Page 91 of Tempest

“That’s unfortunate.”

“What’d you say?” I slit my eyes at my friend. If he so much as gives me an eye-twitch relating to my sister…

“Nothing. Never mind. Not like anyone wants to visit us in this ghost-house, anyway.”

“That’s deliberate.”

“Yeah, yeah. You know who we’re getting?”

I nod curtly.

“It’s a couple,” Rio adds unnecessarily. “A chick is going in that basement, T.”

“I know.”

“I don’t know if I … the last girl we had to off—”

“You mean I had to off.”

“Was Mila.”

“I know.”

Rio studies me intently. I shift, then smack the arm of the chair and push to my feet, aiming for a refill. I hate being studied like there’s something wrong with me. As if there’s an emotion I shouldn’t be showcasing.

Damn you, Ardyn.

“Can we handle working over another woman?” Rio asks my back.

“Doesn’t matter.” I lift the crystal decanter, the rim clanking dangerously against my glass as I pour. “If you don’t have the stomach for it, you know who does.”

Rio releases a disgusted sigh. “Hunter.”

“Yeah,” I reluctantly agree. “Hunter. And if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not be there to watch him cut out another heart. Let’s kill her quickly.”

Rio mutters his agreement, burying the rest of our debate into his whiskey.

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