Chapter 9: Mitch's POV

Mitch's POV

It was Sunday evening, and Joanna had left for book club with her good perfume on.

Marin and I sat at opposite ends of the kitchen, and neither of us had mentioned the phone.

Two words on a screen, from a man who had locked a door on my stepdaughter.

Is it done?

I had spent the afternoon thinking about what we would do with it.

Wait, Marin had said. Don't tell her you saw it. Let her think she's winning.

She was eighteen, and she had a plan ready before I had a thought.

At seven Marin set her glass in the sink and came over and stood in front of me.

"She's gone for three hours," she said.

"I know."

"Then ask me again."

I knew what she meant.

"What do you want, Marin?"

"You," she said. "In a bed. For once."

She took my hand and led me upstairs.

My room was at the end of the hall.

I had slept there since January, because Joanna had said my snoring kept her up.

I hadn't thought about why that was convenient for her until now.

I shut the door, and Marin turned in the dim light.

She wore the white dress.

It was the one Joanna had picked for her, and I wanted her out of it.

"Come here," I said.

She came.

I framed her face in both hands and kissed her slowly, the way I hadn't been able to in the garage.

She melted against me, and I felt her smile.

"Better," she said.

"I've wanted to do it properly since January."

"You never said."

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