Page 99 of Unhinged Kallie

“Shut up, or I’ll put your finger in your mouth as well,” I said. She surprisingly quieted to a reasonable level, and I pinched her lips together into a pout. “Now, don’t spit that out.” I spun my knife in front of her face. “Or your nose is next.” She nodded slightly, and I smiled. “You know what nursery rhyme this reminds me of?” She shook her head, tears shimmering on her cheeks and in her puffy, bloodshot eyes. “Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall. Humpy Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again.”

“I thought I was fucked, cousin, but you have a flare I really enjoy,” Troy said.

“If you like that, then you’ll love this.” I grabbed the sharp knitting needle from my bag and a ball of yarn. I’d enjoyed using it so much before that I now kept some in my go bag. Pinching Carol’s lips again she tried to pull her head away.

“Keep it up Carol and I will stab you in the eye instead. It makes a great pop sound.” She instantly froze and I pushed the needle through her bottom lip and then the top one. Her whimpers reminded me of sweet gumdrops on my tongue. “I don’t know what you’re freaking out about, Carol. This is going to look great. Red really is your color,” I said, creating a crossstich pattern.

Stepping back I smiled at my work. “There all done. What do you think Troy?”

“Excellent skill, you could’ve been a surgeon.” Our mouths curved up at the same time.

I glanced at Hank whohad resumed screaming, but that was probably because he was staring at his cock that was turning a violent shade of purple. He couldn’t feel his cock in the vice. Oops, it just might fall off. Oh well.

“Hank, did you know that the key to whistling is your tongue,” I asked. The screaming became muted as he pressed his lips tightly together like that would stop Troy from cutting his tongue out of his head.

“Troy, would you like to do the honors?” The sinister smile that crossed his lips was one I knew well. It held no remorse.

“I’m going to take this out to the car before it gets blood on it,” I said, heaving the massive bag filled with all the blackmail onto my shoulder. Troy nodded as he moved in on Hank. I walked outside and stopped dead in my tracks. My dad was leaning against the hood of our car.

“Dad, what are you doing here?”

He pushed off the car, and even at eighteen, he still made me feel like I was six without saying a single word. He glanced at the house when the muffled screams reached us as Troy got to work.

“Do you still not trust me?”

“Why do you always think the reason I’m around is a lack of trust?” He crossed his arms as his hard stare penetrated me to my core.

“Because that’s what it feels like. If that’s not the case, then why are you here?”

“Troy invited me to help with clean up. He said there would be quite a mess.” I nodded as more screams and the sound of the electric saw got louder. I should’ve known. Troy really had thought of everything. I waited to feel the annoyance that usually rose like a beast inside me, but it remained dormant.

“Dad, can I ask you something?”

“You never need to ask if you can ask me a question,” he said, and my cheeks warmed.

“Why did you not care about me and Carter? Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy that you’re not upset, but…I’m just curious.”

“Why would I be upset about something I nurtured since you were six?”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“We live a very different lifestyle. I was fortunate to meet your mother, and I’ll never meet someone like her again. Nor do I want to, but that doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t need someone like your mother in your life.”

Utter confusion, that was all I felt. My face must have conveyed that since he continued.

“I don’t mean Carter is to become your mother. I mean, Carter is to you what your mom was to me.”

I set the heavy bag down and rubbed my face as I tried to process this information.

“So, you’re saying you manipulated Carter and me together? That he feels compelled to love me because of you? Is what we have even real?”

“Don’t be foolish. I cannot govern your emotions, although sometimes it would be helpful. I simply laid the groundwork, opportunity, and encouragement at the right moments for the two of you to find your balance.”

All that sounded like to me was, ‘Yes, I did,’ just so subtly that you never noticed.

“I can’t believe this.”

“What can’t you believe? It’s normal for a father to want someone for their daughter who will be good to them, is it not?”