I wait for Drew in the living room, keeping watch out the window, my gaze zeroed in on the main house. They haven’t left yet for whatever they planned to do to mourn Vanessa’s death. I see the Range Rover parked out in the drive, as if Drew’s dad pulled it out earlier in preparation. At least it’s not blocking Drew’s truck.
Thank God.
“Do you want to say goodbye to your dad?” I ask when he comes into the living area, his bag slung over his shoulder, his expression still somewhat blank.
He slowly shakes his head. “I’ll text him. Have they left yet?”
“No.” The panic is blatant in my voice and I clear my throat, irritated with myself. “Drew, I don’t think it’s a good idea if we go over there…”
“I don’t either,” he interrupts.
Relief sweeps through me and we head out to his truck with hurried steps, my movements downright frantic as I toss my bag into the narrow back seat of his extended cab. He climbs into the truck the same time I do and we slam our doors in unison, Drew jabbing the key into the ignition.
We’re so close to being out of here, I can almost taste it. I’ve never been so happy to leave a place as I am at this very moment.
“Andrew!”
I jerk my head to the left, watch in disbelief as Adele runs toward the truck, stopping at the driver’s side door. She’s smacking the glass with her fist, yelling for him to roll down the window and he stares at her, his hand on the gear shift, ready to put the truck in reverse.
“Don’t do it,” I murmur. “Don’t open the window. She doesn’t deserve your attention anymore, Drew.”
“What if she tells my dad?” His voice is small, he sounds like a little boy and my heart breaks for him. His pain has become mine.
“Who cares? You’re not wrong in this situation. She is.”
Keeping his head bent, he reaches out and hits the button so the window slowly rolls down. “What do you want?” he asks her coldly.
“Just…please come with us. I want you there, Andrew.” She flicks her cold, hard gaze at me briefly and I stare back. Just as cold, just as hard.
I want to tear her apart I hate her so much.
“I already visited her grave yesterday. I paid my sister my respect. What more do you want from me?” His voice is like ice, his glare just as frosty as he turns it on her and it’s like she’s completely oblivious.
“There’s so much more you don’t know and I—I need to tell you. Privately. It’s important, Andrew. Please.”
“Stop calling him that.” I can’t help it, I have to make her stop. I can’t stand the way she says his full name.
“It’s his name.” Her voice is flat. “And who the hell are you to tell me what to do?”
“Don’t talk to her like that.” His low voice is a warning, but still doesn’t seem to affect Adele.
“She’s nothing, Andrew. Worthless. Why do you spend time with her? Is she good in bed? Does she spread her legs for you constantly and that’s why you keep her around?” Adele sounds downright manic. I refuse to let her insults affect me whatsoever.
She’s so beneath me for what she’s done to Drew, she deserves to rot in hell.
“At least I’m not some child molesting piece of shit,” I mutter under my breath.
The gasp I hear come from Adele clearly indicates I didn’t mutter low enough. “What did you say, you little bitch?”
Holy shit, I’ve stepped in it now.
“She knows, Adele,” Drew interjects harshly. “She knows everything.”
The heavy silence that settles over the three of us is almost painful. I can’t look at her. I keep my focus on my trembling knees, trying my best to keep my breathing even and controlled. I glance at Drew out of the corner of my eye, see the tick in his jaw, the way he’s gripping the steering wheel so tight, his knuckles are white.
“Well.” Her voice squeaks and she gives a little cough. “So. You told her everything, hmm? She knows about our little affair?”
“Molesting a fifteen year old boy is a far cry from having an affair.” I clamp my lips shut and close my eyes. My mom always said my big mouth would get me in trouble.
I guess she’s right.
“Fine, you want her to know everything, then I’ll go ahead and tell you what I wanted to say in private in front of your big mouthed whore instead.” Her voice is sweetness and light, so unnerving I can’t help but lift my head and look at her.
I don’t like what I see. There’s a murderous glow in her eyes and her mouth is curved upward in a crazed smile. She’s clearly on the verge of losing it.
“We should go,” I whisper to Drew and without a word he starts the engine.
“Don’t you want to hear what I have to tell you?” she asks in her creepy sing-song voice.
“Not really.” He keeps his gaze trained on the steering wheel.
“That’s too bad. Because it’s about Vanessa.”
He turns to look at her, as do I. “What about her?”
“I’ve been trying to tell you this for what feels like forever, the timing was just never right. But you need to know. I’ve always felt it was the truth…I wasn’t sure. I know it now though. Without a doubt, I know.”
“Spit it out, Adele.”
My stomach is churning as I wait. Fear makes my palms clammy and I clutch at my knees, scared out of my mind at what she’s about to say.
“Vanessa’s not your sister, Andrew.” Adele pauses, the smile she shoots my direction devastating. “She was your daughter.”