“Yes. What did you think we were talking about?”
“I don’t know.” I frowned again, remembering what I saw when I walked into the room that day. It looked like Dad’s hand was inside Kinsey’s blazer. I assumed he was groping her, but now it seemed clear that I was only seeing what I wanted to see. “Did you give Kinsey her first paycheck that day?”
“Yes. Why?”
“It looked like you had your hand in her blazer when I walked in.”
“Oh, that’s right. I remember now. I was tucking the envelope of cash into the interior pocket of her blazer.”
My eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Anna mentioned she’d be home early that day, but we weren’t sure exactly when, so we were worried she might walk in at any moment and see the envelope if we put it in one of the outer pockets. If she did, she’d probably ask what it was, and then we’d have to tell her about our little job scheme. So we figured it was better to hide the evidence just in case.” My father paused for a few seconds. “Why did you ask about that? Did you think I was touching Kinsey?”
Yes.
“I don’t know. I wasn’t sure what was going on,” I replied, not wanting him to know I was onto him.
He chuckled. “Well, I wasn’t touching her at all, but I’m glad you mentioned it so I could clear it all up for you,” he said. “Anyway, is that the only reason you called?”
I gritted my teeth. “Pretty much.”
“All right,” he said. “I’m sure you’re happy to know I’m not having a wild affair with my partner’s teenage daughter, then.”
No, you’re just drugging and sexually assaulting her every night. So much better.
“Gotta go,” I said, knowing I’d blow up on him if I stayed on the phone for a second longer. “See you later.”
I hung up and rose to my feet, heart hammering in my chest as adrenaline flooded my veins. Everything I’d said and done to Kinsey in the last few months was tumbling into the forefront my mind, filling me with guilt. Every vicious act, every vindictive word, every nasty trick.
I’d tortured her. Turned everyone against her. Made her miserable. Fornothing.
I was so convinced I was right about her, so convinced she was a lying, scheming offshoot of her father, that I never stopped to consider that my own father could be the real scheming liar in the situation.
No… he was worse than a liar. He was a filthy, depraved predator. Maybe even a psychopath.
Now that I knew about the sordid things he got up to late at night, I wondered if it was all part of a bigger plan he dreamed up eighteen months ago when he heard about James Holland’s untimely death. After all, I always had a feeling that his introduction to Kinsey was no coincidence. I was just thinking in the wrong direction.
Hewas the one who made it happen.Hewas the one who used his rapport with Kinsey that day to go after her mother and slowly build a relationship with her. But why? So he could spit on James Holland’s grave by taking not only his ex-wife but his daughter too?
Yeah, that was probably it. One last gloating laugh at the man who tried to ruin his life by exposing his true nature to the world. One last trick to prove he’d won.
He wasn’t going to win this one, though. No fucking way. I’d make damn sure of it.
But first, I had to go and see Kinsey.
I had to make things right.
14
Kinsey
Thud.Thud. Thud.
I ignored Jax’s heavy footsteps in the hall outside, assuming he was heading to the stairs. My door flew open instead.
The noise startled me, and I jumped up. “God, Jax. You scared me,” I said hotly, narrowing my eyes as he stepped inside. “What do you want?”
As I awaited his response, I returned to my spot on the end of the bed and picked up my phone so I could resume my texting conversation with Erin. Jax didn’t reply. Just took a few steps forward, hands curled by his sides.