I tug on Beast’s hand, urging him to listen to Lukas. We still don’t know how Rose ended up at Kindred Hearts.
“I would visit the baby often, cleaning her and feeding her,” Roxy continues. “I even tried to steal her, but my brother threatened me with a gun. That’s when I knew things had gone too far with him. Finally, one day when I got a chance, I poisoned his stew. He was a worthless piece of a shit. No one paid any attention to the details of his death. Everyone was so happy that he was finally gone. But I had to do something about the baby. Over the years, I’d become attached to her, so I couldn’t just kill her.”
My heart lurches painfully, hearing her indifference and disregard for Rose’s life. We could have lost her so easily.
“But I also couldn’t leave her here. She had marks on her body. She had Sophia’s eyes. I knew the case was still open with the police. It could very easily be traced back to me. Plus, the girl was weird. She never cried, never made a peep. So, I took her away with me across the country and found a school for slow kids.”
“She is not fucking slow!” My pulse skyrockets, blood simmering through my veins. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Roxanne’s words, as if Rose was nothing but a piece of garbage she had to dump someplace, makes my skin crawl.
Roxanne continues her horrendous story. “I left the girl in a house near that school. I was waiting for someone to notice her, and on the second day, a woman found her. I immediately returned, and for some time, I kept tabs on what was happening, but I realized they closed the case and all was fine.”
“All was fine?” My entire body shakes with a wild mix of fear and anger. My insides boil as I think of what Rose had to go through. “You sick woman. Nothing you just spewed from your fucking mouth is fine. I can’t believe I lived with you, cared for you when you were nothing but another disgusting person from my childhood.”
I’m not shocked when Beast points his gun at her head. After hearing her words, I’d have done the same. “What you did to me, to my family, is beyond imaginable. There’s no word in the dictionary you can say to make it right. I lost my wife, my daughters. Rose, my baby, suffered so much because of you.” He chokes as he says the words, and I feel my throat tightening too. “My wife still lives in the shadows because of you. I cannot let you walk away from all this.”
As Beast’s finger glides toward the trigger, Lukas stands between him and Roxanne. “Ash, she’s not worth it. You just got your girls. Take your fucking life back. Don’t let a weak moment steal all that away from you. Once again.”
Beast turns to Lukas, his eyes dropping to his hands as the gun is pulled from his tight grip.
“Go home, Ash. Go to your family. Your wife. I’ll take care of Roxy. I’ll make sure she’s never a threat to anyone.”
I give Zach a nod and mouth for him to take Beast home.
My brother grabs Beast’s arms and leads him out.
I watch through the window as he opens his car door for Beast, and when they finally leave, I release a deep breath. But my mind stays unhinged, agitation coursing through my body.
Minutes pass by before Lukas comes to stand beside me. “I called the police. They should be here soon. I also recorded her confession in case she decides to change her statement.” He cocks his head toward Roxy, who’s tied to a chair.
I look away from the sick woman, her face reminding me of all the pain my girl suffered.
“You did well.” I pat Lukas’s shoulder awkwardly. When he doesn’t respond to my praise, I add, “I meant with Ash. You said the right thing.”
“It’s okay, Zander. I know you’re not a fan of me. But I’m also not as bad as you think.” He smiles, trying to lighten the air. But it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I understand how Ash is feeling at this very moment. He wants someone to pay for his lost time and his lost love. I was in the same situation, but the difference is, he has someone to go back to. He has someone to drag him away from this. I had neither.”
It takes me a minute to form a response at his unconventional admission. “I never thought about it.” I swallow the lump of embarrassment around my throat.
“It’s okay.” He shrugs, walking away.
“Rose likes you,” I say after him.
He laughs in surprise. “And that’s killing you.”
I chuckle, the weight of the past two days slowly lifting from my shoulders. I know back in Cherrywood things are far from normal. But there’s no more threat to Rose and Sophia. We can all move forward with our lives.
“Not exactly killing me, but I’m perplexed.”
“Why someone likes me?” He raises an eyebrow at me.
“No, asshole. But what does she see in you that I don’t?” I chuckle, hitting his back. He turns around, but there’s something I’ve wanted to say to him for a long time. “Lukas.” He looks at me over his shoulder. “Zach and Zane love you as if you’re our missing fourth brother. My girl adores you as if you’re a long-lost childhood friend. I think I’m blinded by irrelevant things to not see the good in you. I’d like to start afresh.”
He whirls around in a flash, a shocked expression etched on his face. After a beat, he swallows hard and nods. Before we can talk more, the sound of an incoming police siren grabs our attention. Lukas walks out of the house while I stay inside and keep watch on Roxanne.
Minutes later, he treads into the cabin with two armed police officers.
“She needs to be taken in for the murder of her brother and the kidnapping and assault of Ashcroft Miller’s wife and daughter. There are two cold cases that will need to be reopened.”
The two officers nod to Lukas, and we finally leave the suffocating place as police carry on with their business.