Page 9 of War

“So, not only did you have someone bring it here, you went through it?”I bite out.

He doesn’t deny that fact.“I’m going to help you find the person responsible for your sister.And take them apart piece by piece.”

Thud.

“Still won’t admit it’s your dad,” I hedge.

Silence clings to the air until it’s almost too intense to breathe.

“I agree it’s a weird coincidence they both got attacked on the same night, but I’m sorry, Rogue.You don’t know him like I do.He wouldn’t do that to a young girl.”

I never thought I’d kill a cop, but here we are.“We all have it in us to kill, Callan.”

He stands, hands on his hips, the light casting over him.He’s so beautiful with that impeccable jawline.They should clone him so everyone can own one.

“We may all have it in us to kill, Rogue, but what happened to your sister wasn’t just murder, was it?It was rage, cruelty.”

Cold hands snake up my spine, wrapping around my throat and slowly tightening.“You think it sounds personal?”I choke out.

“It looks personal.Was she seeing anyone?”

“No.Not one person.”Harley was a free spirit—and that meant with her body too.She liked to party, to meet people, and to live.

“I have contacts looking into active serial killers,” he announces, nonchalant, like that’s normal.A serial killer.

“Seriously?But…if she got targeted and it wasn’t personal, why mutilate her tattoo?”

He clasps the back of his neck and rubs there, pacing the end of the bed.“Sometimes with serial killers, they keep things from their victims, trophies, souvenirs—something to relive the memory of the kill for them—something to try to own their victims in some way.They become part of?—”

“No.”I hold my hand out to stop him.“The animal who did this doesn’t get to keep any part of her.”

“I’m sorry.”He drops to his knees before me, clasping my thighs.“Don’t get upset.”I can’t.I’m never not upset.

“And if it turns out I’m right and it is one of your own, Callan, what will you do?”

He swallows, bringing his eyes to mine.“What I have to.”

Relief sweeps through me.I suck in a breath and swipe away a fallen tear.“I suppose, if it is your dad, there’s not much we can do about it anyway.”

I grab a glass of water from his bedside table and guzzle it down.Feeling his eyes on me, I self-consciously place the glass down and defend, “My mouth is dry.”

“There’s something you should know.”My stomach dips.Nervous bugs crawl beneath the surface of my skin.

“What is it?”A million things cycle through my head.

“I need to go on a run, but when I get back, I want to take you somewhere.”

“Where?”

Squeezing my thighs, he says, “I’d rather show you.”

“That’s ominous.Just tell me.”Placing my hand over one of his, I soak up the feel of him.

“I can’t.Rest.When I get back, I’ll show you.”His eyes dart to the bedside dresser.“Kitty charged your phone for you,” he grits out, a dark edge to his voice.No doubt, there will be messages from Tyler.

“How long will you be gone?”

“A few days.Get some food, sleep, and let yourself heal.”He kisses the top of my head and hands me something from his pocket.“In case you miss me.”He strides from the room, taking all my heat with him.The folded paper in my hand burns me with mortification.Groaning, I unfold the image of him, the creases down the center beginning to distort his face.Of course he found it.

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