“Monty? She’s lying. I know she’s lying. Tell me she’s lying.”
Monty looked at Nina, the truth written all over him. “She’s not lying. I… I beat him until he couldn’t fight back. Until he was almost unconscious. Mom pulled me off of him.”
“Monty, no.”
“See, Nina? This is the monster I was saving you from. You thought he was so good, but he’s no better than your father. The man you told me you were terrified of when you moved in with me. I took care of you. I made sure you were safe and strong. I made sure you had everything you needed. Come home, Nina. We can start over.”
“She’s lying,” Monty growled.
“You would think so, Montgomery. You’ve lied your whole life. Not everyone is like you, though. Not everyone has to manipulate the truth to make others think they’re decent.”
“No.” Nina shook her head. “No. You’re wrong. My brother is a good man. He was protecting Mom and me. He didn’t hurt our dad for sport. Not like what you do.”
“It’s not sport, Nina. It’s business. If you don’t like it, you can leave.”
“I’ve seen what you do to people who try to leave!”
“And yet you left. And you talked to the FBI. My homes, my privacy, my legacy! You’re the one who stole all of that from me. After everything I did for you, you stole it all.”
“None of it was yours, Gwendolyn. You cheated and stole and lied and built everything on the lives of people you kidnapped.”
“They all wanted a better life. Something new. Different. Flashier and more fun. Just like you,” Gwendolyn growled.
“I didn’t want to be raped when I was eighteen. Or drugged. I didn’t want to be offered up to whatever man paid for me. I didn’t choose any of that.”
“You chose when you walked into Club Curves and asked someone to call me. When you handed your innocence and your life over to me. When you moved into this house and asked me to provide for you. Did you really think I was doing all of that for free? Did you think I was going to pay for you to live here out of the goodness of my heart?” Gwendolyn cackled like the crazy person she was. “God, Nina, you are so stupid. You want me to treat you like you matter, but you just don’t see things the way they are. Like going to visit Star and Monica. You thought you could walk in and they would be all happy to see you? So stupid.”
“What did you do to them?” Nina snarled.
Gwendolyn glared back. “What should I do to them? I left them alone for now, but if you don’t behave, I will go get them. Are you willing to trade your life for theirs?”
“Nina, no,” Monty demanded.
“Stay out of it, big brother,” Gwendolyn taunted. “I have no problem gutting you and dragging her away while you bleed out on the floor.”
“No,” Nina shouted. “Leave him alone. Leave all of them alone. You can’t. I’ll go.”
“Nina, no! You can’t. She’ll kill you,” Monty yelled.
“I love you, Monty. So much. But I can’t let her hurt you. Or anyone else. I have to go with her.”
Monty struggled against his binds. Red marks screamed on his wrists, droplets of blood forming.
Nina wanted a proper goodbye with her brother. A chance to tell him how she felt. A real moment to hug him and forget about everything else.
But she didn’t have that.
“Time to go,” Gwendolyn said, her voice victorious and cheerful. She stood and reached for Nina’s hand.
“I will hunt you down,” Monty growled at Gwendolyn.
Gwendolyn grinned. “I look forward to the chase, Monty. It’ll be fun watching you run around in circles and acting like you know where you’re going, the whole time wondering if the next delivery you get will be a piece of your sister or if she’s still alive somewhere.”
“I’ll kill you!”
“Oh, there’s the monster I know and love. Threatening an unarmed woman. Wow. Such chivalry.”
“Nina, don’t go. Please, Nina.”
