Page 38 of Little Horrors & Deceptions

Liam lounged on the couch, feet propped up. His eyes were fixed on the screen where my face dominated every news channel.

“There’s my hero,” he said with a smirk.

I collapsed next to him, kicking off my heels. “Some hero. I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.”

Liam’s arm snaked around my shoulders. I leaned into him, breathing in his comforting scent.

The news anchor droned on: “Federal Agent Olivia Bennett is being hailed as the one who brought down the notorious executioner…”

I snorted. “If they only knew.” My head found a place on his chest, the steady thrum of his heartbeat a soothing sound. Liam’s fingers combed through my hair, carefully untangling the knots left by the day.

“You okay?” he asked softly, brushing a few strands away from my face.

“Yeah, I’m just so tired.” I sighed. “Being a murderer covering up murders for another murderer… it’s hard.”

Liam chuckled, a low rumble in his chest that I felt more than heard. “You made it look effortless, baby,” he teased, his fingers still running through my hair. I tilted up my chin to kiss him, and he held me like I was something precious.

A knock came from the front door, and Liam pulled back. “Pizza’s here.”

“Oh, you’re the best,” I said, kissing him again before getting up to answer the door, but there wasn’t a pizza man there. It was Johnathan. My heart fell out of my ass in that moment. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not with Liam right here. I never let him in on the plan and I'd been avoiding him since we’d gotten back. Mainly because Liam was supposed to be burnt to a crisp and that didn’t bode well for having federal agent besties over. But also, I didn’t know how to tell him the truth… or what he’d do with it. But I guessed now was as good a time as any. What other choice did I have?

Jonathan’s eyes were wide, fixed on Liam as if seeing a ghost.

“I think we need to talk,” I said and opened the door to let him come inside and closed the door behind him.

Jonathan’s eyes softened as he looked at me then. “It’s okay… I know the truth, Derek told me everything…”

My breath caught in my throat. I felt Liam tense behind me.

“Although I wished I would’ve heard it from you Oli…” Jonathan continued, his voice tinged with hurt. “I understand why you did it.” I swallowed hard, guilt twisting in my gut. “After all the executioner killings, and the way you helped the victims afterwards…” His gaze was steady, unwavering. “I know you’regood, and that’s all that matters to me.”

Tears filled my eyes, blurring my vision. A weight I hadn’t realized I’d been carrying lifted from my shoulders. Without thinking, I rushed Jonathan, wrapping him in a tight hug.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. “I wanted to tell you, I just… I didn’t know how. How long have you known?” I had wondered why he hadn’t come looking for me at the office since we’d been back for a little over a week. Now I knew why—he was processing everything Derek had told him.

“Shortly after Dead Man’s burned down, Derek asked me to meet up with him, he explained everything to me, Liam’s past, how you became the executioner to save people. Then everything clicked in my head—why you wanted the case back, how you connected it all… I gotta hand it to you Oli, I knew you were a badass but everything you pulled off is pretty unbelievable.”

I chuckled under my breath. “Well my work isn’t done yet, over the next few months I’m going to work on getting Liam a new identity, truly erase him so we can have a fresh start.”

“Is there anything you need me to do?” he asked as if this was just another case we were working together and it made my chest fill with warmth.

“When all of this is over, I’ll need you to be my eyes and ears inside. I don’t think I’m going to stay at the bureau much longer, and me and Liam will probably leave town after that.”

“So you want me to send you the guys that slip through the cracks?” He asked, and I gave him a knowing grin. “Anything for you, Bennett.” His tone held no doubt and I pulled him into another hug.

There was a knock on the door. “You hungry?” I asked pulling out of his embrace to answer the door.

“Starving,” Jonathan said as I took the pizza from the delivery man, slipping him a tip before closing the door.

Chapter 23

Olivia Bennett

New Year's Eve

Silver and gold streamers crisscrossed the ceiling, their shimmering ends barely missing our heads when we stood. My normally spooky space felt more alive, transformed by twinkling fairy lights and the warm glow of candles.

“Oli, the place looks amazing,” Derek called from the kitchen, his lean frame leaning against the counter as he mixed drinks. I smiled, watching him hand a glass to Johnathan. Their fingers lingered as they touched, eyes locked in a moment of intimacy that made my chest tighten. I looked away, giving them privacy.

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