Page 87 of Never Enough

I’m wrenched back violently, my back slamming against the wall with a force that steals my breath. “No, no, no,” I gasp, terror clawing at my throat.

“Hello, Daphne.” Lynn’s voice is a poison-laced whisper, her face a twisted mask of resentment and fury.

“M-mom, please.” Dread strangles my plea; my words dissolve into sobs as I stare into the abyss of my mother’s eyes.

Lynn’s fingers dig into my flesh, a cruel reminder of a past that refuses to let me go. “Shh, darling. We’re going to have a little talk, you and I.”

I don’t want to go anywhere with her, but it’s better to get far away from Alex, Victoria, and Eden. If Mom were to hurt them, I’d never forgive myself.

I can’t lead Lynn to any of them, can’t risk their safety. I have to protect them, even if it means facing my demons alone.

Then, terrifyingly, cold metal presses against the small of my back. I feel it even through my dress. Everything feels surreal, like a nightmare invading my reality. My mother’s breath is hot and erratic against my ear as she whispers threats that make my blood run cold.

“Walk,” Lynn commands with a hiss, prodding me forward with the gun I can’t quite see.

Alex, I think desperately. I can almost see his brown eyes, warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the chilling situation I find myself in.I should’ve told you everything. How much I love you.

A single tear escapes, tracing a path down my cheek.

I have to protect him.

Have to keep this madness away from Alex, no matter the cost. I pray silently, fervently, that he somehow knows my feelings, even if I never get the chance to utter them aloud.

Vic will tell him.

So, I do my best to keep the attention off of my life. “Did you break out of prison?”

“Always thinking the worst of others, aren’t you?”

No. I don’t know what she’s talking about.

She clicks her tongue. “Parole, darling. Off early for good behavior.” My stomach sours. Turns out, fifteen years means ten.

“Move it!” Lynn shoves me harder, and I stumble towards a bathroom door.

There’s laughter nearby, the echo of footsteps.

Someone is coming.

Panic flares within me; the hallway isn’t empty anymore. I can’t let anyone walk into Lynn’s twisted game.

Quickening my pace, I duck into the bathroom, my heart pounding against my ribs like a caged bird desperate for escape.

“Lock it,” Lynn orders once we’re inside the stark, tiled room.

I comply, my hands trembling as I slide the bolt into place. The click of the lock sounds like a death knell in my ears. It’s older and looks brittle, but it’s a lock nonetheless.

I turn slowly to face my mother, the woman who should have been my protector but instead is the monster in every shadow. Lynn’s eyes glint with a dangerous mix of madness and determination.

“Mom, please.” My voice breaks.

“Quiet! This is your fault, all of it!”

This is it, I realize with a sinking feeling.She’s really going to do it.

Every moment with Alex flashes before my eyes. Our secret smiles, the warmth of his touch, and the unspoken promises we made in the silence between them. And now, I stand on the precipice of forever without him.

Still, I wouldn’t change it for the world.