There's always been a cruel streak in Joshua when it comes to protecting what's most important to him. Something able to justify almost any means to an end that stops someone from hurting his friends. Not only justify it, but enjoy doing it. He's digging for ammunition here; what knife to twist into Sara's poisonous gullet and watch her squirm. How hard he'd have to hit her to break an old woman's bones.

Joshua wants to hurt her. Metaphorically. Physically. Anything to make her face twist in pain. The chance never comes.

His world comes crashing down in a cacophony of shattered glass and mirrored fragments. Reflecting his ugly self and the even uglier truth staring at all of them. All of David's excuses were just so convenient. The money was good and he was getting to do something he excels in for good this time.

What a fucking joke.

Joshua doesn't want to believe it. He wouldn't believe it--if Caspar's explanation wasn't screaming through his head with all the subtlety of a multi car pileup. David fits the description Caspar gave of Adia's stalker. He's admitted to being in love with her before. And he took the alias 'Josh', the man he claims to have so much kindred spirit with.

The man who's been helping him torture his murder victims psychologically before he--

The wine glass Josh had been holding shatters against the ground where it's been dropped. Its ruby red life blood spilling across the floor. Bethany looks up at Joshua from the puddle's edge with a lopsided tilt to her head that threatens to rip it right off its severed base if she moves much more. He feels clawed hands closing over his shoulder with razor sharp nails piercing his flesh. Hannah and Beth don't have to say anything.

He's a monster.

"Y...you son of a bitch." Josh's voice is shaking, wide green eyes all but begging Jeff to tell him it's not true only for those hopes to be dashed.