Those words truly hurt. They were the last nail being hammered into my coffin. Because Ben was right about this single thing: Caroline had believed the worst of me. I’d always been afraid she would learn the truth and hate me for it. The horrific irony was that my fear kept me from investigating what really happened that night. Caroline died believing that I was a killer. I would never have the chance to make matters right between us.

What made me want to die was that Caroline had gone to her grave hating me.

“I would’ve prepared better if I’d known I’d be entertaining guests here. I want this to be as painful as possible,” Ben said. “I’ve got strychnine, which is supposed to be the worst poison of all, thanks to the convulsions. I wish I could hang around for three hours to watch you die. But I have to go out and shoot your accomplices now.”

“Teddy . . .”

He punched me in the face. “You ruined everything, you know that? If Teddy gets hurt, that’s on you.”

That lit a rage inside me that pushed the void back. Falling into the soothing blackness was a luxury I didn’t have. I had to fight for my son.

“Caroline . . . told . . . me . . .” My breath escaped in short bursts, as if I were still being rattled by amateur electric-shock therapy.

“What’s that?”

“Caroline . . . told me . . . about you.” My head drooped forward as if the life had already bled out of me.

I am full of hidden horrors.

The voice scratched across my brain, far worse than anything in Ben’s limited repertoire. Ursula claimed the words were from a play; I wasn’t certain that I believed her. They had taken on a life of their own inside me.

“What did she say?” He stepped closer to me and then, as if reading my intent, he fired up the Taser again. My whole body convulsed, loudly rattling the chain.

I whispered something unintelligible.

“What was that?” Ben was impatient now, and he came so close I could smell his shaving lotion. He was desperate for any token, any sign indicating that Caroline had thought of him at all.

My lips brushed against his throat when I finally spoke. “You underestimated my ability to tolerate pain,” I whispered.

Before he could step back, I sank my teeth into his throat, right into his jugular.

CHAPTER 48 THEO

CHAPTER 48

THEO

I would have been satisfied to die in that darkness. I wasn’t afraid. Ben was no longer a threat to Teddy. My son would be safe. I hadn’t thought I was capable of saving anyone, but at least I’d done that. It didn’t matter if I died now.