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Back Confess to Me Save as PDF
Chapters (87)
  1. Cover
  2. Also by Sharon Doering
  3. Title Page
  4. Dedication
  5. Prologue
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. 75
  81. 76
  82. 77
  83. 78
  84. 79
  85. Author’s Note
  86. Acknowledgements
  87. About the Author

“Oh man, I wanted a sibling so bad. I hated living with just my dad.” Her hands fell away from my face and she rolled onto her back. “He was decent. He made sure I had clothes and crayons and lunch for school. He took me fishing and hunting. Gave me presents and jewelry he got when he was away on fishing trips, unique stuff, cool trinkets, but after a while, that lost its magic. I really hated him for a while, for years. I’m over it now. I’m over hating him. I’m over wanting a brother or sister, but man, I wanted one so bad when I was a kid.”

“What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?” I said.

“I’ve never done anything good.”

“You’re nice to Emily.”

The grass felt like plush carpet, a cozy cool bed. Crickets were chirping, hundreds of them, haloing my head. Beyond the crickets, a raspy rumbling. A big cat purring. It rolled through my bones, feeling like a thunderstorm.

“When did you give me mushrooms?”

“When I moved your drink.”

“Why’d you do that?”

“Because I like you and I want you to feel good,” she said, her menthol breath warm in my ear. “I want to pet a kitty.” She wiggled her hand into my pocket. My skin hypersensitive, the sensation was charged. I squirmed against her fingers and felt my keys pressing into my thigh. She said, “Do you want to pet a kitty?”

72

72

TREVOR

I woke up to my phone ringing. As I reached for it, the soft vibration of the ‘L’ train rumbled the walls of the condo. I missed this place. Our condo had an optimistic, airy vibe. It was only money and décor, but art and architecture affected our psyches, plain and simple.

When I saw who was calling, my peace shattered.

“Hi, Visha. Everything OK?”

“Not quite. I have Emily here. Heather said she’d call me when she was on her way because I have to drop Aary at daycare and head to work. Heather hasn’t called, I can’t reach her on her phone, and I need to leave soon.”

“Emily’s there?”

“Yes. She dropped her off yesterday. You didn’t know?”

“I’m at the condo. I’ll be there to get Em in ten minutes.”

I quickly pulled on my pants and shoes, worry breaking through my skin in an anxious sweat. What had Hunther done to my family?

It’s not Hunther, it’s you. Things have always worked out for you. You’ve gotten away with everything. Now your past is coming to collect, asshole.

I called for Sawyer, telling him to get dressed, we had to hustle, I’d tell him why in the car. As I grabbed my keys and wallet, I thought about what I’d told Sawyer last night, and what I’d omitted…