Page 74 of Unhinged Cain

“You left her at the side of the road? Do you even know if she got home okay? You know there is a serial killer in the area, right?”

Fuming, I stood and began to pace as I thought. I would never win any mother of the year awards, but I didn’t want to end up at a murder scene and have my daughter’s face staring back at me.

“Yeah, she was fine,” he said but looked down.

“Are you sure? I haven’t heard from her, and I’ve left her a ton of messages.”

“She used the ticket, didn’t she,” Peter asked, but I wasn’t sure.

“I think so. I don’t know.” I pulled out my phone from my suit jacket to find out, but the phone rang, and Kirby’s name came up. “It’s like she knew we were talking about her.”

I showed the screen to Peter, and he nodded as I answered.

“Hey, finally. It’s nice of you to call me back.”

“I’ve been busy. I plan on staying another two weeks, so I need you to make sure that it happens and that I can still come back to classes,” Kirby said, and my mouth fell open.

“Hi, mom, how are you? Would’ve been a kinder hello.” I mocked my daughter. “I’m not doing that, especially for you to gallivant around Europe. No, you come home in a couple of days like you planned, or you’re out of the FBI program.” I paced as my anger flared. My gaze flicked over to Peter. “And what is this I hear about you having another fight with Peter over something stupid. When are you going to stop acting like such a child and grow up? Peter wants to marry you, and you should be focusing on school and him.”

“First of all, Peter is nothing more than a narcissistic, self-centered, fucking asshole. Marrying him is never going to happen. Second, you will make sure that I have two more weeks off, or I’m going to make it known to everyone you try to impress that you only got your job by sucking cock.”

“What?” I yelled and stopped pacing long enough to stare at the phone. I wasn’t sure I heard my daughter correctly. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Don’t play me. I know all about all your little secrets, including the bank account you don’t want anyone to know about. Make it happen, or the rest of the FBI and anyone else I can find to listen will also know. I’m sure that a tabloid or two would pay for the story.”

The phone went dead in my ear, and I stared at the thing in a panic. How had Kirby found out? Ugh…actually, that didn’t matter right now. All that mattered was that I ensured no one else uncovered that information.

Grabbing my clothes off the floor, I began to get dressed.

“What did she say?” Peter said as he stood and came over, but I wasn’t in the mood to be consoled.

“She said that she was going to be away longer and that the two of you are finished.” Margaret tucked in her blouse. “I guess that means we can keep fucking after all, screw her. I’m sick of her attitude.”

“Fuck yes, that is what I wanted to hear,” Peter said, wrapping his arms around my waist.

“I have to go. There are a couple of things I need to take care of.”

Peter pulled me into a hug. “Come back when you’re all done. I want a celebration round with you.”

I kissed him on the cheek and marched for the door. Kirby was playing dirty, and I needed to do some damage control before this became a problem.

KIRBY

I was in the middle of painting my latest image of Cain when I heard the door unlock. I stood up with a smile until I saw who it was. Cain’s brother Abel stuck his head in and looked around before his eyes landed on me. They may be the same color as his brother’s, but his stare made ice flow threw my veins. The way he moved reminded me of a snake. He was coy and sneaky with his movements as he came in and closed the door.

“My brother’s not here,” he asked, and the hair stood up on the back of my neck.

Keeping my voice even, I gave him my best-relaxed look and lifted my shoulder in a shrug. “Not right now. He was running a quick errand. I don’t have a clock, but based on when he left, he shouldn’t be long.”

Abel stepped forward, and it took all my strength not to let him know he scared the fucking shit out of me. I had no reason other than a sixth sense that this man would eat me alive. I’d thought Cain would, and maybe at one point he would have, but Abel looked at me like I was a T.V. dinner he wanted to eat or maybe crush my bones. It was hard to tell, but neither was good.

There was no spark or connection. All I felt was cold as I stared at the man who liked to cut people into pieces and mangle their bodies almost beyond recognition. He was the wild card in the deck, the joker you never saw coming.

“What is it about you?” Abel said as he stopped, just shy of my sleeping foam.

His head twisted a little from side to side like a bird would, which only added to my creeped-out meter.

“I’m not sure what you mean.”