I grip the paper with Elizabeth’s address that Lexi gave me tightly in my fist. My mind was being flooded with memories, with thoughts I had worked hard to shove down. Things I didn’t want to remember. I truly had loved Elizabeth. I’ve stayed so far away from relationships since then for many reasons, but a main one being a broken heart. Elizabeth had been so beautiful, so smart. I never thought I could do better than that. I also never knew what a fucking monster she was. Evil comes in all forms, but it’s never so dangerous as when it’s wrapped in beauty.

I clench my eyes shut. The pain from Elizabeth’s ultimatum, from the decision I was forced to make, pales in comparison to the pain of Bree’s suffering. I open my eyes, my face a mask of determination. It’s time. Tonight, Elizabeth pays for her sins.

* * *

The house, a simple colonial surrounded by rose bushes, is dark when I walk up. I was smart enough to park down the block, I didn’t want any neighbors recognizing my car. I wasn’t sure if anyone this far from the city would be as silent as the usual witnesses we dealt with. The farther from the city I get, the less connected I am with law enforcement.

I make short work of cutting the power off and severing the phone line. Don’t need her calling anyone or drawing attention with her lights on in the middle of the night. I’m sure she has a cell phone, but she’ll have to reach it first.

Breaking into the house is a piece of cake. Elizabeth was always so vain, making sure she had a beautiful front door, despite it having shit for locks. You would think having been married to a man like me she would be smarter about these things.

Once I’m inside I take my time, strolling silently through the downstairs. She has no pictures of Bree anywhere. There is absolutely no sign that she has a daughter in the house. The rage inside me rises as adrenaline courses through my veins. I take a steadying breath to calm myself, I am seeing red, which will only lead to mistakes. Tonight, I needed calm precision. This must be handled slowly, she had years to torment Bree, and she’s going to pay for it even longer. This must be done right.

I slowly make my way up her stairs, thankful for the carpeting and new construction helping me stay silent. It doesn’t take long to spot her room at the end of the hall, but I stop and open the first bedroom door finding a home office. I close it behind me and go to the second door. What I see stops me in my tracks.

There were no signs of Bree anywhere else, but this room was clearly meant for her. Elizabeth moved here after Bree ran away, so she must have brought everything and set it up for some reason. Did she think Bree would come back? She never searched for Bree that anyone knows of. She never went to the police, never gave a missing person report. I checked when Bree came to me. It’s the only reason I didn’t know Bree was out on the streets, that she was fighting for her life. That my daughter needed me and I wasn’t there.

The room is sparse. The walls painted a muted color that’s hard to make out in the moonlight. The mattress is on a plain metal frame with no sheets and a pillow as thin as a blanket thrown on top of it. Clearly, Elizabeth had no intention of changing her treatment of Bree. I see what looks like a stack of photos on a simple metal desk pushed against one wall. I make a mental note to go back and grab them when I’m finished.

Finally, I think as I approach the double doors of the master bedroom. I turn the knob slowly, letting the anger surge back through me. I let Bree’s haunted eyes, the eyes she pleaded with when Alex brought her to me, flow through my mind. Her gaunt frame, the way she hated herself, the way she was programmed to feel worthless.

The door eases open and I gently shut it behind me. Elizabeth has a sound maker, creating a gentle white noise and her curtains are drawn wide open, flooding the room with light from the moon and street lamps. It’s like she’s asking for a break-in.

My eyes quickly scan the bed and room, making sure she’s there and she’s alone. I can handle anyone she could possibly have with her, but I don’t want to be caught off guard. She’s lying on her side, her chest gently rising and lowering as she breathes. There’s an empty bottle of liquor on her nightstand. I see a prescription bottle thrown haphazardly next to it, the lid only partially screwed on. Ah, even the monster has demons to fight.

Following a hunch, I open her nightstand drawer and am rewarded with the glint of a pistol in the dim light. I take it out before shoving it into the waistband of my pants. Then I turn back to face a still sleeping Elizabeth. I have a feeling I could throw a party and the bitch wouldn’t budge.

I clench my fists at my sides, both in disbelief that this moment is finally here and conflicted on what to do. I need to keep my head and be patient. I’ve won the war, this is checkmate, it’s just time to move the pieces into place.

