Page 97 of Creeping Beautiful

Donovan has the nerve to smirk at me. “And how do you think Nathan St. James is gonna feel about that?”

“I don’t give one flying fuck what Nathan St. James feels.”

“Is that so?”

I whirl around and find Indie standing in the archway between the front hall and the dining room with her arms crossed.

“Yeah. That’s so.”

McKay is standing behind her, shaking his head. Warning me to shut up. But I don’t feel like shutting up. I have things to say. We are gonna have a come-to-Jesus moment with this girl. Right here. Right now.

“Listen to me, Indie Anna. And listen good. You’re a good kid. A really good kid. But the only reason you turned out this way was because we had you on a tight leash.”

“A leash?”

“It’s a figure of speech, and you know that. No one put a fucking leash on you, Indie. We’ve given you everything you’ve ever needed. We made sure you didn’t have to worry about anything—”

“You turned me into a killer.”

“No, baby. You were born a killer. We”—I point to me, and McKay and Donovan—“we keep you in line. Without us—”

“Without you what?” She is in a very mean mood right now. So when I don’t answer her, she keeps going. “I’m gonna tell you how this will go down, OK? Because the moment you walked into that police station and filed that complaint against Nathan, I chose a side. And I chose his side.”

I could tell her it wasn’t me, it was Donovan. But she wants it to be me. She can deal with me betraying her like that. But Donovan? I don’t think she could handle that. She trusts him most. She might even love him best, I’m not sure. It’s a close one between Donovan and McKay. The only thing I do know for sure is that I am not her favorite. And if I betray her, she will get over it. Hell, she probably expects me to betray her.

So instead I say, “What does that mean, Indie? You’re taking his side?”

“It means I’m moving out for good, Adam.”

“To where?”

“To Nathan’s house. His grandfather is dead. He’s all alone over there. It will give me some space.”

I ponder this. It could be worse. A lot worse. She could say they’re getting an apartment in town. Or fuck, they’re moving to New Orleans. That would be a disaster.

“McKay has already agreed.”

I look at McKay. He just shrugs at me with his hands.

Then I look at Donovan, who is nodding his head. “I’m all for this, Indie. I think it will be good for you too.” Then Donovan looks at me. “And she’ll be just right across the lake. Hell, that house used to be part of this property. It’s… it’s… this is good. Trust me.” He looks back at Indie. “But you still need to meet with me.”

“Why?” Because for some reason, I’m angrier about Donovan’s offer to take Indie to LA than I am about Indie’s announcement that she’s moving in with that punk, Nathan. “Why you, Donovan? You’re not even here.”

“Because she has to talk to someone. And what are you gonna do? Huh? Where else are you gonna take her for therapy? You just gonna waltz into some counselor’s office and say, ‘Hey, my kid here was brainwashed by some psychotic secret organization when she was little and we need someone who can talk her down off the ledge when she gets the urge to kill people?’”

“OK.” Indie huffs and throws up her arms. “That’s enough. Here is my final decision. I am moving out. Today. I will withdraw the emancipation request so we don’t get too much scrutiny in the local courts. But I’m not meeting with you anymore, Donovan. I’m fine.” She directs her gaze to me. “I’m grateful for everything you guys have done, but I don’t need therapy anymore. I’m over it. I’m over the jobs. I’m over the killing, I’m over the Company. They’ve been gone now for two and half years. It’s done, you guys. We’re rich, we’re still alive, and we’re done. I want to marry Nathan St. James, have his baby, and be a mother. You can stop worrying about me now. You did a good job and I will never be able to repay you or tell you how much I appreciate you. I love you. All three of you.”

Her eyes dart to mine when she says that. And I know she loves me. She just doesn’t tell me much. So she wants me to hear this.

“I’ll be right across the lake. It’s barely moving out. And I’ll probably be over here every day anyway, because Nate still has one more semester of high school.”

High school. The fucking dumbass is still in high school.

I want to kill that kid with my bare hands. I want to wrap my hands around his throat and look him in the eyes while I choke the life out of him.

The only thing keeping me from doing that is… she would hate me. Forever. There would be no way to take that back once it’s done. And I’m not talking about Nathan’s life. I’m talking about Indie’s rage.

I shrug and sigh. Because her mind is made up and I have long since learned to pick and choose my battles with Indie. “Fine. You can move over to the carriage house with Nathan. But Indie, I’m begging you. Do not marry that boy. If you love him now you will love him in three or four years. There is no real reason to get married other than to… to prove that you can walk away from us whenever you want. I know you can walk away. You have been able to walk away since the day I brought you home. You don’t have to prove anything anymore.”