Page 106 of Voracious

The studio is quiet as I walk by – my hood up, cigarette hanging between my fingers. The wheels of my small suitcase roll loudly along the road, and since there are no cars parked outside, no classes must be on.

It’s ten at night on a Thursday. She always stays late. Maybe she’s in there herself? Or maybe she’s in there getting fucked by my brother?

I sigh and rub a hand down my face, going against the notion to walk in and confront her, demand fucking answers – or beg her to leave him, to take me back.

One foot goes forward, in the direction of the studio, but I stop.

No. She can’t be trusted – neither of them can. They both cheated in relationships. Once a cheat, always a fucking cheat. They’ll fuck each other up eventually.

I turn and walk in the opposite direction.

It starts to rain. Lightning flashes across the sky, and for a few minutes, I stop and stare up. Thunder growls around me, followed by another flash, and I hate myself for admitting this, but I miss her.

I miss Stacey so fucking much.

Almost to the point I’d consider forgiving her. If she promises to stay away from Jason, we could work things out. I don’t feel like I can fucking survive without her.

I turn back towards the studio and take a few steps, but a car pulls up beside me, the window rolling down. “KadeMitchell?”

Stopping, I frown at the older woman with wine-red hair and sunglasses. “Yeah?”

“My name is Bernadette Sawyer. I worked on your father’s case many years ago. I believe you’re trying to appeal so he’ll be granted release for visitations, am I right?”

“Not interested.” Fucking reporters and their constant need to post articles on me and my family. I turn and keep walking. “Fuck off.”

The car crawls beside me as she pulls off her unnecessary sunglasses. “I’m not here for a story or to gather information from you. It’s the total opposite. I have files upon files of evidence and witness statements that may grant your father’s full release.”

My feet halt, and I turn to her. “The last thing this world needs isTobiasMitchell being fully released.”

“We can both agree on that. But I can help with his other appeals. It would be nice for your parents to spend some time together outside the institution, wouldn’t it?”

I stare at her. “What’s the catch?”

“No catch. Just doing my old friend afavour. I have all the files at my home office, if you want to see them?”

“How do I know you aren’t talking shit?”

She grins and pulls out her identification – Head of Police Scotland, Chief Constable Bernadette Sawyer. “I’m also an undercover detective for Scotland Yard. I have a lot of power to help your father,Kade.”

I look around us, then at the white Porsche she’s driving. My eyes lift to the middle-aged woman. “My dad is trying to get transferred to an institution here – could you arrange that?”

“I could certainly try. Come on – get in. I’ll show you everything I have, and we can work together on a game plan.”

I look around again, seeing the studio far in the distance. She could be there – an opportunity for me to demand to know what happened, to know if it’s still happening. I want to fucking know why she felt the need to break my heart.

I gulp and keep my eyes on the studio doors. As if she’s going to appear out of nowhere and cry for me to come to her. But then again, Jason might be with her.

Fuck it.

Bernadette opens the trunk for me to toss my suitcase in and smiles at me when I climb into the passenger seat of the car. She’s wearing a tight black dress, driving in heels, and smells of over-the-top perfume. Her dress rides up her thighs while she drives, and she doesn’t even attempt to pull it back down when her underwear is revealed.

I don’t look – I keep my eyes forward, listening to her classical music.

When we pull up to her estate, I follow her through the manor. It’s all white marble flooring and white walls. A man – tall and skinny – is watching us enter the main entrance. And when we reach the other end of the house, I notice he’s trailing behind us with a dirty look.

She stops and places her hand on my chest. “This isKadeMitchell, Archie. The boy I told you about. I’m going to show him some of the files I have onTobias.”

His eyes spark, and he looks me up and down in a way that makes me want to ask him to look the fuck away. “You look like your father.”

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