Page 59 of Ruthless Intent

I stay where I am, watching as the newcomer straightens the bedding.

“Who’d you kill? Family? Friend? Scorned lover?”

“None of the above.” He turns to face me. “Would you believe I’m innocent?”

I shrug. “Wouldn't be the first man in here who didn’t do what they’ve been accused of. Are you innocent?”

“Of this particular murder? Absolutely.” He smiles, and I know without any shadow of a doubt, that this man is a killer. It’s there in the gleam of his eye, and the sardonic tilt of his lips.

He holds out a hand. “You must be Zain. Matthews told me all about you. Got yourself a nice little reputation in here as being the fuck around and find out type.”

“Nice little reputation?” I toss my book onto my bunk, then climb up.

“Not true?”

“Oh, it’s true.”

“Do I need to?” He leans against the wall, folds his arms, and looks at me.

“Need to what?”

“Fuck around and find out?”

I laugh. “You mean do we need to have a weird battle to establish dominance?”

“You tell me.”

“Not before breakfast.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

ASHLEY

Thankfully the house was empty when Zain dropped me off almost two hours ago, because my phone hasn’t stopped ringing, and there’s no way I can explain to Mom why I’m not answering the calls. Karla, Jessa-Mae, and Scott have all called numerous times, but I cut it off every time it rings. At some point I’m going to have to pick up and talk to them. I want to turn off my cell, but I’m scared that if I do that I’ll miss a text saying one of them is coming to town. I need to be able to stop them from doing it. I just don’t know how … not without telling them what’s going on.

Being alone means I have the perfect opportunity to tell them all what he’s doing, and enlist their help. Zain must know that. There’s a nagging whisper at the back of my head that keeps asking why he isn’t more concerned about it.

Why isn’t he worried about me telling my friends what’s happening while he’s not here to stop me?

And that leads me to another question.

What exactly does he have against my mom?

That’s the one thing stopping me from calling his bluff.

What does he know that makes him so confident that my mom will be arrested if I don’t go along with his plans? Because he knows something.

Scott’s ringtone shatters the silence and I stare at his name on the screen.

He’s not going to give up. He’s going to continue calling until you answer. You might as well get it over with. At least this way, Zain isn’t breathing down your neck while you talk to him.

I connect the call.

“Finally! I’ve been worried sick.” The concern in his voice adds emphasis to his words.

“I’m sorry. You didn’t need to call.”

“Of course I did. You left me a crazy voice message. What’s going on? Talk to me.”

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