Page 56 of Trailer Park Princess

Of course. The sick fuck times everything perfectly. Can't have the senator's wife showing up to charity galas looking like a domestic violence poster.

I run warm water in the sink and gently clean the blood from her lip with a dish towel, one of the plain ones she won't balk at ruining. She winces but doesn't pull away. She just stares at herself in the mirror like she's seeing a stranger.

"I used to be so pretty," she says, her voice small and lost. "Your father said I was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen."

"You're still beautiful, Mom."

"He was going to leave hiswifefor us." She laughs, not hearing me. "That's what he said. Just needed time to figure things out. Time to make it right."

I've heard this story before, usually when she's drunk and feeling nostalgic. How my father promised her the world and gave her nothing but me and a broken heart. How his real family found out about us and made sure we disappeared forever.

"And then Todd saved us," she continues, her words thick with irony. "My knight in shining armor. Pulled us out of that trailer and gave us this beautiful life."

"Some fucking life," I mutter, dabbing antiseptic on her cut. She doesn't reply. Just keeps staring off into space like she's watching a dream unfold in front of her eyes.

I guide her back to bed, and she curls up like a child, pulling the covers up to her chin. The pills are really hitting now. Her eyes keep drifting shut only to snap open again, like she's fighting against the pull of unconsciousness.

"Stay with me?" she asks, her voice small and scared.

"Of course."

I climb into bed beside her, careful not to jostle her. She immediately curls into me, her head resting on my shoulder, the smell of her shampoo filling my nose.

I'm transported back to those nights in the trailer when I was the one seeking comfort. When she'd stroke my hair and promise that everything would be okay, that we'd find our happily ever after eventually.

Back then, I thought I'd already found mine.

Now I'm the one stroking her hair, feeling the gray roots she hasn't been able to get touched up because Todd doesn't like her leaving the house without him lately. Her breathing starts to even out as the cocktail of chemicals finally drags her under.

"I'm sorry, baby," she mumbles, half-asleep. "I'm so sorry I brought you into this."

"Shhhh. It's okay."

"Tried to protect you. Tried to give you better…"

"I know, Mom. I know."

She goes quiet for a long moment, and I think she's finally out. Then, so soft I almost miss it, she whispers again.

"He's going to kill me one day."

My blood turns to ice. "No. No, he's not. I won't let him."

But she's already out, her breath evening out into the deep rhythm of drugged sleep. I keep stroking her hair, my mind racing through all my twisted plans. Through the one plan that's been looming over me for three days like a guillotine of my own.

Nothing feels more twisted than the golden bars coiling around us.

Chapter 16

ELLIE

The warehouse looks exactlythe same as it did three days ago, which is to say it looks like shit.

Same rust-bleeding walls. Same shadows that could hide a hundred crimes. Same guard at the door who looks like he bench presses small cars for fun.

But this time, I'm not here to negotiate. I'm here to surrender.

"Back so soon?" The guard's voice drips with amusement as he recognizes me. "Boss said you'd return."