Page 144 of I Will Mend You
I stare into her cold eyes, seeing the bitch who tormented me at night. Confronting her is more intense than facing the monster in the mirror. She’s aged a little since the days of pretending to be our nanny, and the swelling around her mouth has distorted her features beyond recognition, but this is Charlotte.
The truck rumbles over the uneven road, each jolt sending vibrations through my bones. Dim light casts eerie shadows on her mottled skin, making her contorted features appear ghostlike.
Xero stands behind me, a constant reminder that I’m not alone in this battle against my past. His fingers brush my shoulder in a gesture of support, infusing me with a jolt of warmth.
He doesn’t need to offer his help. I already know he’s ready to step in if I falter. But this is my fight—my past to confront. I’m determined to see it to the end.
“No more bullshit,” I say, my voice flat. “You’re going to tell me everything about the children you train and traffic. After you help me rescue them, you’ll lead me to Delta.”
Her eyes burn with hatred. “Or else, what?”
“Or you’ll die slowly for everything you inflicted on my family and me.”
She shakes her head, her gaze dropping to the floor. “You’re wasting your time. I’m just a pawn.”
Gripping her chin, I force her to meet my gaze. My stomach churns at the contact. Even though I’m wearing gloves, the heat of her skin soaks through the latex.
Wincing, she tries to pull away, but I tighten my grip.
“Tell me about the adoption agency and all the children you trafficked.”
“Some of them actually found homes,” she spits, each word bringing up splatters of blood.
“With pedophiles?” I sneer.
“With families. Wealthy ones. People who could give them better lives than they had on the street.”
Bile rises to my throat. Does she even believe what she’s saying? Any organization connected to Delta has to be corrupt. Pushing forward, I make a mental note to demand her records. Tonight is all about finding Three Fates and rescuing the child assassins. We can check in on the adopted children after we’ve handled Dolly, Delta, and their corrupt organization.
“What about the other kids?” I ask. “Where did they go?”
She clamps her mouth shut, her eyes flashing with defiance.
“Answer me, bitch,” I hiss through clenched teeth.
When she closes her eyes, it’s like striking a match that ignites an explosion of anger. Charlotte never gave me the chance to hide from her nightly taunting. She would wake me up and stand over my bed, wearing that bloody nightgown. When I hid under the covers or in the closet, she would repeat the same words over and over, urging me to kill Heath so her spirit could rest.
I step back to the table where Xero has laid out a selection of tools. He moves aside, giving me room to choose my weapon. Ignoring the bloody pliers, I select a syringe filled with clear fluid and return to her side.
“What is that?” she asks.
“I have no fucking idea.”
“An experimental drug to increase pain sensitivity,” Xero replies, his tone clinical.
Her eyes widen, and she shrinks into her seat, the defiance on her features flickering. She drops her gaze to the syringe, breathing so hard that the vein in her neck pulses.
“Anything to say?” I ask.
At her silence, I slide the needle into her vein and press the plunger.
A shudder runs through her body, causing beads of sweat to form on her skin before she convulses.
Frowning, I glance over my shoulder, wondering if I’ve done something wrong, but Xero’s reassuring nod tells me everything’s going to plan.
“Give her a few seconds for the drug to take effect,” he says.
While Charlotte gets accustomed to the infusion, I return to the table and pick up the pliers. She makes a strangled noise, and my heart thrums with satisfaction. After Xero used them to extract her teeth, I’m not surprised she finds them triggering.