The weight in my gut started to dissipate, and I wasn’t running.
I wanted to see this.
I wanted to make sure he died.
“Are you okay?” Winter asked, wrapping her arms around me as I sat with my hands cuffed. “What’s going to happen?”
I nuzzled her, burying my face in her neck.
I had no idea. But I wasn’t scared anymore. She was safe. My friends were safe. No matter what happened, I had that, at least.
“It’ll be okay,” I whispered.
Strangely, I felt only tired, not even worried or upset or guilty, like maybe I should be. I was just happy he was gone and happy she was free. It was worth it.
The coroner was putting my father on the gurney, already zipped into a body bag, while the police talked with each other and waited for forensics to arrive.
Kai made sure none of us said anything until we talked to lawyers.
But I was the one found with the knife and the blood on my hand.
I’d be going in.
“Go with Banks and Kai,” I told her.
I wanted her out of Thunder Bay tonight. In the city with new air and space.
Away from this shit.
She held in her tears as she kissed me and whispered, “That’s not your life anymore. I don’t leave.”
I couldn’t help the smile that broke out as she kissed me again. I wouldn’t admit it to her, but that fucking made my night.
Banks pulled her back as the cop yanked me up and started to take me away.
I watched her over my shoulder, praying like hell that wasn’t the last time I touched her.
As I passed Rika, our gazes met, and she knew there were things happening she didn’t understand. I wasn’t supposed to kill him. That wasn’t part of the plan.
But she hadn’t heard any of the conversation between me and my father.
That shit was for another day.
For now…
“One down,” I told her. “The rest is on you.”
Hours later, I’d received medical attention for my wound and a pre-packaged cinnamon roll which still sat unopened on the interrogation room table in front of me.
My eyes burned from exhaustion, and my stomach growled, but I couldn’t get the damn roll, because I was handcuffed, and I couldn’t reach it. They knew that.
They hadn’t tried questioning me yet, though, probably knowing I was smart enough to know my rights.
But they hadn’t taken samples of the blood on my hand or had me remove my clothes, either. I was getting curious about what the hell was happening out there, because no one was coming in, and I hadn’t gotten my phone call. What if I had to piss?
I rubbed my face on my shoulder and yawned as the fluorescent lighting beat down on me.
Where was Winter? I pictured her in my head, in our bed and sleeping peacefully like I wanted her to be.