“Colt,” I admonish, “she’s still our mother.”
“No, fuck that, she made her choice and it wasn’t us. Let her precious Eli save her.”
“Eli thinks she never came home.” Mona hugs herself, the information becoming too much.
“Not our problem,” Colt says again, and I think back to the night she asked me to take her home. I begged her to stay, to choose us, but she wouldn’t.
“You’re right. Let her live by the rules of the place she chose to be,” I tell them.
“We still haven’t identified who hurt my sister,” Mona murmurs.
My father flickers into my head, the media and fucking mess the whole thing made. “They did make an arrest for her murder, Mona,” I tell her, getting narrowed eyes from Colt. I hate the fact that I have to inform her of these details, but she needs to know.
“Who was it?” She stands.
Colt groans, running his hands through his hair. “Our father.”
“What?” she looks between us.
“He denied it,” I add.
“But you said he hates our kind…and hated her.” She nods, the cogs of her brain turning.
“That doesn’t mean he’s capable of killing someone in such a brutal way,” I defend. Fuck, I want to believe that, but on the other hand I understand he’s a ruthless monster.
“Take me to his dungeon,” she demands.
Colt’s eyes cut to me. “He’s not in a dungeon. He didn’t go to prison. He’s rich, powerful. His lawyers got him off.”
I can tell she doesn’t understand,
Colt goes to her, taking her hands in his, lowering himself so he’s within her eye line.
“There wasn’t enough evidence to get him a prison sentence. He is free in the world living his life.”
“So he could have brought the gift, the necklace?” she asks.
He wouldn’t have the knowledge of when Mona’s birthday was, would he?
“It doesn’t make sense. He doesn’t have the motive, not really. Unless…” I ponder.
“Unless what?” she asks.
“Unless he’s still bitter over our mother and is getting back at your father.”
Why wait five years?
“There’s only one way to find out,” Colt announces.
“And what’s that?” I ask.
“We go see him, bring Mona with us.”
“No.” I jump up. “We shouldn’t give him the chance to see she’s here. If he did it, he would have access to hurt her.”
“He can’t hurt her with us there, and we’ll take her to his club so there’s an audience. He wouldn’t risk trying anything.”
“And…what? Just ask him straight out?” I mock.
“Why the fuck not? Let’s just put her in front of him. If he recognizes her, we’ll detect—we’ll see it in his fucking eyes.”
“And if he doesn’t?” I ask. “What then?”
“Then we know it wasn’t him who sent the necklace.”
“It sounds fucking risky.”
“Don’t be a pussy, Cash. He has no power over us anymore. We own everything but that club. And if he shows signs of recognition, I’ll take that too and more.”
“What more can you take?” I ask.
“His fucking pulse.”
Fifteen
Mona
Things are so different here. Sound, light, touch—it all feels heightened. Like I’ve been living in a dream and I’m just now waking up. Rumbling of music vibrates all around us as we enter the place Cash called a club. There are people everywhere, gyrating against each other to music I’ve never heard before.
Lights embedded in the floor and walls offer the only source of ambiance, giving the space a dark pulse. There’s a sharp taste in the air that reminds me of the drink Colt gave me that burned my throat.
Heat thickens the air as people grind and stir with the beat. My heart pounds heavily in my chest as I watch them. They look so…so free, weightless, like they’re dancing in the water.
“Drink?”
“Like the fiery one?” I ask, wary.
His smile renders me mute. “I’ll get you something sweet. Stay by Cash’s side.”
Cash slips his hand in mine, making my eyes drop there. A spark ignites, like when Colt touched me. “You okay?” he asks, and I just nod. I feel good. I came here chasing a phantom into the darkness and found light and beauty. Colt and Cash aren’t scary or evil. They evoke a warmth inside me, and I want to chase that feeling. “You want to dance?”
“I’ve never heard music like this before.” I shake my head, and he chuckles, pulling me amongst the people moving their bodies in time with the beat.
“Just feel it,” he whisper-yells at me, pulling me against his body.
He’s hard planes of muscle beneath his shirt. A fluttering of butterflies takes flight inside me from our proximity. He brings my hands up and slings them around his neck, hugging me closer. Our bodies entwine. It’s almost obscene.
I’d be sent to be cleansed for this back on our island…but why? Why does this feel so good, so fun, if it’s wrong?
Energy fills my veins, my skin heating. I sway my hips, swinging. “Like this?” I ask, glee exploding inside me. This feels good—really, really good!