Chapter Thirty-Two #2
I ignore him, not knowing what to say, not wanting to drag him into my shit. Did I really think I could just walk away from her? Live my own life? That’ll never happen.
There’s a rustling sound, my mom cries out again, and then he’s there, his heavy breathing so fucking familiar to me. Hate rises like bile in my throat.
“Hello, son.”
“Don’t fucking call me that. I’m not your son.”
He impregnated a child, then let men pay to fuck her for years. He’s a monster.
“Now, that’s no way to talk about your dad, is it? I missed the two of you. You took something of mine away from me, and I want it back.” His voice is as smarmy as ever.
“Speakerphone. Now,” Rory orders.
“Who is that?” Jagger asks.
“None of your fucking business! You don’t get to know shit about him. He’s fucking mine, and I’ll kill you for even speaking his name.”
Jagger tsks. “So rude, though I guess you always were. Your mother said you have a boyfriend. That him?”
“Fuck you,” I spit out.
Before I realize what he’s doing, Rory grabs the phone from my hand and tells me softly, “You and me. Always. I’ll fucking fix this,” then hits Speaker, holding the cell between us.
“I feel sorry for you,” Rory says, and for a moment, I think he’s talking to me, but the coldness in his tone says he’s not.
“Who the fuck are you?” Jagger growls.
Rory’s voice is calm, detached, steady when he says, “The man who’s going to kill you. The last face you’ll ever see. You have no idea what you’ve just unleashed.”
Maybe it’s wrong. Maybe it’s another way Rory and I are fucked up, but at least we’re fucked up together because every one of his words fills me up, builds me up, makes me crave exactly what he’s speaking about.
His power is mine, the only inaccuracy being, the last face Jagger sees will be mine.
I’ve never killed a man, but nothing will stop me from doing it now. Jagger is mine.
“Who are you?” Jagger asks again. He must be able to tell Rory isn’t a normal boyfriend.
“I already told you who I am, and if Kat gets hurt, it’s going to be a lot slower and more painful for you. I rarely get to play that way, to take my time. I have so much fun when I do.”
Rory doesn’t look at me, hardly moves at all, staring at the phone with ice-cold rage. Rory will torture this man if I let him, maybe even if I don’t. We’ll do this, together, just like he said.
“You’re not in control here, kid. I am. You don’t know who you’re fucking with,” Jagger snarls, but there’s something else in his tone. He didn’t expect Rory. He’s wondering who he is and what kind of power he has.
“You’re boring me. Where’s Kat?” Rory asks.
There’s a whoosh, and she cries out again, a phantom ache searing through my gut. “Stop fucking hurting her!” I shout.
“You were always such a mama’s boy. You would do anything for her even though she’s never put you first. She’s a slut and an addict who doesn’t deserve your devotion, but then, maybe you’re not so devoted anymore. I’ve had her for two days and you didn’t know.”
His words are like a kick in the chest, stealing the air from my lungs.
“Don’t listen to him, Shai! It’s not your fault,” Mom calls out, but all it does is get her hit again.
“I don’t play nice when someone takes what’s mine,” Jagger says.
“Now, this is what we’re going to do. Your mom and I need some more time to get reacquainted.
I missed her so much. Keep your phone on you, son, and when Mom and Dad are ready for you, I’ll call you.
You’ll come to us, and we’re going back home, together. One big happy fucking family.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I seethe.
“Then your mom will die, and we know you don’t want that. Now, be a good boy, Shai. Get rid of your little boyfriend. You don’t want him to get hurt. Then do everything I say, or I’ll kill you and your mother.”
“Don’t you ever fucking threaten him, do you hear me? I’ll fucking kill you. I’ll rip your goddamned heart out with my bare hands!” Rory shouts into the phone, but the line is already dead. Jagger is gone.
“Motherfucker!” I slam my fists against the dashboard, over and over. “I’m so fucking stupid! I never should have left her! It’s my job to take care of her!” I shove out of the car and slam the door, the cold air biting into me. My hands fist, my feet unable to stay still as I pace and rage inside.
Rory joins me, walking around to my side of the car and leaning against it. “Do you need to hit someone?”
“What?” Who the hell am I supposed to hit?
“Hit me. Hit the car. Do what you have to do, and then we’ll go get your mom back.” His face is serious, eyes set, mouth in a firm line.
“I’m not hitting you.”
“I would let you if you needed to.”
“Jesus, Rory. I’m not hitting you.” How could he even think that? But he would let me if I wanted to, there’s no doubt in my mind. “I love you,” I remind him.
“I love you too, pet. Do you think I would have made that offer if I didn’t?”
I shake my head. “I don’t want you hurt for me, and I definitely don’t want to be the one to hurt you.”
“Good. Then here’s the plan: I’ll call one of my contacts and get some guns—without having to go home. We’ll go to one of our local safe houses and wait until Jagger calls.”
Without Cillian and the others…that’s what he’s saying. I nod, trusting him the way I’ve never trusted anyone else, but as we get back in the car, something is off. Ollie’s and Cillian’s words come back to me, things they’ve both said about Rory.
“If you’re going to be with him, you need to be able to give him his freedom while being the anchor he sometimes needs so he doesn’t drift away.”
“It means indulging him when the time is right, but reeling him in when it isn’t, and the ability to figure out when that is.”