Page 33 of Wicked Nasty

"Yeah," I say with a sigh, "just talking about Danny."

Louise's face softens into a sympathetic expression. "He's a good kid."

"I know," I reply, trying to push away the thoughts that linger in my mind. "He'll be okay. All of you will be."

"And you will be too, Becca," Louise says firmly, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "For someone in your position, you are incredibly strong. I know it hasn't been easy living with your mother, but living out of a car is not safe, love."

I shrug nonchalantly. "I made some friends along the way."

"You did," Louise agrees with a small smile. "And they are always welcome to visit you here."

Feeling grateful for Louise's kindness and acceptance, I walk over to her and hug her tightly. "Thank you. That means... a lot to me."

"Now let's go get you some real food," Louise declares with a chuckle, taking my hand in hers as we make our way downstairs.

Despite the warmth and comfort of this home, I can't shake off the nagging feeling that it's all too good to be true. At any moment now, the rug will be pulled out from under me again.

But for now, I'll savor the calm and peace that this house brings.

Minus Danny.

He's the wild card, the unpredictable one, the person I both fear and desire the most. It's a complicated and confusing mixture of emotions. One minute I want to strangle him, but the next minute I'm fantasizing about his lips on mine.

These next few months will undoubtedly be challenging, but I know I can get through it, graduate from high school, and then finally find my Katya...

Chapter ten

Daniel

God Complex

Becca,withherdeceivinglysweet smiles and fake laughs, sits across from me, taking advantage of my family's hospitality. Her slender throat taunts me as I resist the urge to wrap my hands around it. I can already feel the satisfying crunch of my grip as her eyes roll back in shock... and desire.

But then she'll beg for me…

I shake my head in frustration, trying to push away the conflicting emotions that Becca stirs within me. One second I want to throttle her, the next I can't stop picturing the curve of her body beneath mine. The way her hair falls over her face as she gasps and moans, driving me wild with need. It's a constant battle between hatred and lust whenever she's near.

My eyes dart between my father, mother, and sister as anger boils inside of me. They sit at the table, oblivious to the pain I am feeling. It's like they don't even care that Daisy is dead. A sharp pang of resentment shoots through me. How can they pretend like everything is normal? Like we're all just one big happy family? But we're not. Nothing has been the same since Daisy died.

I slam my fork down onto the plate, the loud clatter breaking the tense silence in the room. The anger spreads through me like a wildfire, consuming every ounce of my being. My father looks up from his meal, concern etched on his face. "Everything okay, Danny?"

I glare at him, gripping the fork so tightly that it leaves imprints on my palm. I wish it could dig into my skin and make me feel something other than this numbness.

"Seems to be with everybody else."

My dad’s eyes meet mine, a silent plea to not go down this road tonight. “Is it the food?”

I clench my jaw, trying not to lash out at him. "It has nothing to do with the goddamn food."

His glare intensifies, and he says my name in a warning tone. "Daniel..."

I glance over at Becca, who chews her food silently as she watches me. She nods in understanding, placing her fork down gently on her plate.

Becca stands up and announces, "Got it."

I follow her with my eyes as she walks out of the room, a faint sniffle escaping her before she disappears. My dad shakes his head while my mom starts to cry.

"Oh, here we go. Nobody can say goddamn shit because Mom will start crying," I spit out bitterly. "It's time for everyone to wake the fuck up! Daisy is dead. Dead! And Becca isn't some fucking replacement for her!"

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