Page 80 of Devious Gambit

“No, it’s not. The president of Snake and Chalice-”

She made a puking sound and stuck her finger down her throat. “Men only jack-off club.”

“Men only talk about jack-shit club is more accurate. Anyway, Thomas Buchanan said police are investigating photographs going back decades of rapes where there are four men in black balaclavas.”

“Huh. Interesting.”

“Anyway, those two tragedies that you’re talking about, a disappearance and a death were both perps in the latest rape.”

“I’m so sorry about that.”

“Sarcasm.”

“I really mean, I’m glad they’re dead and gone.” She forced a smile. “Go have a shower. I can smell you from here.”

I checked my underarms and agreed. Yep, a shower and some Luxon soap would do me good. Maybe wash away thoughts of Gallagher that were plaguing my mind.

Didn’t work. I stood under the warm water with my forehead pressed against the shower wall, thinking of her body and sweet smile and the sadness and disappointment on her face when I confessed the truth. That was my doing. I hurt her, but Cody’s family would’ve done worse. Fuck the Harringtons and their shitty Klimt.

All that effort and grief just for a fucking painting.

THIRTY ONE

Rhys

A bozo friend of Mr. A-hole turned up at Stads and asked if he was staying at my place.

“No,” I spat. It hurt every time I thought of him, so I had to keep busy to stop images of him pestering my mind. The conversation was not helping my cause.

“He’s been gone four days,” the bozo told me.

“Tell someone who cares,” I bit, imagining him lying in a ditch somewhere. Strangely, that thought did not fill me with joy. “You got your Klimt, you should be happy.”

“Uh, I get it,” he…that big Cody player guy said, “you two had a little tiff and broke up.”

“How can we break up when we weren’t a thing?”

“Right. Whatever. If you hear from him, tell him to call me ASAP.”

“I won’t hear from him because he doesn’t exist.”

He screwed his face up in utter perplexity, glancing past my shoulder to Lise who was listening in, hoping she might shed some light on this fiasco of a conversation.

“Would you like to place an order?” I asked, cutting to the chase.

“Yeah, give me a cheese burger and fries with a chocolate shake, jeez fuck, we lost the last game and we need him back. Coach has gone ape.”

I turned to address Lise. “All I’m hearing is white noise. Do you understand any of this?”

Lise moved me aside to take over serving the bozo and his friends, as I stepped up at the dessert counter, my favorite spot.

“Hun,” Lise said softy after the bozos had gone to find a table, “you and I need to have a little talk.”

“I think she needs more than just words,” Gretta added.

“I’m sorry about Jace,” Lise uttered.

I sighed. I was so over the whole damn thing. Christmas break will be a godsend, just to see the back of all these annoying people. “I already feel humiliated. I don’t need your sympathetic comments and looks.”

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