The world was a throbbing, blurry mess. The mean drumming behind Lila's eye made it hard to think. She remembered the crash, the yelling, the big man named Lobo with eyes like a hungry animal.
She remembered the gun.
It was cold against her head. It made a scary, cracking sound, and then everything went fuzzy.
Now, she was somewhere dark that smelled like the dead rats Goldie brought. She tried to be brave, like Dad said. She thought about Jace, glad he was safe. She thought about Mom and the baby. She always looked forward to the baby like she had Jace.
Mostly, she thought about the promise.
"Bring me millions, Daddy!"
She said it like a game. A silly, sunshine thing to say as he drove away. He'd laughed his big laugh.
"Billions, kiddo! Enough to buy you a herd of unicorns…"
It wasn't a game anymore.
The grown-ups were arguing. Their voices were low and angry, like dogs fighting over a bone.
"—bleeding… had a deal…"
"Fuck the deal, Vance! Do you see how quickly her daddy made twenty million? We can have a new life with forty."
The numbers slammed into her, ugly and heavy. Twenty. Forty. They were not for unicorns anymore. They were the price on her head.
Daddy had brought the millions. He had kept his promise. She brushed her hands over her wrist; she did not keep the one she made to never take off her bracelet. A tear, hot and stubborn, escaped and traced a clean line through the dirt on her cheek. She had asked for a miracle. He had given one. And the monsters asked too.
Boots clomped toward her. She shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep, playing the game one more time.
A rough hand grabbed her chin. The pain made her gasp.
Vance's face was close. He did not look like a monster. He looked tired. "This will be over soon," he mumbled.
He let her go. Her head hurt where it touched the scratchy mattress.
Bring me millions, Daddy.
The words echoed in the dark, not a happy memory anymore.