Chapter 44 #2
“What does it matter now? It didn’t work, did it?
Daddy didn’t come save his little lamb.” With a guttural scream, she turns and launches her wineglass at the empty fireplace.
The glass explodes when it connects with the marble.
“I just want to see him once more, to ask him why I wasn’t enough. Why wasn’t I enough? Why?”
My grip on the table tightens. My mother sent me into a dangerous situation in an attempt to bait out my serial-killer father so that she could get some fucking closure ?
As a woman, I get it. That ghosting shit is fucking annoying.
But did she ever love me as a daughter, or was I always her little bargaining chip?
“I never wanted a child. In fact, I made an appointment to get rid of you the moment I learned I had a filthy parasite inside me. That’s when I learned your father’s little secret.
That he has a weakness, and it’s his disgusting offspring.
” She swipes her nose and shakes her head, sending her short gray hair wobbling.
“He showed up at the clinic and begged me to keep you. It was the only time I saw fear in that man’s eyes, though I never saw him again after that. Not for lack of trying.”
“The . . . skydiving lessons weren’t because you thought five-year-olds needed life experiences?”
My mother scoffs and folds her arms over her chest. “I’m surprised it took you this long to figure out that I’ve been putting you in harm’s way as often as possible. And look what good it’s done me. I have nothing to show for it, and you’re still here.”
I didn’t see it because I didn’t know I was supposed to look. A mother should care about her child. I took that at face value.
“Mom, I?—”
“I think you can stop calling me that. Though I gave birth to you, I have no attachments, so you can free yourself from yours as well.” She drops her forehead to the table and waves me away. “Leave. And tell the waiter to bring more wine.”
Now I understand why King was adamant that I leave my service pistol behind. Now I know why he needed to remind me that taking this kill wouldn’t be authorized. Because if that cruise taught me anything, it’s that murder is definitely a fucking option.
The butter knife gleams, practically begging me to reach out and grab it so that I can ram it into my mother’s spine. I suddenly wish I was back on the boat, with one million torture options at my disposal and a lack of moral compass for as far as the eye can see.
I rise to leave. That’s when I hear a bit of shuffling within the massive wardrobe at the back of the room. My mother’s head pops up from the table, and we’re both shocked when Cat and Bennett stumble from the doors as they fly open.
“Lady, you’re a real piece of shit,” Bennett says, “and that’s saying something, coming from me.”
“What the fuck are you two doing in here?” a deep British voice demands.
All of us turn toward the flowing blue curtains draped over the window as Kindra and Ezra emerge from behind them. Kindra gives me a little wave.
“We could ask the same of you two,” Cat says.
We nearly jump out of our skin as Eve’s voice joins the party. “Can someone give me a hand? I’m wedged behind this weird purple sofa thing.”
“What are all of you doing here?” I ask as I spin around and see all of my serial-killer friends.
“Honey, I don’t know about the rest of them, but I showed up to kill this bitch.
” Eve clambers over the couch once Ezra and Bennett move it away from the wall.
“Jim told us how she used you, and I had a friend of mine hack into her phone so I could learn her schedule. I paid the owner of this place a large chunk of my last paycheck so that I could hide out before she arrived.”
“We’ve been in this wardrobe since last night,” Cat says. “We had Ezra do a little digging, and that’s how we learned she liked this place. She usually eats here every Wednesday.”
“Since I already had the info, Kindra and I thought we’d stake it out today, not realizing everyone would show up.” Ezra laughs and looks around.
Not everyone showed up, though. As I look around the room, one face is blatantly absent.
Eve realizes what I’m looking for, and she comes to my side and places her hand on my shoulder. “He’ll come around, honey. He just needs some time to realize that sometimes you can be both things.”
“So I was right? He only said those things to?—”
“To protect you,” Maverick says.
The group spins to face the door as Maverick steps into the room. The air leaves my lungs as he moves toward me.
“I thought I had to hurt you to help you, but you were right. I was only hurting the both of us. I’m sorry I said you didn’t mean anything to me. Frankie, you mean everything to me.”
“You said she didn’t mean anything to you? What the fuck were you thinking?” Eve shouts.
He ignores her and keeps looking into my eyes.
“Jim finally told me everything. About your mother and what she did. About who your father is. I was foolish to think I knew best, and I never should have let you walk away without telling you everything first. So I’m telling you now.
I’m crazy about you, sweetheart. You’ve opened doors I’ve kept shut for so long, and I want to walk through them with you.
I can’t change who I am and what I do, and I don’t want to change anything about you, either.
That was my fear. When I saw you getting excited over the kills, I worried we were changing you. ”
“What did you people expect?” my mother screeches from her seat. “Considering who donated her sperm, it shouldn’t come as a shock. All of his spawn come out as killers. I’ve kept track of them, and at least two have given in to their urges.” She sneers at me. “Well, I guess it’s three now.”
“I completely forgot this bitch was still in the room,” Eve says with a sigh. “Can we kill her yet?”
“Not until she tells me who my father is.” Nudging Bennett out of the way, I stand beside the woman who gave me life. Despite literally being surrounded by serial killers, she shows no fear. She must know that King wouldn’t authorize the kill. Or couldn’t.
“I had to tip the valet. Am I late? What did I miss?” Jim says as he enters the room, and now our party feels complete.
“Tell me my father’s name,” I demand of my mother.
She scoffs and folds her arms over her chest, yet she says nothing.
“Why are you being so cagey now? Your little plan doesn’t even make sense. If you changed my name so many times, how was my father supposed to know who I was?”
“He’s an incredibly intelligent man. If I’d put the name Francesca on everything, he’d have seen right through my plan.” She shakes her head and grits her teeth before continuing. “I had to make it look like I didn’t want you found, but I knew he knew who you were. He always knew.”
“Who is my father?” I ask again.
My mother raises her chin and licks her lips. “I’ll never tell you. That secret will go with me to my grave.”
“I wasn’t asking you.” I turn to face Jim. “Who is my father?”
Jim claps his hands and bounces on the tips of his toes. “Oh, goody! I was hoping she’d be her usual churlish self. If she won’t tell you, then I feel it’s my duty to do so.”
“Madigan, if you tell her, I’ll bury you. I have the evidence to do it.” My mother’s icy eyes level on Jim.
Jim blinks at her and smiles. “Oh, be quiet, witch. You have no power here. Our dear Frankie has a right to know that her last name isn’t Grant or any of the other fabricated identities you’ve concocted over the years.”
I take a deep breath as I prepare to hear the next words out of Jim’s mouth, but I’m still nearly knocked off my feet when he finally makes the big reveal.
“Her last name is one she’s learned on this trip, for she shares it with two of our very own.” Jim looks at me with a genuine smile, pride gleaming in his eyes. “Frankie, your last name is Carter.”