a shower.” He inclines his head at a sink. A mirror hangs over it. My face is splattered in blood, my hair matted with it. Bits and clumps stick to me, and my stomach twists at the knowledge that they’re part of Henry’s brains.
Walking swiftly to the metal sink, I slip my keys back in my pocket and do my best to get clean.
Derek tosses me a towel and a fresh shirt. I pat my skin before drying my hair, though once I get home, I’m going to have another shower. A long hot shower where I can scrub away my skin. Maybe I’ll get a haircut too. I don the new shirt.
Scarlett shoulders in behind me, hitting me hard, and I stumble forward, the wound in my side erupting in pain. Spinning around, I slap her across the cheek, my palm stinging, as do my eyes.
“I’m your fucking mother,” I hiss, my emotions volatile, my stress exploding down to my hands. I want to hit her again. I want to scream at her that I’ve been touched by a reaper, and that she doesn’t get to spoil my last twenty-four hours with her shit. I’m falling apart, but trying so fuckinghardto hold it all together.For her. So she doesn’t panic.
So I can get her home safely.
And she does this?
“Respect me, you little shit.”
She stares at me in shock, her blue eyes wide as she clutches her face. My chest aches with her pain, and my lips wobble with words I can’t garner.
I’m sorry.
Wordlessly, she turns to the sink. Her hands shaking, she turns on the tap.
I move away from her, not trusting myself to be within reach of her. I dig my keys out of my pocket, twisting them in my fingers, needing to move.
When Scarlett is all cleaned up, she keeps her head down as she shuffles to my car. Derek grabs her arm, his eyes on his son. “Choke her.”
“What?” I step forward, but his glare halts me.
“You slapped her across the face. When that bruises, her alibi is going to be weak. Unless Daniel chokes her, and they both tell the police she likes it rough.”
“No,” Scarlett chokes, but my thoughts are racing too fast to respond.
“Dad –”
“Do it, Daniel. Or I can shoot the both of them andhide their bodies. Fighting this war is more important than any of us.” His free hand drops to the gun at his hip, and I know he’s serious.
I take a small step back, my eyes skittering around the garage, but there’s nowhere I can run fast enough. Even if I could reach my gun in time, it’s empty.
“Then shoo–” Scarlett starts, but I blurt, “Daniel!”
Cursing, he walks over to her. Scarlett trembles as her eyes find me, begging me to stop them.
I don’t.
I can’t.
She needs an alibi.
A shutter closes over her, and her lips trembling, she yanks her arm free of Derek’s. Lifting her chin, she waits for Daniel’s hands to close around her neck.
He hesitates only a moment.
