Page 105 of Alik

“Hi.”

She lowers her eyes to the box and lifts out a stack of photos. “I thought you might want these.” She hands me the stack, and I slowly flip through it.

It’s exactly what she’d described. Me dragging a body, putting it in a trunk, driving away. She documented me well.

A quick glance into the box shows more of the same, along with the letters and journals she spoke of. It’s all here.

“Why are you giving me this now?” I ask, my eyes roaming over the evidence.

“Olive doesn’t need it anymore.”

I move my eyes to her in time to see her frown.

“I know you both think I’m crazy, but it’s only ever been my intention to protect her.”

Her perfect eyes shine with sincerity as she lays her palms on her thighs. So much like Olive. Yet so different. But … I believe her.

“I know.”

Her lips part and eyes bulge like she’s surprised by my acceptance, and she lets out a sigh of relief while running her hand down her neck. “I’m not going to stay long.” She sounds pained. “I know Olive wouldn’t want me to, and her parents will notice she’s missing soon.”

“She’s at her parents’ house?”

Not Olive widens her eyes and looks down at herself pointedly.

“I don’t mean right this second.”

She nods. “Yes, she’s staying there. She’s sad, but… I don’t know if it’s my place to say this, but…” She pauses and clears her throat like this is difficult for her. “Alik, I thought we would be great together. I thought… I didn’t think you and her would be a good match and that you were just a fantasy for her… But I was wrong. She loves you. She truly, truly loves you. And I know that you truly love her, so…” Not Olive slaps her thighsand clears emotion from her throat. “I’m not going to get in the way anymore. Here are your things.” She pushes the box toward me. “At the bottom, you’ll find everything you’ll need for your … leverage that you talked about. I trust you with it, and I trust you with Olive… I hope you’ll be happy together.”

Not Olive stands and wipes dirt from her pants.

“I’m afraid it’s too late for that,” I say, my shoulders slumped.

Not Olive tilts her head and looks at me like I’ve missed every clue in the mystery novel she’s written just for me. “It’s never too late.” She turns and takes several steps down the dock before pausing. “Oh, and just so you know, you need to watch your back around those Irish assholes. Olive’s dad has been working for them for a while now.”

She gives me a small wave and sad smile before walking away.

“Hey!” I call after her. She pauses once again and turns. “What is your name?”

She smiles and shakes her head. “Olive never gave me one.”

She lifts her hand in a goodbye gesture as she leaves. Once the headlights of her SUV shine in the distance, I look down at the box, letting the moonlight illuminate it.

The Irish…

I shouldn’t be surprised. It makes the DEA targeting us make perfect sense. They’re cowards for using the DEA, but I should expect nothing less of the spineless bastards. Not everyone lives by the code of the Bratva.

But how have they gotten Olive’s father on board? I’ve dug into the man as much as anyone could. He’s clean. He’s never taken a bribe in his life.

Putting that aside for now, I pull out the contents in the box until I find a bloodied knife in a Ziploc bag. The blood isn’t fresh. Its dark smear is crusted like it’s been dried for a while.

I pull out a disk next with the message, “play me alone,” written in Sharpy. And then I put it together.

Not Olive brought me the evidence of my crimes … and evidence of hers.

She wants me to use it against her father.

The knife in my hand, I lift my head up to peer out at the water. I wonder… Did the Irish perhaps do the same? She had a boyfriend connected to the Irish, one she killed.

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