I gasp, sitting up instantly. Afternoon? No wonder it’s so bright outside.
“My God. What time is it?”
“It’s nearly one-thirty. I guess we wiped you out.”
They certainly did. I slip my hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing out loud.
“I’m wiped out in a good way.”
“I was hoping you would say that.” He smiles as radiantly at me as the warm sun kissing my skin, but the smile recedes as worry clouds his eyes. Instantly I know something’s not right.
“Where are the others? Is… everything okay.”
“It will be. After today I’m sure your life will be better. I just don’t like taking you into the darker parts of my world.”
I grimace, swallowing hard. “What do you mean, Levi?”
“I found your stepfather, Megan.”
My breath catches and my brain flip-flops as I try to process his words. When I do, adrenaline races through my body, seizing my heart and lungs at the same time.
Levi found my stepfather.
He actually did it.
“You did it. You found him?” My voice comes out in a gentle hush that reminds me of the broken girl I was at eighteen who’d just lost her mother and knew she didn’t die of natural causes. The solid walls of my world came crashing down all around me that day and I’ve been lost since. All because of that bastard—my so-called stepfather.
“Yes. He was hiding out in Mexico. I found him two days ago, but I didn’t want to say anything until my men had secured him. They did yesterday and arrived in Chicago earlier this morning.”
I can’t believe what he’s saying to me or that it’s real. “My God, Levi. I don’t know how to thank you.” I hug him and he rubs my back.
“Anything for you.” He bows and a lock of his hair falls over his eye. “Knox and Cristiano are with your stepfather at one of the facilities where we question people. I decided to stay with you until they were ready to give the all-clear for you to see him. Cristiano called five minutes ago to do so.”
At the thought of seeing my stepfather again, goosebumps line the back of my neck. I haven’t seen him since before mom’s funeral.
“Baby, are you ready to see him?”
“Yes.” I’ve been ready to look that evil bastard in the eye for years and tell him I know what he did.
* * *
The building Levi referred to as ‘one of their facilities’ is an old warehouse by the docks. It looks like something you’d find in a nineties horror film and even has the eerie vibe to accompany the stiff atmosphere.
Levi leads me in, keeping his arm around my waist. I think he can see how much my legs are shaking, although my mind and spirit are willing to face my biggest demon.
“This way.” Levi motions down a set of dark stairs and we take them.
At least the overhead lights snap on when the motion sensors catch our first steps. Having the light takes the edge off but does nothing to calm my racing heart.
We walk through a set of metal doors and then I see him. My stepfather, the great Samuel Richardson, is tied to a chair. He’s covered in bluish-black bruises and blood. Despite that, he looks like he’s had a good life and hasn’t aged much since I last saw him.
Cristiano and Knox stand on either side of him. Both men have guns, but Cristiano is also holding a butcher knife at his side with blood dripping from it.
He glances at me as Levi and I stop a few paces away, then he lifts my dear stepfather’s face with the edge of the knife to level his gaze with mine.
“Samuel, look at Megan. She’s here.” Cristiano speaks in a low voice. I’ve gotten to realize that the calm side of him is the most dangerous.
“Hello Samuel, long time no see.” I never stopped dreaming of this day. So I know what to say despite my nerves.