Page 44 of Shadow Touched

“Your deception got Knuckles killed.”

Cindy shrugged. “I don’t care. He was ameans to an end. Once I saw Brim back in Cardinal, I knew Knuckleshad failed, the stupid asshole.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Leia said. Shewanted Cindy to agree. She wanted Cindy to walk away, promise shewould give up her thirst for vengeance. “You can walk away rightnow, and I’ll let you leave. I won’t tell Brim anything.”

Cindy took a step closer. “I won’t everstop. I will hunt Brim until one of us is dead. And then I’ll goand kill his cunt of a mother. You shouldn’t have come here, bitch.You know I can’t let you run back and warn him.”

Leia knew she was trying to intimidate her.Cindy’s eyes were ice cold. There wasn’t any soul left in thebitter, older woman. Part of her felt sorry for Cindy. She clearlyneeded help. Yet Leia knew she’d never get it because Cindy didn’twant help. She wanted Brim to suffer like she was suffering.

“I don’t fear you, Cindy.”

“No? Then you’re stupid because I’m going tokill you.”

Leia shook her head. “I’m not the one goingto die tonight.”

“And what makes you so sure?”

“Because I’m not the one with a shadow onme.” Leia pulled the butterfly knife out of her back pocket andplunged the blade into Cindy’s chest. So hard it penetrated intothe heart. The woman’s mouth dropped open in shock and horror asher knees gave out. Leia fell with her, pushing the knife indeeper. "I don’t know why you didn’t think I was the nightmare cometo consume you. You see, I love him. And I’ll do anything toprotect him.”

The light in Cindy’s eyes faded, and thewoman stared into the abyss as death claimed her. The shadow fadedinto the body and disappeared from sight. Leia stared at the womanshe’d just killed, trying to feel guilty, but she had come torealize that good and bad weren’t always black and white. Shedidn’t feel one ounce of horror at having just claimed a life.

She yanked the blade out of Cindy’s chest.There wasn’t much blood, to her surprise. As she had walked thetrek to the house, Leia had opened the switchblade and carefullyput it in the back pocket of her jeans, using her shirt to concealit. She knew the sharp tip had probably ripped a hole in herpocket, but she didn’t care. Once she had folded up the knife, shepulled out her cell phone and called Thorn. The V.P. would knowwhat to do with the body.

Chapter Seventeen

“I took this image off the bank surveillanceat the corner,” Mac said through the speakerphone. “The sedan hadto stop because of the red light, and I think it’s a pretty goodimage.”

Brim clicked on the link Mac had sent and hestared at the face of his ex-wife. Sadness consumed him. Clearly,she had let bitterness and anger consume her, and thought he wasthe one to blame.

“I take it you know her,” Mac said.

“Yeah. My son’s mother.”

“Oh, man. That’s harsh.”

“Thanks, Mac. I’ll take it from here.”

“Yep,” the hacker said, and a moment laterthe line went dead.

Brim stared at Cindy, trying to make senseof everything. How and why had Knuckles gotten involved? What hadshe done or promised to make the brother turn on his club?

“Didn’t think her pussy was that good,”Thorn muttered, echoing his thoughts.

Brim raised a brow. “Something you shouldtell me?”

Thorn blinked. “Oh, hell no. That came outcompletely wrong.”

Brim sighed. “Doesn’t matter. She’s gotta beput down.”

“I can’t believe Knuckles turned on you.That he’d betray all of us.” At that moment, Thorn’s phone rang. Hepulled it out of his pocket and glanced at the caller ID, frowningfor a moment before answering. “Yeah? What the fuck? Okay. Okay.I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

He closed out the call before looking at Brim.

“What?”

“Seems like your girl took care of theproblem.”

Brim frowned. “What’re you talkingabout?”

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