Page 70 of Wicked Scandal

I quickly go back down the steps to look at the camera, immediately seeing that the green light isn’t on. Every time I’ve come to this door, Troy has watched me through that camera. He should have gotten a notification that we were here and the only way he wouldn’t check is if he was otherwise occupied. I go back up the steps and put one foot in the door while Rome has fully emerged himself in the house.

“Something’s not right,” I tell him with a hushed tone.

Hanging back by the door, I let Rome inspect, but when he steps around the wall, and into the living room, I watch as his eyes go wide, his hand flying to his mouth.

My heart jumps into my throat and my first thought is Cat, so I go to Rome’s side to see what he’s found.

And that’s when I see it.

Crimson blood is pooled around a body on the floor. So much blood that I nearly slip in it as I round the corner, but Rome’s arm stops me from going any closer. My heart constricts, my breaths come in short gasps, and I choke on a cry of pure and utter relief that it’s Troy and not Cat lying there. Dead.

“Jesus Christ,” I gasp as I grip the sides of my head. “This can’t be happening.”

“What do you mean this can’t be happening?” Rome asks, an unnerving casualness to his tone. “This is the best-case scenario. The wicked beast is dead. Mrs. Jenkins is free, and Dad’s the new mayor.”

My head jerks back as I glare at him. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? He’s dead, and someone did this to him.” I gesture to the very real crime scene right in front of us. He has a gun in his hand, but I can’t tell where he bled out from. He’s face down, his head turned to the side, enough for me to see who it is, but that’s all I can really see.

“Do you think…”

He doesn’t have to finish that sentence because I know what he’s asking. “No way in hell. She’s too good to do this.”

At least, I think she is. Then again, Troy has been beating on her for God knows how long. A person can only take so much before they snap. The more I think about it, the more sense it makes. “We have to help her.”

Rome chuckles sarcastically as he eyeballs the corpse on the floor. “Doesn’t look like she needs help anymore. He’s certainly not touching her again.”

“That’s not what I mean.” I punch him in the arm. Leave it to Rome to never take anything seriously. “If she did this, her fingerprints are probably on that gun.”

Rome shrugs. “Unless she’s smart and wore gloves.”

“We can’t risk it.” I nod toward the weapon. “We need to get rid of it.”

“I’m not touching that thing,” Rome scoffs. “You do it.”

Dammit. My eyes search the room frantically, looking for something I can pick it up with. They land on a round doily beneath a vase of fake flowers. I walk toward it, but just as I go to pick up the vase, a shadow in the doorway catches my eye. When I look, I see that it’s Cat.

“What are you doing here?” she whispers so low I can barely hear her. “He’s going to kill you if he finds you here!” Is she for real right now? Curling her fingers, she calls me over. “Come on. We can get out of here before he sees either of us.”

Rome pops out from around the corner, his eyes dancing from me to her. “Yeah, I don’t think we have to worry about that.”

Cat grimaces as she points to Rome. “What’s he doing here? What’s going on?” Wide panicked eyes meet mine. Is she having a bout of amnesia or something?

She begins walking farther into the house, but I put my hand on her arm, stopping her. “Are you saying you have no idea what’s going on?”

“You’re really starting to freak me out, Wilder. I sent you, like, five messages saying where I was. Where have you been?”

I’m really freaked the fuck out right now. A man we all just had a public yelling match with is lying dead in the room next to us and I have no idea who did it.

I can’t tell if she’s being serious, or if this is an act. I would hope she knows by now that she can trust me, but maybe it’s Rome she’s not sure about. Of course she wouldn’t want to confess to killing her husband, but why come back to the scene of the crime once the job is done.

I’m lost in my thoughts when Cat makes it past me, and when I look at her, I see her standing beside Rome, pale as a ghost. Both hands fly to her mouth and she gasps audibly.

Her legs wobble and she staggers to the left, putting a hand on the wall to steady herself. I come up quickly behind her, grabbing her by the waist. “Are you okay?” I ask her, immediately regretting the question. Of course she’s not okay. She either just killed her husband, or she just found out someone else did. Either way, we have to get the hell out of here.

“We gotta go,” I tell Rome. “Grab something and get the gun and I’ll help her out of here.”

Cat is in a state of shock as I lead her to the door. “Looks like we’re running away sooner than planned, Kitty Cat.” Her mouth stays agape, eyes wide and not blinking as I lead her toward the door.

The fresh air hits us, right along with the reality of this situation. I don’t know what we’re going to do, but I need to come up with a plan really fucking soon.

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