Page 41

Chapter 40

T here are moments in life that you never see coming. Shocking moments of betrayal that lead to a pain so acute, it changes you at your very core. People aren’t always who you think they are. They surprise you in both good and bad ways, but once the big reveal happens, you know, deep down inside, that nothing will ever be the same. And after everything that’s happened in the last two days, I should be prepared by now. I didn’t see this coming.

I try in vain to sleep, then finally give up and go to the bathroom. When I come out, I hear Eli and Tessa talking downstairs and something in her tone prickles my awareness. I’m not intentionally eavesdropping, but when Dalton’s name is brought up, I need to know what’s being said. Quietly, I make my way down the stairs, straining to catch the words drifting up from below.

“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you. Or Allie. This is not your fault. He didn’t act alone. This has been going on for a long time. But we’re going to end it,” he says, his voice growing louder with each word .

“We need to deal with Dalton. We have everything we need from him. He has to pay for everything he’s done. It’s time he pays for his sins,” Tessa replies with a harsh whisper.

Breathe, Allie. Breathe. This is Tessa . You didn’t wake up in the middle of a John Wick movie.

“What do you mean by ‘deal with Dalton’?” I ask, a sick feeling curling in my stomach.

Tess turns to face me. “Alls—”

“No. No more secrets. No more lies. I knew you two were hiding something,” I say, my body trembling with shock and disbelief. “Oh my god, is he here ?”

“Yes. He’s locked in the basement.”

Horrified, a gasp escapes me, my hands instinctively covering my mouth.

Tessa simply watches me, and my skin prickles with alarm. “He was trying to run away. I couldn’t let him escape after what he did to you.”

“So… what, you kidnapped him?”

“When you put it like that, yes, that is exactly what I did.” Tessa shrugs, no sign of remorse in her eyes.

Oh my god, this is a John Wick movie! I pinch myself desperately, trying to wake up. Ouch, that hurt. Panicking, I back up slowly, but she raises her hands and speaks in a reassuring tone. “Alls, it’s me. I need you to give me a chance to explain myself here.” I eye her warily before nodding at her to continue.

“He was running from the law, and they were doing nothing. Nothing, Allie. I had to stop him.” She locks hands with Eli. “We had to stop him.”

I look at Eli. “You were in on this, too?” My mind races, trying to put all of this together and make it make sense.

“Dalton hurt you. He almost killed you. He killed—” He breaks off suddenly.

Heavy emotions roll over me. My hand instinctively goes to my abdomen. The loss I feel is unbearable. It’s as if there’s a weight on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I have to focus on something else. I can’t think about the baby. Not right now.

“How did you find him?” I ask, struggling to regain my composure. “Where was he?”

“He was hiding out in an abandoned warehouse.” Tessa’s gaze slides away from mine, as if she’s leaving something out. “We grabbed him before he could leave town.”

I look at my friend, slowly trying to process everything. I’m scared to ask more questions, but I need to know. “Tess, tell me why you brought him here. Why didn’t you call the police?”

“Because there are others involved. It isn’t just Dalton and Wilson. There are people in high places who will do anything to protect themselves,” she says forcefully. “I had to get as much information out of him as I could. We have to get justice for those girls. I have to get justice for you.”

“M-me?”

“Dalton is a bad man. I can’t let him hurt anyone else.”

“What are you going to do?” I ask, fear creeping in.

“Do you really want to know? I mean, really want to know?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know,” I sob. “Just tell me.”

“He has to die. ”

Understanding dawns on me as I recall the news release of Wilson’s body being found. “Dalton was here. He couldn’t have been the one who killed Wilson.”

“Wilson was a bad man, made bad decisions, and didn’t feel an ounce of remorse. The world is better off without him.”

My mind races. What did Tessa do? “Oh my god, so you’re...what? Some sort of vigilante?” I gape at her, disbelief flooding through me. This isn’t the Tessa I thought I knew. But if what she is telling me is true, Wilson and Dalton are monsters.

Biting my lip in indecision, I finally steady myself. “I want to see him. Dalton,” I say firmly. “Take me to him.”

We go down to the basement. I’ve always loved this theater room. We’ve spent several girls’ nights drinking margaritas and watching rom-coms. I’m not sure I’ll ever see this room the same again.

Tessa types into a keypad, and a door opens.

My mouth drops. What the hell?

Walking in, I gasp. I see Dalton shackled. He stirs as we enter, his eyes widening when he sees me.

“Allie! Please help me. You have to get them to let me go, doll.”

Ugh, I hate that nickname. It was always Allie-girl or doll . I take in Dalton’s appearance—his brown hair sticking to his forehead, his hazel eyes that I once thought were beautiful. Now I know they are just hiding the evil within him. He has bruises and swelling on his face, and the skin under his left eye is black. There’s also a knife sticking out of his leg. My stomach churns at the sight. I walk up to stand in front of him.

“How does it feel?” I ask coolly. “Being beaten to hell and back. ”

Even I’m taken aback by the venom in my tone. His eyes plead with mine. “I’m sorry, Allie. I’m so fucking sorry.”

“Are you sorry that you hurt me, or that I heard what you did?”

He glances away, evading my question.

“Why, Dalton? Why did you do it? I thought you loved me.” My voice quivers.

Disdain crosses his face. “Did you think I was with you because I wanted to be?” he spits. I gasp, heat flooding my face as color rises to my cheeks. “W-what?” “You were an assignment, Allie girl,” he sneers. “I was ordered to wine and dine you. To make you fall for me, and even to get you knocked up so I could keep an eye on you. Make sure you stayed quiet.”

“What are you talking about? Assignment?” I exchange looks with Tessa and Eli, who seem just as flabbergasted as I am. “I don’t understand.”

“You just had to go snooping into your cousin’s disappearance two years ago. You started this,” he snaps.

My stomach drops as my mind immediately flashes to the tearful woman who had come into my office a couple years ago, experiencing a mental breakdown and desperate for answers about her daughter’s disappearance. It had triggered a response in me, and I had asked questions, probed around, digging into her case—and then inevitably, into Paisley’s disappearance as well. But at every turn, I was shut down. Now I know why.

“Oh, God,” I whisper, a tremor running down my spine, the weight of this revelation sinking in.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’re a nice piece of ass. A little too vanilla for me, but that pussy’s tight.”

“You motherfucker,” Eli growls harshly .

Stunned and reeling, I slap him hard in the face.

“I loved you. And it was all a lie.” I can feel myself breaking more than I realized was possible. “But you didn’t have to take my baby from me.”

Something akin to regret flashes in his eyes, but it’s fleeting and replaced with a darkness I’ve only seen a few times before. He truly is evil.

A numbing calmness washes over me. All doubts I felt walking into the room wither away.

“Do what you want with him. I don’t care.” I turn to walk out of the basement door, glancing over at Eli and Tess. “But I want nothing to do with it.”

“Allie, wait. Wait!!” Dalton screams out.

“Rot in hell, asshole.”

And with that, I leave the room without another word.