Knox wraps his fingers around my wrists, pulling me toward him as tears stream down my face and my lungs seize.

“Tell me you’re lying,” I beg, because the truth hurts so bad, I can’t take it.

His fingers brush my wet cheek, wiping my tears. “I wish I was.”

“How long have you known about this?”

“I overheard their conversation a few days after the funeral.”

I mull this over in my mind, but it only makes me feel worse. Knox has been sitting on this for years and never once told me.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Cupping my face, he scoffs. “You mean aside from the fact that you hated me and wouldn’t have believed me even if I did?” His hand slides to the nape of my neck. “I couldn’t trust you back then, Stray. For all I know you would have told Leo—the man you were not only sleeping with, but thought the world of—and he would have told my dad—”

“That’s why Leo wanted me to stay away from you.” Leo’s words at the hotel that night play back in my mind. “He told me you weren’t right in the head. That you were dangerous.” I look down because I feel so stupid for believing him. “That you killed your mom.”

But really, he was just scared that Knox would tell me he was the real psychopath.

Him and his brother.

Jesus. This whole thing is such a mess and I don’t know how we can fix it or make them pay.

That’s when another thought occurs to me.

Knox got me a bus ticket. Not himself.

Because there is no we anymore.

Heart hammering, I study him. “What are you going to do?”

His expression shuts down as he lights another cigarette. “Don’t worry about it.”

I balk because he can’t be serious right now. He can’t just dump this on my lap and tell me not to worry about it.

Not to worry about him.

“Knox—”

“I have a plan, okay? But if my plan doesn’t work, at least the one I have for you will. That’s all that fucking matters.”

I have no idea what that ominous statement is supposed to mean, but it makes my chest cave in.

“Can you at least tell me what this plan of yours is? Maybe there’s a hole in it. Maybe there’s a better one we can figure out together. Maybe—”

He presses a finger to my lips, silencing me. “Your bus leaves in five minutes.”

Before I can protest, he gets out of the jeep, walks around to my side, and opens the door.

Tears well in my eyes all over again. “I don’t want to leave you.”

His hand curls around my neck, drawing me into a kiss so intense I feel it everywhere. I fist his shirt, not wanting to let go because I’m afraid of what will happen if I do.

My eyes flutter closed as he kisses a path to my ear and rasps, “I couldn’t save her, but I can save you.” Placing his hand on mine, he wretches the fabric from my grasp. “It’s time for you to go, Stray.”

Thinking quick, I undo the pearls around my neck.

It’s the only thing in my possession that I actually value.

I can tell he wants to protest as I place them in his hand, but I shake my head. “You can give them back to me when we meet up in Canada, okay?”

Because we have to find each other again.

I don’t know what to make of the dubious look he gives me. “Okay.”

After giving me one last kiss, he pulls me out of the jeep and shoves the duffle bag into my hands.

“Make sure you throw your phone in the trash before you get on.” He jerks his chin at the bus that’s loading with people. “Now, go.”

Chapter 46

Knox

Relief flows through me as I watch Aspen turn around and head toward the bus.

After I’m sure she’s on, I peel out of the parking lot. Time is ticking and if I don’t get this shit over with now, it will be too late.

Thinking quick, I head down the highway, deciding to make a pit stop at the house to make sure everything is still copacetic.

Tying my stepmother up was the easy part.

Tying up my father—who always has his gun on him—was a lot harder.

However, there’s one place he doesn’t bring his gun.

The shower.

The look on his face when I opened the door and attacked him was like nothing I’d ever seen before.

Smiling to myself, I press my foot on the gas.

It’s not over yet, though.

I’ve sat back—biding my time for years—while waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

But I had to be smart.

Sure, I could have just killed him and let them drag me out in cuffs, but I’ve spent enough time in a proverbial prison cell.

I needed to piece together the perfect plan that would give me the best chance to escape.

Fortunately, one formulated once my father married Aspen’s mom.

He did it as a punishment.

Because no matter how much I insisted I hated Aspen, he knew the truth.

The girl with the yellow ribbon meant something to me.

Too bad for him his little punishment will end up being his downfall.

After parking down the street, I jog up to the house and run up the stairs to his bedroom.

Aspen’s mother is still bound to the bed. She screams when she sees me, but it’s muffled due to the duct tape I placed over her mouth.

Putting on a pair of black gloves, I walk over to her. “Don’t worry. It will all be over soon.”

Had she been a better mother to Aspen, I wouldn’t have involved her, but alas, she’s a fucking cunt.

I suppose I should be grateful for that though, because it enabled me to come up with the perfect murder.

I glance at my father, who’s tied to a chair, looking more irate than I’ve ever seen him.

Or should I say…murders.

I amble over, double checking that he’s still secured.

“I’m just waiting for one more guest to arrive before we get the party started.”

My father’s eyes widen, and a rush of satisfaction swells inside me.

The ball is finally in my court.

A sinking feeling pushes through my chest. Not exactly.

Because the knife—the one with my fingerprints on it—that I used to carve out my mother’s heart is nowhere to be found.