Kill Switch by Penelope Douglas

I was sure the disdain was visible on my face. But then I
remembered how he denied being in the theater bathroom and
Crane denied that anyone was in the house this morning when
I ran to St. Killian’s. They had no reason to lie. Was I in more
danger than I thought? Was someone else after me? Enemies
my father made or something?
I quieted, almost afraid of his answer when I asked, “Is my
family really in the Maldives?”
“Yes,” he said.
Pain pricked at the back of my throat.
And while it was unusual my mother was on his
honeymoon and not him, I knew why. He had no interest in the
Maldives. Everything that interested him was here.
“Why would my mother leave me with you?”
“Because she’s a cunt.”
My hand shook a little, part of me angry and part of me
wanting to cry. She left me. She actually left me. Did she
fight? Sob? Have to be forced out the door at least? Did he
offer her anything? Was she supposed to be back soon?
Why did she let him convince her to leave?
Because she’s a cunt.
My chin trembled for a moment, almost appreciating the
genuine anger in his voice. He’d done this. He’d sent them
away.
But even though he did what he thought he had to do to get
what he wanted, he still didn’t have any respect for my mother
for giving in to him. What kind of parent…
“Where do you go when you’re not here?” I pried,
changing the subject. “Are you really going into the city? Or
New York? Where?”
Or were you close? Always close.
He was gone a lot, and it hadn’t escaped my notice that he
barely stayed here at night. Where the hell was he sleeping?