Page 115 of He Sees You

"Stop lying." Her voice is ice. "For once in your pathetic life, tell the truth."

Sterling drops to his knees, the gun clattering away. "I'm sick. I know I'm sick. But I never touched you, never would have?—"

"Because I'm your daughter? Or because you preferred victims who couldn't fight back?"

He's sobbing now, ugly gasping sobs.

The powerful sheriff is reduced to a pathetic creature begging for understanding that will never come.

"Walk me down the aisle," Celeste says suddenly.

Sterling looks up, confused. "What?"

"Christmas Eve. Walk me down the aisle at my wedding. Play the loving father one more time. Then disappear forever."

"Celeste—"

"Or everyone sees these documents by morning."

"You're blackmailing me?"

"I'm giving you a chance you don't deserve. Take it or don't."

Sterling retrieves his gun slowly, holsters it. Stands on shaking legs. "After the wedding, I'll leave?"

"After the wedding, you'll be gone one way or another."

He understands the threat but has no choice. "Midnight? At the estate?"

"Where else would we marry but where it all began?"

Sterling stumbles to the door, pauses. "The shipment on Christmas Eve?—"

"We'll handle it," I say. "Those girls will be freed."

"And the buyers?"

"Will be dealt with."

He nods, understanding.

After he leaves, Celeste collapses into my arms.

"Christmas Eve," she whispers. "We get married and kill my father on the same night."

"Poetic justice."

"Our wedding gift to each other—removing a monster from the world."

I kiss her forehead, tasting salt from tears she won't let fall. "Three days to plan a wedding and multiple murders."

"The perfect Christmas," she says, and means it.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Celeste

The words bleed from my fingertips like confessions at midnight.