Page 430 of Dark Love

“Oh…um… I must have won them or something.”

She’s lying. Why would Dahlia lie about a trivial book? Did they date?

There are a lot of books on the pile. They would have had to be together—together. My hands clench into fists as I imagine all the ways I could kill Dylan, a man I’ve never even seen an image of, in cold blood.

I shouldn’t have let Payne do the research. Dylan could be lying in a shallow grave right now, rotting. There would be an investigation when a bestseller like Dylan disappeared, and the world wouldn’t get to finish his latest series. That would be such a shame.

“You like Dylan’s book?”

There it is… all the answers I need. There’s a familiarity and softness in her tone that speaks of a relationship.

Maybe I can wait until after his next release before I kill him for touching what’s mine.

“Dylan DuPress—” Dahlia nods towards the books in my hands. “—do you like the books?”

Not anymore. Right now, I detest them. “They aren’t my favorite.” Which was actually the truth even before I found out about the two of them. “His stories are well written, but he lacks the subtlety that makes for an amazing mystery.”

Dahlia smiles. “Subtely isn’t Dylan’s strong point, but I’m dying to know who the serial killer is. I have a few guesses, but I really want it to be the butler.”

“The butler with the candlestick in the kitchen.”

“Exactly.” Dahlia grins up at me.

“It wasn’t the butler.”

“What? Why would you say that? He was ‘on vacation’—” Her nose wrinkles as she makes air quotes. “—during the first three murders. All of the people that have been killed were rude to him. And—"

“He was picking up flowers for a funeral at the time of the fifth murder.”

“Oh. Oh, I forgot about that.” She sinks down onto the floor. “Who do you think did it?”

“I know it was the grandson. Each of those people stood in the way of him inheriting billions.” It became obvious after the sixth book.

“The tourist he killed in book eight didn’t have anything to do with his inheritance. Nor did the doctor in book twelve.”

Those were the exact reasons that I know he did it. “The tourist was six months pregnant and the doctor you mentioned was a gynecologist.”

“Oh… Oh…” Her eyes widen. “How did I miss that? It all makes sense. You’re good at that.”

“Noticing details is kind of important in my line of work.”

“Oh. Oh.” She hides her gaze from me.

Why did I bring that up? Am I trying to push her away? It’s not like I’m ever going to let her go.

“Vex?”

“Yeah, Dahl.”

“You aren’t going to ever make me think you’re anything less than a hero.” Her voice is barely a whisper.

If only that were true.

Hot Fudge Sundaes

Dahlia

Why do I own so many books? I yawn for the third time. Not sleeping much for weeks has really done a number on my energy.

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