Crossed Paths (The Chronicles of Anna Monroe and Boston Marks) by A. A. Dark & Alaska Angelini

Author:A. A. Dark & Alaska Angelini [Dark, A. A. & Angelini, Alaska]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mad Girl Publishing
Published: 2022-12-26T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 23

Mr. Friend

Work. Work. It was always work. It ruined everything. My job always got in the way. It made moments like this insufferable. I should have been playing with Laurel. We should have been carrying on with my brilliant plan. No. What was I doing? Pacing. Worrying. Waiting to watch the fucking news, which I said I would not do.

Questions. Always questions.

Are you okay?

How are you feeling?

When was the last time you turned on the TV?

You said if you had any issues, you’d come to me.

You better not be fucking lying to me.

You signed a contract.

You know what that means.

I knew what it meant. I didn’t care. I didn’t plan to live long enough to worry about it. What did I have to lose?

“Daddy, can I have some ice cream? You said I could have some after lunch.”

My jaw clenched at the name, but I managed to turn and smile.

“As soon as the news is over, I’ll make you the biggest bowl of ice cream. I’ll even put hot chocolate syrup and sprinkles on it. I have gummy bears too, if you want those.”

“Yay! You’re the best!”

I smiled as she threw herself around my leg, clinging on.

“You know why I’m the best?”

“Why?”

“Because I’m yours. Now, you have to let Daddy watch this, okay?”

Her head tilted back to look up at me.

“Does Makayla get ice cream too?”

“Is she still crying?”

Laurel glanced at her opened door. I didn’t expect the brat to come out. She was tied up on her mattress with a gag in her mouth.

“I told her you said she could get out when she stopped, but she just won’t. She never follows rules.”

“Because she’s a bad girl. Bad girls get punished. Don’t they, Princess.”

It wasn’t a question.

“…Yes, Daddy. No ice cream for her.”

She paused, and my eyes cut over enough to see that it was still a commercial.

“Daddy, did Mrs. Winston really say that’s how Makayla had to be punished?”

At the fear darkening her bright eyes, I lowered, lifting her into my arms. Was she too old to hold? She didn’t seem to mind.

“I learned a lot when I had to be away from you. One of those things was punishment. Mrs. Winston knows that. You see…sometimes bad people are born.”

“Bad like Makayla?”

“Yes, Lulu. Just like that. But you see, when she grows up, she’s only going to get worse. People like her, they must be dealt with right—when they’re young—that way they don’t end up hurting lots of people when they get older. Do you understand?”

Multiple expressions drew in her little features. Her nose crinkled for the smallest moment, and she exhaled. “I think so.”

“Has anyone ever been really mean to your mommy?”

More little thinking. More, a weird prickling poked holes in my armor.

“Mommy had a friend once. Roy. I saw him hit Mommy. She cried and was really scared. Her eye was…hurt. Big and dark. She cried a lot. The police came. We never saw him after that.”

“Good. He was punished just like I’m doing. That’s the mean that I’m talking about.

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