Raising my hand, I do the one thing I never thought I would, hit a woman, and slap her as hard as I can across the side of her face. I take a step back as she lurches awake, one hand flying to her chest, the other clumsily searching for the gun I’ve already removed. I smirk, waiting for her to become fully awake.

She stills the moment she spots me, I can tell by the arrogant rage on her face she hasn’t realized it’s me yet.

“What do you want?” she says, her voice sounding weak and vulnerable despite the look on her face. I know better, Elizabeth is a cunning bitch, she won’t give in so easily, at least the old Elizabeth wouldn’t have.

“I want to talk about our daughter,” I say, folding my arms across my chest.

“Ro-Ron?” Her voice is shrill, filled with panic.

“In the flesh,” I say, watching her raise herself to a sitting position, one hand rubbing her cheek. She’s probably going to have a nice bruise. She’ll just love that, her precious beauty marred.

“She’s … she’s off at college,” Elizabeth says, looking around the room frantically.

She’s probably trying to figure out if I’m alone or not. Not that it makes a difference. I broke my agreement with Jake and came alone tonight. He’ll have his part soon, but I wanted to set my plan in motion. The longer I can delay Declan knowing, the better anyway, he can’t keep shit from Bree. With a frustrated sigh at her answer, I slap her again, though I hold back some strength this time.

“Try again,” I bark, backing away from her again.

“Why … God, why are you doing this?” Elizabeth cries, tears falling down her face giving me a sick sense of satisfaction.

“Where is our fuckin’ daughter, Elizabeth?” I keep my voice calm, my tone even.

“I don’t know, okay? She took off,” Elizabeth says. She gives up on trying to soothe her stinging face, lowering both her hands to her lap.

“And why did she take off, Elizabeth?” Part of me is wishing she’ll lie again.

“I don’t know …” She starts to speak but I cut her off, raising my hand again.

“Jesus, God don’t hit me again. She wasn’t happy okay? I don’t know why, something to do with her boyfriend, she was dating a coworker’s son. Some kid named Alex.” She raises both her hands in defense. As if that could possibly stop me. Her reminder of Alex, that piece of shit who tried to sell me my own daughter after making her live on the street for a fuckin’ year.

I don’t strike her again, instead choosing to stare at her so hard there should be a hole in her head. Is she that far in denial? That even now she can’t admit the truth.

“She wasn’t happy?” I hiss. “Wasn’t happy? With what? With being starved? With being beaten? With being neglected and told she was nothing more than a thorn in your side? Which part wasn’t she happy with, Elizabeth? Tell me,” I growl, my hands twitching with the need to strangle her. God, the idea of wrapping my hands around her throat, it makes me want to smile.

Elizabeth’s eyes widen in horror as she realizes I know. Her transgressions have finally come to light.

“Now you’re catching on.” I give her a wicked smile. “My daughter came to me. She came to me, Elizabeth. She came to me starving, homeless, with a piece of shit that tried to sell her to me.”

Elizabeth doesn’t even flinch when I describe the desperate state Bree was in. I almost think I see her smirk. Even now she gets some twisted sadistic pleasure from Bree’s suffering.

“I guess you’re here to avenge her now?” Elizabeth’s face contorts in disgust. “Here to somehow make it all better? Like all those years you abandoned her won’t count if Daddy swoops in now to make it all better.”

Her words make me want to flinch, but I hold back. God, do I feel guilty for the years I left Bree with this woman. I know there is nothing that can be done to take it back. But I can be damn sure that Bree never suffers a day in her life from now on. And I can make damn sure Elizabeth pays for it. I made a mistake that will never be repeated.

“This is your notice,” I say gruffly, watching fear cover Elizabeth’s face again.

“Notice for what?” she hisses, trying to put on a brave face. She’s fucking pathetic.

“This is checkmate. I’ve found you.” I pause, letting my words sink in. “There is nowhere you can run now, there is no place you can hide. There is nothing you can do to save yourself. You’re mine now.” I lean in, so close I can see the crow’s feet on her face. “And this is just the beginning.”

I don’t give her a chance to respond, raising my fist and hitting her in the temple so hard she’s knocked unconscious. I give her one more disgusted look before I make my way back into the room set aside for Bree. Grabbing the stack of photographs, I make my way to my car and finally allow myself to smile.