We pull out and drive into town, arriving at my house. We both head inside and once we’re in, we start wasting time. Heath gives me a tiny camera that can both record videos and sound. It’s small enough that I can tuck it into my panties and nobody will be any wiser. It’s barely the size of a USB drive. Aside from that, I have no other devices on me.
It’s been a week since we decided to make this a thing, so most of the grazes on my body have healed, but my arm is still in a cast. Johnny informed me that might come in handy, if I need to hit someone over the head. The guys spent the last week going over everything about Josh and giving me information on the cult and what I need to know.
I’m terrified.
“Let’s go over it once more,” Heath says, flopping down onto the couch.
“Heath, we’ve been through it all. I just want five minutes with you.”
He pulls me onto his lap, and I curl into him. “If something happens to you . . .” he says, his voice tight.
“It won’t.”
“I can’t be sure of that.”
“I’ll be okay.”
I find his lips with mine and kiss him, slowly at first, then deeper until we’re all tongues and mouths, our bodies squashed together.
We stay like that, kissing and hugging for the next hour. Then we both know it’s time.
“Lucy,” Heath says as I walk to the door.
“Yeah?”
“I fucking love you, baby.”
“I love you, too.”
He squeezes my hand, and I don’t fight my tears because I know I’m going to need them. I let them roll down my cheeks as Heath pulls out his phone and calls Sheldon.
“He watching?” With a sharp nod, Heath hangs up. “He’s watching. Let’s do this.”
I nod, tears rolling and turn, storming out of the house, letting all the anger and rage for the girls stuck in that place fuel my act. “Don’t follow me, Heath!” I scream.
“You’re fucking out of your mind. Whatever he told you was a lie,” he barks, a few steps behind.
“If it was a lie, then why have you turned so awful against me since I’ve been in there?”
“Because he’s corrupted you.”
“I thought so, too,” I scream. “Until I got home and you acted how you are. Maybe he was right; maybe you’re a bad person.”
“He’s a fucking loon, Lucy. He’s trying to twist your mind.”
“And what about you? What about what you’re trying to do?”
“He needs to pay.”
“He was trying to help you,” I scream so loudly that even he flinches. “He was trying to help you, and you turned his family against him. I kind of understand why he’s done what he’s done.”
“He deserves to fucking die,” Heath bellows.
“Who the hell are you?” I gasp, pressing a hand to my chest. “You’re a monster.”
“He’s the monster. If you walk away from here right now, we’re done. Do you fucking hear me?”
I prepare myself for what’s going to come next, because I know it’s coming. We’ve practiced it, but it hurts all the same. Heath steps forward and curls a hand around my upper arm, jerking me forward so hard I lose my footing.
“Let me go,” I scream.
“You’re not listening to me. He’s a monster. He’s messing with your mind.”
“Let me go,” I bellow, trying to pull back.
“I’m so sorry,” Heath mouths before letting me go so hard I tumble backwards and land on my ass.
I turn and push to my feet, running off down the pathway. My cast bangs against my ribs and radiates pain through the side of my body. But, it has to go done like this.
“Get back here!” he barks.
I don’t stop. Tears flow easily down my cheeks, because even though I know that wasn’t real, it hurts all the same.
I round a corner and unlock my car, throwing myself in, then I drive off.
I go to a nearby park.
And I wait.
Because I know he’ll come for me.
I just know.
***
I’m right.
Within five minutes, the white van pulls up and Josh steps out, followed by some of his minions. I pretend I don’t see them and sit, my head in my arms, sobbing. I can feel the recording device tucked in my panties, the only safe spot for it right now.
Their footsteps approach, and I don’t look up.
“I told you what kind of man he was.” Josh’s voice is gentle, soothing, and for a second I can see why people fall for it.
I look up at him with my tear-streaked face. “Go the hell away.”
“You don’t really want that. I saw what he just did to you.”
I look away, acting classes in school paying off.
“He’s a monster, Lucy. I’ve told you this. I know you know it.”
“He’s just angry,” I say, defending him a little, as instructed.
“He can’t stand losing control.”
I glance up and meet his eyes. “Sounds like someone else I know,” I snap.
He kneels down beside me. “I might like control, but I’m not a monster like him.”
Yes, you are. “He’s just hurting and-”
“He is going to hurt you. I know he will. He’ll make you suffer for defending me.”
“I wasn’t defending you,” I spit, then let my face fall with realization, as rehearsed. “I wasn’t . . .”
“It’s okay,” he says, soothingly. “It’s okay to accept that maybe your feelings towards me are different to what you first thought.”