Page 124 of Killer Kiss

But not Lia.

“This is what Fawn was running from, wasn’t it?” I asked her stiffly. “From you?”

She swallowed hard, her eyes sparkling with tears. But her nod was absolute. It felt like the first truth she’d ever actually admitted.

I’d told her all my secrets. Every last one, from the insignificant to the ones that had ruined my life.

While she’d shared exactly nothing.

She didn’t try to deny anything, and I was grateful because anger swirled around in my stomach. I didn’t want to hear her excuses.

“Get out,” I whispered.

She nodded. “I’ll get him back, Aug. I promise.”

But her words meant nothing. None of them had ever been true.

Not the promises.

Not the I love yous.

They were all lies and as fake as the woman who’d sold them to me.

35

OPHELIA

I’d promised Augie I’d get his brother back. I’d said the words with as much conviction as I could muster, trying to reassure him everything would be fine.

But like so many other lies I’d told him; this was yet another.

I’d seen how reckless Riddick was. How he didn’t stop to think and plan things out. How he just acted on impulse.

Before he’d knocked me out, he’d accused me of sleeping with the target.

But it was Banjo he’d taken from his lawn, right in front of their little girl.

That was sick. Didn’t he remember the childhood we’d had? Growing up with parents in this business meant I’d been subjected to one horrific event after another. It didn’t matter how young I was at the time. Those memories were burned into my brain, never to be forgotten.

I never wanted to inflict that sort of pain on a child.

How could he?

“Because he’s a fucking psychopath,” I muttered, getting into my car. “One with no humanity.” Unlike my brother who was batshit crazy a lot of the time but would never hurt someone in front of a child.

Fuck. Scythe and Vincent were out there somewhere, hunting Eddie. I could have used their backup right now, but really, if Banjo was still alive, there was only one thing Riddick might accept in exchange.

I didn’t need my brother for it.

I did need my best friend’s help though.

Shit. No phone.

Her flower shop was just around the corner, though, on the Saint View-Providence border, not far from my place. It was late, but I knew she sometimes stayed until all hours of the night, making up new arrangements for the next day. I made the turn at the last second, earning myself a rude beep from the car behind me. There was a parking spot free right outside Jezebel’s shop, and the lights were on. I thanked whichever lucky angel was shining over me.

I just hoped there was one watching out for Banjo too.

The bell above the door tinkled when I pushed my way in, and Jez looked up from behind the counter.

---