“I killed your mom in the same way. I gave her a little something when she came over to help me with my homework. She was my first kill. I’d grabbed my mom’s sleeping pills from the bathroom cabinet. It was quick. Mrs. Reid drank her tea and fell asleep. Right here where you are now. It’s easy to smother someone when they’re unconscious. You just place a pillow over their head and wait.”

Sliding down the strap of my dress, she palms my breast, soothing me when more whimpers dance between our lips. “You should blame your father for this, Chloe. It’s his fault. I wouldn’t have to hurt people if he didn’t make me feel this way.”

“Please,” I choke out, my eyes rolling in their sockets.

“Bestie, hey, don’t go to sleep!” She slaps me harder this time. “You have no fucking idea how good your life is. How lucky you are to have a man like Mr. Reid to dote on you. You’re his princess, the apple of his eye.” Gripping my chin, she snarls, “I want to be the apple of his eye. I want him to look at me the way he looked at your mom. I want him to see only me.”

Choked sobs escape my lips. Pitiful whimpers of fear. Pleading sounds that’ll never form into words.

“It’s okay,” she whispers, kissing my cheek. “You can go to sleep now. That’s it, good girl. Close your eyes.”

A soft kiss on my parted lips. “I’ll look after Daddy now.”

The end.

ALSO BY HARLEIGH BECK

Counter Bet:

Counter Bet

Devil’s Bargain

The Rivals:

The Rivals’ Touch

Fadeaway

Standalones:

Kitty Hamilton

Sweet Taste of Betrayal

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you for reading my novella. I hope you enjoyed the crazy ride. Let me know if you figured out the part where I first revealed the killer.

As always, there are a few people I would like to thank.

Paula — my ride-and-die psycho friend. I love you, and I would slaughter a fucking dragon to keep you safe against the demons in my head.

My hubby — For reading my books when I toss them at him and say, “Proofread this.” The poor, long-suffering man never bats an eyelid.

Chris, my editor — Where would I be without you? I no longer cringe when you edit the sex scenes. Can you believe it? It’s a miracle.

Heidi — Because you’re amazing. Move to England so we can go to a Metallica concert together.

Hannah, my proofreader — You never disappoint. Thank you for proofreading yet another book of mine.

Ndune — You’re the sweetest. You’re always supportive and have a heart of gold.

Katherine — You message me every single day to say hi, and it means the world.

3Crows Author Services — I’m in love with the cover!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Harleigh Beck lives in a small town in the northeast of England. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her head down in a book. She mainly reads dark romance, but she also likes the occasional horror. She has more books planned, so be sure to connect with on her social media for updates.