Page 30 of The Black Lotus (Fatal Florals Duet #2)

TWENTY-THREE

SERENA

M y dad, the person I grew up loving and admiring, then hating and forgiving, is standing at the incinerator watching his fiancée’s head burn, and I’m the reason for it.

How could we ever come back from this? What have I done?

In the moment all I felt was pure unadulterated anger towards Sharon, and it was within my grasp to take it out on her.

He’s already protected and forgave me for Mom and Jessica. Can he do the same for Sharon?

I play with the edges of the shirt Dad brought to help some of the growing anxiety to stay at bay.

The smooth fabric feels comforting as I drag my feet back into the barn.

The air in here feels like a vacuum sucked it all out, the edges of my vision growing fuzzy since I can’t take a deep breath.

The only sound is the buzzing in my ears from trying to explain why she was fed to the pigs, their excited squeals finally dying down as their mouths and some parts of their body are caked and bloody from tearing her apart.

Even though Aster told me what he said, I don’t think he’s okay seeing it.

“She killed Mom,” I whisper, the only thing I can manage to get out as I chew on my bottom lip, looking at the ground and feeling like a little kid waiting to be scolded.

When he doesn't even flinch from my words, the words spill out of me like a waterfall. “She was going to kill me. I’m sorry, Dad. When she told me she wanted you to herself, I understood, because after the truth was finally revealed and I found out that you are actually the best father in the world, I wanted you to myself, too. I wanted to get to know the man you’ve been hiding from me and let you into my life.

I want us to grow closer, being a daddy and daughter duo that others are jealous of.

” I pick at the cuticles on my nails, nervous to tell him the next part.

The truth of how she killed his soulmate.

“When she told me she was the reason Mom never got better, that she was poisoning her, making her worse and watching as she slowly died; I snapped. I was raging inside, but I kept my calm, just like Aster taught me, waiting for the right moment to, well, to make her the victim…”

I trail off as he turns around, my heart in my throat until he wraps his arms around me so tight I can hardly breathe. His embrace doesn’t feel angry. It doesn’t feel sad. Tears burn my eyes. All I feel is relief in his trembling body. “Dad?” I look up at him, concern twisting my features.

“I’m so sorry, Serena.”

He’s sorry? Why is he sorry? He didn't know his psycho fiancée killed his wife then planned to kidnap his daughter. Did he?

Stepping out of his arms, feeling like I’m on a rollercoaster waiting for the impending drop, I stare at him, waiting in fear for him to continue.

I look back and see Aster staring down my father, eyes blazing like he could rip out his throat at any minute.

Does he know something I don’t? The anxiety that died when my dad hugged me, comes back full force as I glance back and forth between the two men, my stomach in knots as the silence wears on.

I force myself to turn back around. “Why are you sorry? Dad?”

He rakes his fingers through his hair, stepping closer as I take a tentative step back, inching closer to the safety of my killer's arms. If Dad is about to tell me something I’m not ready to hear, I need to be next to the one person who can catch me when I fall.

“I didn’t know she was poisoning your mom,” his voice breaks, “we can talk more about that later. But… but I knew she was trying to keep us apart. Granted, I never assumed she would go to such lengths. I should have known she would because of where she came from. I am so sorry, Serena.” He stays right in front of the pig pen, the grunts quieting as the pigs fall asleep, happy, bloody, and full.

Should we spray them off with a hose or will the blood eventually mix with the mud?

Aster’s hand gently, but protectively, grips my shoulder, distracting me from my thoughts and calming my rage. I look up at him with a reassuring smile, placing my hand on top of his.

Narrowing my gaze at my father, I ask, “Tell me, Dad , where did Sharon come from? How did you know she wanted me gone?”

“Can we get out of here and drive as far away as possible from this place first? Then I will tell you everything.”

Me and Aster share a look, nodding in unison. I get in Aster’s car, my father looking disappointed that I’m not going with him. I give him a sad smile wanting to comfort him, but with what he just told me, I need the comfort Aster brings me, but I don’t want to hurt him anymore than I already have.

“We will follow you.” Aster states, leaving no room for argument.

My father’s face falls, but he relents, getting into his car and driving away.

“Thank you,” I whisper, picking at a sticker on Aster’s middle console.

Aster’s hand clasps mine, ceasing my nervous picking. “Talk to me. What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?”

I look up at him, a small smile lifting my lips. “You know, you’re really sweet for a serial killer.”

He chuckles, bringing my knuckles to his mouth and kissing them. “I wear a mask for everyone except you. You’re the only one who will ever see all sides of me.”

“And accept them,” I finish, staring at his profile as we bounce along the road.

His thumb brushes against my knuckles. “Now will you tell me what’s bothering you? Do you regret killing Sharon?”

“No!” I hurry to answer, pulling my hand from his. “She deserved the death she got. It’s just… I worry about my dad. He’s alone again. He’s alone again because of me…”

“He has us. And I think he knows more than we think.”

Tilting my head to the side, my eyebrows dip as I stare at him, waiting for him to elaborate.

Does he know why Sharon tried to kill me?

Did he know she was coming for me? Was he hiding the truth of her nefarious plans to eliminate me?

The way his hands tighten on the wheel, his jaw ticking, tells me it’s something else entirely.

I chew on my bottom lip, wondering what about my father could have Aster so rattled.

“What do you mean?” I finally ask. He wouldn’t be so rattled from anything that has to do with my dad. The only thing that would rattle him like this would have to do with me, but Dad can’t possibly know about the hit on my head. Right?

“He made a comment about me not getting caught if I killed Sharon.”

My brain turns to mush, my thoughts racing and jumbling together like a giant ball of yarn that can’t be untangled.

He can’t know Aster is the Morbid Monet.

Even the killers coming after me don’t know that.

My chest rises and falls, my vision blurring.

Surely, if my dad knew that he would make me break up with him.

Not that he could or that he has any room to talk considering the woman he fell for was behind Mom’s downfall and my kidnapping and almost death.

“I don’t think he knows I'm the Morbid Monet, but he knows something. When you talk to him this time, I’m not leaving your side. We will find out the truth.”