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I see the horror on Henry’s face. He starts to move toward me, but then I feel it—the cold metal of the gun pressed against my cheek.
Henry freezes, his face flushed, eyes wide with a terror that will haunt me forever.
Andrew rips off the hat, glasses, and mask.
The shock and fury wash over Henry’s face. His hand twitches.
Andrew clicks his tongue.“I’ll shoot her,” he threatens.
Henry stops reaching for his phone.
Andrew laughs.“Henry Moore, it’s good to see you again. It's so good we could make this a family reunion. And look, we’re all here: your parents and your brother.” Andrew mockingly laughs.
With a harsh jerk, Andrew forces me into his lap and leans against Peter's headstone. He uses the stone that represents my brother as if it were his shady palm tree on a peaceful beach. His arm snakes around my stomach, his hand brushing the underside of my breast.
“Go, Henry,” I mutter in sharp, short breaths.
“Go?” Andrew snorts.“And miss all the fun?” He chuckles darkly.“Stay, Henry. It won’t disappoint.”
“Let her go,” Henry snarls, stepping forward.
Andrew shoves the barrel of the gun deeper into my cheek. I have to part my jaw to try and alleviate the pain.
“Stop!” Henry pleads, raising his hands in surrender.
“Aren’t you going to ask how I did it?” Andrew asks Henry, taunting him.
Henry’s eyes narrow. He’s forced to play along.“How did you do it?” he asks, trying to pacify Andrew, but his eyes are wild. Feral and dark.
That look on my brother's face is why I didn’t go to him the night of the party. Deep down, I knew there was an untamed nature inside of my brother. A little push and a big shove would release it.
Henry's trying to contain it now, for my sake and also because he can. Whoever the dark angel is that found him the night he ran away must have taught him how to restrain his demons. I’m thankful for that.
“My dad knew The Obsidian Order was coming, and fuck, he’s so annoying when he panics. I couldn’t stand it, so I shut him up. Ironic because Dad taught me how to kill." Andrew snickers, "I don't think he ever imagined I'd be brave enough to kill him. Sometimes, my dad couldn't see what was in front of him. I was a wild creature; you can't tame us forever. We end up lashing out. Did you like the scene I left? I tried to make it bloody, but time wasn't on my side, so I aimed the gun where I knew it would be messy, saving his head for last."
I close my eyes.
Don't listen.
"I barely managed to get away from The Obsidian Order, but I did,” Andrew gloats, a sinister gleam in his voice that sends waves of nausea through me.
That's twice he said Obsidian Order.What does that mean?Focus on that and not his other details, Poppy.
This cemetery, a place where souls are meant to find peace, has become Andrew's playground.
I feel a chill that has nothing to do with the breeze. He’s planning to end it all here. I’m not scared of dying—it’s leaving Henry, Harper, and Julian to mourn again that terrifies me.
“I warned you, Poppy—if you did anything stupid, I’d take action,” Andrew shakes me, the weight of his delusion thick in the air. "So, I burned down your house. I lost my father, so it was only fair you lose the memory of yours."
He buries his nose in my hair, inhaling my scent.“Why’d you do it, baby? Everything was planned perfectly. We would've been happy. You see, I knew my dad was planning to marry me off. If he knew how in love we were, he’d have killed you. I had to break it off, make him think I’d left you. Don't you see I was always there keeping you safe?"
He makes an insane person look like Einstein.
"I played along with my dad's game. I pretended to be happy to marry whom Dad picked all for his political gain. Oh, the irritation of having to fuck Kimberly when all I wanted was you. I know that made you mad, baby. I know that's the only reason you fucked Julian. You wanted to get back at me. I forgive you.” He kisses the top of my head, and I consider shaving it bald to erase his lips from my hair.
"I always imagined it was you when I was with Kimberly. I know you did the same when you were with Julian. I had it all timed perfectly. I couldn’t kill Kim too soon, or Dad would just replace her. I waited, then after I killed her, I planned to wait just a bit longer. The public would be clamoring to see me happy again. Then you and I would secretly elope; Dad couldn't argue because I would have leaked it to the press, and he wouldn’t dare kill another wife of mine. Don’t you see, baby? We were so close to our happy ending,” he murmurs, his fingers painfully tight on my hips.
Henry’s torso leans forward, his face etched with concern, but Andrew shakes his head.
