Page 69 of Cursed to Be Mine
I hope she rots in Hell.
As the anger rises, it destroys my urge to laugh. My hand tightens around Khalid as I drop my other from my lips. “Yes,” I say flatly. “It’s my ma…Hannah Davis.”
“Thank you. Though I have to say, Scarlett, you don’t seem surprised to see her in this state.”
“She’s in shock,” Khalid growls.
Am I?
My eyes stay on my mother even as Moira puts the sheet back over her face.
I’m angry, is what I am.
Angry I can’t yell at her for being a shit mom.
Angry I can’t tell Vlad she tried to kill me.
Angry the whole world is going to think she was this wonderful politician who ‘got things done’ instead of a horrible person who abused her daughter to get her way.
And I’m tired.
God, I’m so fucking exhausted.
My emotions are whiplashing back and forth, ramming into me, bruising me every time they pivot from anger to depression to every other stage of grief. I didn’t sleep at all last night. Haven’t eaten in a while either.
Wordlessly, I turn for the door.
Ma is dead.
I don’t have to not eat anymore.
I can have a burger without shame. With fries. And an Oreo milkshake after.
A slow smile curls my lips. I bite my cheek to rein it back in before Vlad sees. A half-snort, half-giggle beats at my chest. Oh, the irony of being charged for killing her, of having her wreck my life from beyond the grave.
You have an alibi, I remind myself, pushing down the rising panic. My eyes dart over to Khalid as he passes me to open the door. He dropped my hand to do so, and it feels a bit bare without his there, but I don’t reach for him after stepping out into the hall. I don’t need his strength anymore.
Ma is dead.
She can’t hurt me anymore.
Can’t manipulate me into hurting for her.
Tilting my head back to look at the ceiling, I breathe in deep and close my eyes. The door clicks shut, and I feel the two men moving around me. Dropping my chin, I exhale and walk forward as I open my eyes.
Derek.
He is striding towards us behind a uniformed police officer, his hands fisted at his sides, his lips twisted into a scowl. Dark anger fills his eyes, and for a second, I flinch backwards. Khalid moves in front of me, and I shake my head. I shouldn’t be afraid of Derek’s anger. I should crave it. It’s what has kept him alive all this time. It’s what’s going to keepmealive. Though my anger is less from the loss of a loved one and more from spite to not end up like my ma.
“Is it them?” he asks as he stops in front of me.
I nod. “I only saw ma, but…” I trail off, not knowing what to say to a father about to see his dead son. Did the wolves tear about Daniel’s face as well?
“You two know each other?” Vlad asks.
My muscles freeze as my eyes widen. Shit. We weren’t supposed to know each other, were we? I try to remember what our stories were.
Derek shifts his gaze to Vlad’s and holds it like stone. “Hannah and I were in a relationship. She introduced me to her daughter a few weeks ago. I didn’t realize” –he nods at me– “she was dating my son.”
