Page 118 of Vain

“I’m not leaving you here alone,” I tell Tilly.

“I’m not alone. I’ve got Greyson and Marley, and you can send the guard up from the gatehouse to stay with us.”

“I can call the police as soon as you leave and explain what’s going on,” Greyson adds.

“And I’m pretty handy with a fucking knife,” Marley snaps.

I clench my hand into fists.

“We haven’t got time for this, Aiden. Decide,” Kellen yells.

“Fuck it. Fine.” I lean down and kiss Tilly, pouring everything into it. I turn and head out to the garage, grabbing her hat and shades on the way out. If I don’t leave now. I never will.

Kellen lies in the back as I start the car and head down to the gatehouse.

“I need you to go on up to Matilda Carson’s house and keep watch from the front fucking door. You hear anything out of place or see anything odd, call the police.”

The new guard, whose fucking name I still can’t remember, stares at me for a beat before nodding. “Yes sir.” When he opens the gate and lets me out, I floor it, heading to the highway.

When the text comes through with more info, Kellen directs me where to go until I find myself well off the beaten track. “There’s a cabin up ahead,” I tell him as I stop.

“Here,” he hands me the phone before cracking open the door and slipping out the back. “Give me a few minutes to check it out. I’ll text you.”

I grip the steering wheel and nod. He pulls out his gun and slips into the trees.

A few minutes feels like a fucking lifetime. I half expect the phone to chime with threats of pain to Hattie because it’s now been thirty-two minutes since his first text. But so far, nothing.

When the phone rings, I jump out of my fucking skin. I answer it and hear Kellen yelling. “Get the fuck over here now.”

“Where are you?” I ask, leaping out of the car and grabbing my own gun.

“I’m in the cabin.”

He hangs up, leaving me cursing as I sprint toward the building, not even trying for stealth. Anyone there will have already heard Kellen.

I kick the door in and aim my gun, waiting for someone to jump out at me. When they don’t, I follow the sound of Kellen’s voice, realizing he’s on the phone to the emergency services. I come to a halt when I see him trying to cut Hattie free from the chair.

“Shit.” I drop down next to her to help, but she’s in a fuck of a lot worse condition than before. Aside from the fact that her hands are completely purple from the tight rope around her wrists, she has multiple stab wounds across her chest and stomach.

“Hattie, honey, can you hear me?” She moans slightly, making me work harder. The ropes are slick with her blood, and I’m worried about hurting her further. “Did Daniel do this?”

Kellen hangs up. “Cops are on their way. But Aiden, you need to see the bathtub.” He looks a little green

I get to my feet and walk with trepidation to the bathroom. The smell hits me first. I cover my nose with my T-shirt and seeDaniel, or what’s left of him. There is so much blood in the bath, his lower half is submerged in it. I don’t check for a pulse. I can see he’s been dead for at least a week, probably more.

I close the door and head back out to Kellen and Hattie. He’s managed to get her free from the chair and has her lying on the ground with a towel pressing on the worst of her wounds, but there are just so many of them. I cover the ones I can see with my bare hands.

She groans, her eyes opening as she tries to focus. When they land on me, a tear runs down her face. “Ma…til…da.”

“Shh. It’s okay. You’re going to be fine. Do you know who did this to you?”

“Father…Tilly’s father.”

I look at Kellen, who frowns. “He’s dead.”

“Not…the one.”

I shake my head. “I don’t understand. You’re saying the man who died wasn’t Tilly’s father.”