Page 121 of Grace

“How did I find you?” She lifts one arched eyebrow.

I nod.

“This lovebird here”—she points at Chase—“didn’t really bother with covering your tracks.”

I furrow my brows in confusion, but before I can say anything, Nikky keeps going.

“Because you aren’t running from anyone, are you, Chase?” She flashes Chase a wide, victorious grin, then laughs—low and provocative. It isn’t real laughter. It’s laced with derision.

I take a step toward her, but I stay close to Chase. They’ve both proven to me they’re lunatics—but I’m not afraid of Chase.

“How do you know that?” I ask.

Nikky stops laughing. Her face darkens, she presses her lips together, and anger ignites in her eyes. She reaches into her bag and pulls out… my diary. The tension in the room is palpable—it feels like we’re sitting on a powder keg. Strength drains from my body—I almost collapse, but I steel myself and manage to stay on my feet. Emotions sweep over me like a blizzard. I curl my hands into fists and dig my nails into my palms.

“Finders…” she says, enunciating every syllable, “keepers.” She looks at Chase and tosses the diary onto the bed with casual ease. It falls open at a marked page—I look, and the blood drains from my face. It’s a drawing of me, in the nude.

“I’ve been living with them for two years, hanging out in their circles—I’ve had plenty of time to get to know them. They’re not the kind of people who run away. But if you don’t believe me, read his entries. This is all an act made up by this self-centered psychopath. He’s been manipulating you, Grace—lying to you. Over and over again. He’s a sly one,” she adds with a forced smile. “He doesn’t have to kidnap you to chain you to him anymore, because you’re not a minor anymore.” The muscles tighten around Nikky’s eyes. “And no one even gets the chance to come near you, because this madman kills anyone who so much as looks at you. Am I right, Chase?” Nikky’s eyes gleam with victory.

I fold my arms across my chest. I feel so stupid.

“Chase…” My voice trembles.

He looks at me, terrifying anger flashing in his eyes.

“Is it true what Nikky’s saying? Were you lying to me? Were you the one who sent those gifts?”

“Yes, Chase. It’s time to come clean. Or do you want me to read the juiciest parts out loud? Although…” She clicks her tongue. “You’re a piece of work too, little sister. I really concluded something was really wrong with your head when I realized you two were ‘on the run’ together. I couldn’t wrap my head around it after I read everything he’d done to you. Because he so kindly decided to write down how many times he beat you and raped you.”

She grabs the diary and reads out loud a few scenes from the past. The first memory burns my skin like a hot coal. The second makes me want to vomit—my face and ears burn red with shame.

“You really are sick, Grace. After all of that, you still felt like you wanted to give yourself to him? You’re a crazy bitch. No,” she says, lifting one finger as she licks her upper lip with a smile, “let’s be more precise. You’re a crazy, lying bitch.” She puts extra weight on the word “lying.”

She flips back to the very beginning of the diary, where my entries and drawings are. She smiles contemptuously and sucks on her lower lip, then lifts the book. “It wasn’t that photo shop that forgot to develop the photo,” she says, tapping it with a bright red nail. “When I accused you, you acted all innocent—and what happened? Our parents protected you. Even though you were lying. You were playing games with me—and with everyone else, too.”

“It was only that one time,” I snap, “and I regretted it. I swear I did. If I could turn back time, I wouldn’t take that picture from you. And you”—I point at her, accusing—“you blame me, but you’re the one who made me go meet Chase. He had no idea I even existed. Then you fucking left me there—you got the weed and took off. Did you think it was funny? Did you laugh at me with your friends?”

She raises her hands in protest.

“Don’t blame me for what this madman did to you! I didn’t tell him to kidnap you and use you to satisfy his perverted desires! He talks about Mr. Miller like he’s the scum of the earth, calling him a pedophile asshole, when he was one himself. Weren’t you, Chase?” Sharp hatred flashes in Nikky’s eyes. “You were fucking a fifteen-year-old at twenty. What’s that if not pedophilia? Or does being in love mean you aren’t a pedophile? Are your feelings or hormones an excuse? I don’t just hate Grace—I hate you, too. What happened between the two of you is both your fault. I really don’t get how you could sleep with him after all that, Grace. He’s a sick psychopath.”

Chase starts toward Nikky, furious, while she’s still laughing, low and provocative. I step in front of him and grab both his wrists to stop him. The air—and his wrists in my hands—turn hot. He looks down, then meets my eyes. I don’t feel fear or disgust. I break the moment and let him go. I’m not disgusted with myself, and when I’m with Chase, I’m not afraid of Nikky. My anger and resentment erupt like a volcano.

“And you, what did you do to me?” I shout, shaking. Nikky’s face tightens, aghast. She realizes I’m not on her side.

“You take everything so seriously, Grace. You blow up every little thing.”

“I blow up every little thing?” I force a laugh. “I almost died because of you and your buddies, Nikky! You beat me, kicked me, and let them do the same. You were having fun with Bo while I was being raped on the floor by three guys. Those beasts beat me, sank their teeth into me, and…” My voice shakes. My face burns, tears sting my eyes, and adrenaline courses through my veins like poison. “Then you tossed me into an alley like I was a bag of trash. I was lying there naked, helpless, half-dead in the cold!”

“I called the cops!” she yells. “Why do you think they went there? I”—she points at herself,”—saved your life.”

“And should I be grateful for that?” I wipe my nose with my wrist.

“Do you think I had it better than you? Lucas found us and offered us a deal. I didn’t like it. I didn’t want to take it. But I didn’t want to die at twenty-five. That man… is worse than Chase. Much, much worse.” Tears glint in her pale-blue eyes. “He offered us a job. Bo and the gang started dealing for him—and they served as goons, too. They sold the same shit Chase was selling back then. And I became a high-end whore,” she says, pointing at herself, eyes shining with tears. “Do you know how disgusting it is when old men ask you to suck on their soggy balls? When their limp cock can barely get hard, but they still shove it down your throat? And you have to let it every fucking time, because if you don’t, Lucas will punish you. Not long after I joined, he got Chase out of prison.”

“I didn’t get it”, she went on. “How did you get away? Why didn’t they find you again? I was sniffing around—even spreading my legs for a few people to get information… Sometimes even the walls have ears.” She shrugs and scratches the varnish on her nails. “Lucas has his hands in a lot of businesses. Chase is his genius helper, but everything has a price, right? Chase wanted to stay out of it as much as possible, so he just did the dealing—but that wasn’t enough for Lucas. He wanted him to be more involved, be part of the family business and his life. That’s where you came into the picture. Lucas used you as leverage. Yes, I know about those videos on the dark web… I even saw a few,” she grimaces. “I felt sorry for you when he beat your back bloody or tore out your teeth.” She clears her throat and steadies herself. “Lucas had him arrested as punishment for betraying him. Chase didn’t want to hurt you, but like I said, Lucas punishes you if you say no. He’s capable of anything.”

“Jamie,” I say in a tiny voice.