Page 2 of Killer Kiss

I chewed that over for a second, then took out my phone to search for a number. Hitting the call button, I twisted to stare at the man behind me. “Yes, Officer?” I asked when the woman on the other end answered. “I’d like to report a man for harassment of a minor and request officers be at City Station when the three-oh-five train comes in. I believe he’ll get off there to try to follow the girl.”

“You’re full of shit,” the man accused, his bushy eyebrows drawn together in annoyance. “There’s no one on the line.”

Not giving his comment any attention, I paused for a moment while the woman talked, and then I nodded. “Yes, he’s wearing a blue crew-neck T-shirt, gray sweatpants, and ripped sneakers. He’s bald, has a graying beard… Eyebrows like two fat caterpillars. Currently in car three.”

“You stupid bitch,” he hissed, clearly no longer willing to bet I was bluffing. He shoved to his feet, flipped his middle finger in my direction, and left the car through the adjoining doors.

I waited until he was out of sight, then ended the call and turned to the girl. “You’ll be okay. He won’t dare get off if he thinks the cops are out there waiting for him.” Even if they didn’t show in time, it should be enough of a threat that she could get out of the subway and away from him.

“I don’t know.” She twisted her fingers around each other nervously. “He seems kind of dumb.”

I hid a smile. “If he does take the chance, he’ll run before the cops notice him. He’s not going to be hanging around, waiting for you. But do you have someone to pick you up when we get there?”

She held her phone up to me. “I already texted my dad. He’s on his way.”

“Good.”

The train slowed as we neared the station, and the girl put her phone away in her bag.

“Thanks again.” She pushed to her feet.

I tucked my legs to one side, letting her pass by.

She shot me a small smile. “Whatever you’re knitting is really pretty. I love those colors.”

I beamed at her compliment. “Thank you! It’s a scarf for my sister.”

The girl walked away to stand with the handful of other people waiting for the doors to open, and I slid across the bench seat to sit by the window, making sure she got off okay. As I had assumed, there was no sign of the creep trying to follow her. He was probably farther down the train somewhere, trying to harass someone else.

A new crowd of passengers swarmed on and spread out in different directions, each person searching for a seat. They weren’t of any interest to me, though, so I put my headphones in, hit ‘play’ on my app, and waited for the train to start up again.

“Fawn!”

I flinched internally at the familiar name, hearing it even over my music. On instinct, even though my gut said there was no chance, I looked around the car, hoping for a glimpse of familiar eyes and a wide, white smile.

There was no one around me but strangers. Whoever this Fawn person was, she wasn’t my Fawn.

My Fawn was sweet and funny and kind. She was all innocent eyes with a big heart that made her the best person I knew.

My Fawn had walked out on our family years ago and begged us not to follow.

We’d agreed. Hell, my brother and I had fought for her to be able to do that, even when our parents had threatened to drag her back and punish her for her insolence.

I still knitted her things, though. Even though I knew she’d never wear them.

A shadow fell over me, and a tall, solid man stared from the aisle. His mouth moved, his lips making the shapes I recognized as my sister’s name, even though I couldn’t hear it over my music now that he wasn’t shouting.

People had always said we were alike, even after she’d dyed her hair blonde to avoid the comparisons.

I took the little speaker from my ear. “Sorry, were you talking to me?”

He sat down hard in the empty seat beside me as the train pulled away. Recognition was written all over his face. There was no need to tell him. I was clearly not the sister he’d hoped I was.

Join the club. No one preferred me over Fawn, and I couldn’t blame them. I preferred Fawn over my own company too.

Without answering my question, he doubled over, elbows to his knees, head in his hands. “Never mind. I thought you were someone else.”

I watched him curiously, oddly interested in this man I’d never met before but who was clearly a part of my sister’s new life. His broad shoulders filled out his T-shirt perfectly, muscled biceps showing beneath the sleeve hems. His skin still held the hint of a faded summer tan, and his dirty-blond hair fell around his face like he hadn’t brushed it in days. Dark-blond stubble covered his chiseled jawline and cheeks.

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