Chapter 294
“He’s here. He’s come to kill us. Please, Help. That was all I heard before I heard a loud crash from the other end of the line, and
the call went dead.
Her words made the blood drain from my face,
I didn’t need anyone to interpret the call for me.
Kester was at her house.
I grabbed my phone again, fingers flying, pulled up his number, and it dial. My heart was pounding in my throat. I prayed earnestly that he’d answer the call since he hadn’t been answering all day.
But just like I expected, he didn’t answer.
KESTER.
I’d been sitting in my black Mercedes Maybach for over ten minutes with my engine off, watching them through my tinted windows.
Melissa’s front yard was quiet, save for the low glow from the dining room window. I could see them clearly from where I was
parked across the street. She hadn’t drawn the curtains.
That was foolish. Why leave your house that exposed to every eye?
They were eating dinner. All of them gathered around the table like something out of a damned fairytale.
They laughed happily.
A little girl passed a bowl across to her brother. The boy beamed. Melissa leaned in to wipe something from his cheek, then ruffled
his hair like she’d done it a thousand times before.
That. Right there. That should’ve been my life.
That should’ve been my mother doting on me. That should’ve been my sister giggling at something ridiculous – if my father had let my mother bear him another child.
That should’ve been me passing mashed potatoes and catching warm smiles like it was normal. Like it was safe. Like love wasn’t a thing you had to earn with blood.
Instead, I got empty plates and screams that grew louder each day. I got slammed doors and glass thrown across the room. I got cold silences and loneliness that cut deep into my very soul each time.
I got nothing.
A big golden retriever sat patiently under the table, tail thumping softly every time Melissa reached down to giv
Of course, they had a dog.
a bite.
Because perfect families have dogs.
What a complete family.
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Chapter 294
And framed photos on the wall. And handmade art stuck to the fridge. And birthday cards taped up like badges of honor. I could see all of it from here.
God, I wanted to be in that roo
I wanted to be seven years old again. I wanted Melissa to be my mother. I wanted to believe someone like her could love something broken like me.
But wishing doesn’t change blood.
And, too bad tonight would be their last happy night together.
Because I wasn’t parked out here for sentiment.
I came to end it.
And what kind of monster would I be if I let emotion ruin the timing?
I rested my elbow on the center console, watching as the dog suddenly lifted its head and stared toward the window with its ears perked
Good boy.
You felt it, didn’t you?… The shift in the air. The wrongness.
They hadn’t noticed yet. But the dog knew. They always sense the predator before the prey does.
I smiled.
The second I stepped out of the car, the dog started barking loudly and aggressively.
Good instincts.
I saw Melissa’s face appear in the window, taking a quick glimpse at why her dog was barking before she froze. Her smile dropped like a stone. The color drained from her skin.
Even across the street, I could feel the fear.
She was gone from the window in an instant, running deeper into the house, probably calling for her husband–maybe even telling the kids to go upstairs. I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t care.
I moved slowly up the paved walkway. The dog barked louder as I approached the porch. Its claws scratched against the wooden floor near the front door.
Brave little beast.
I reached the door.
And with a simple, violent shove, I smashed it open. The hinges screamed. The wood splintered with a sound I’d always found satisfying–like bones breaking.
