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Not the home in which she receives the state, of course. This one is more . . . secluded.
“I havetriedto beat it into your head that you are better than them,” Laura growls, shoving her through the small, narrow door that ensures no light will reach the room and Hannah falls to the ground, cowering away from her.
I’ll admit, it’s not my finest moment, turning her in for what she’s done, but . . . my mother always said,You have to do the hard things for the people you love.And well, I do love her.
I love her enough to put her in a dark closet and throw away the key. Mason Carpenter is bad for her. She just doesn’t see it. Fortunately, I do. So does Laura.
“Mom, please!” Hannah cries, tears streaming down her beet-red face, but Laura can’t be swayed.
There aren’t many things that scare me in this world. Laura Gaines on a rampage would be one of them.
“I give you a home, designer clothes, fancy gowns and bags, and you open yourfilthylegs for that mongrel—”
“He didn’t do anything!” Hannah screeches, though it lacks any real bite from the tears still streaming down her face.
“You and your sister have made a mockery of me for the last time.”
Hannah’s eyes go wide and she lunges for the door just as Laura slams it shut, muffling her cries in fear. Unfortunately, she can’t muffle the banging that ensues seconds later.
“Don’t worry,” I murmur, placing a hand on Laura’s shoulder and stepping from the shadows. Hannah doesn’t know I’m here, but Ihadto see that she was taken care of. Sheneeds to learn.I can feel the tremors of rage still moving through her. “You’re doing the right thing.”
Laura’s fingers slide up and intertwine with mine. It’s not something that we partake in often, but the affection is welcome, given how I found Hannah last night.
Laura lets out a breath, turning back to me and wiping a stray tear off her cheek. I pull a pack of cigarettes out of the front pocket of my suit and hand her one.
“Missy is dead to me,” she says quietly, taking my lighter and billowing out a cloud of smoke. “This is Hannah’s last chance. I won’t have her screwing up everything I’ve built.”
“Thank you,” I murmur and she shoots me a warning look.
“Don’t thank me, yet, Michael. The Carpenters are a cancer. Impossible to get rid of.”
“Let me . . . get rid of him,” I volunteer.
“I’ve dealt with Mason Carpenter. For now. And as far as Parker’s concerned, I only have one daughter now.” She blows out a cloud, thinking. “That guy of yours. The one who says he can get close with the Carpenters?”
“Johnson.”
She nods. “Johnson. Put him to work. I want that family eliminated. Before they can cause any more damage.”
“I’ll see to it that it gets done.”
“Good.” She looks back at the door, which is moving with the force of Hannah’s fists beating against the other side. “She never did like the dark.”
“Could this be . . . damaging? I only ask because if we are to marry . . .”
“She’ll be fine. A couple hours in the hole is good for them. You’ll see.” She shrugs. “Of course, the next step is a gentle lobotomy.”
“Help!” Hannah screams and I grimace from the terror in her voice. Laura just chuckles, wrapping her arm around my shoulders.
“Come on,” she says, leading me down the hallway and away from the sounds of terror coming from the closet. “You’ll get used to it.”
PART TWO
NOW
Mason
June, Eighteen Months Later
