Page 21 of Slay Ride

And Maverick hasn’t taken his eyes off her since she joined us.

“Guys, I’d like to introduce you to a new friend of mine,” he says as he steps closer and brings her into a hug that never seems to end. By the time they separate, my body temperature has risen at least ten degrees. “This is Eve, also known as the Alimony Killer.”

“Only among those in the know,” she says with a smile. “I’m a contract killer. When wives are dissatisfied with their current arrangement and wish to try something new, I help them keep the benefits of their current marriage while disposing of the liabilities.”

I’m not sure how I feel about that. The reason I hold Kindra, Ezra, Maverick—and yes, even Bennett—in high esteem is because they kill with purpose. Eve doesn’t appear to have the same morals, and that makes me uncomfortable.

“We met at dinner last night,” Maverick adds. “Imagine my shock when I learned she loves snowboarding in her free time.”

“When I’m not modeling or pursuing a target,” she says with a laugh that sounds like music.

Of course she’s a model who loves snowboarding and murder. And they met at the dinner I skipped because of Bennett. I didn’t even get to eat last night because of him! When I discovered his devious little short and curly beside the mashed potatoes, I realized how close I’d come to eating more of Bennett’s sexual conquests.

“I guess that’s everyone,” Maverick says. “Shall we head to the sleigh?”

We nod, and the four of us head out into the dark. Someone was kind enough to shovel and salt the walk, though, so at least I don’t have to worry about slipping on ice and making more of a fool of myself.

Who am I kidding? I’ve done nothing but make a fool of myself since I arrived, and it’s only getting worse. Now I’m about to fall down a large, snowy hill, and when I reach the bottom of the slope, I’ll probably chicken out of the kill. Then this braided goddess will swoop right in and take it without batting her perfectly applied lashes.

As we climb into the sleigh, my heart sinks again when Maverick sits beside Eve. Ice Pick seizes his opportunity and snuggles up to me, bringing an onion-scented cloud with him.

There go my hopes and dreams for the party tonight. When the clock strikes midnight, Maverick would be stupid to kiss me instead of her.

The coachman clicks his tongue and gives the reins a gentle snap, and the horses start forward. Old-world lampposts line the path on either side, casting a soft glow to guide the sleigh. A light snowfall patters down, each flake melting as soon as it touches skin.

“Might be a good idea to put on any face coverings now,” Maverick says over the sound of the rails cutting through snow. “Your face might ice up, and that’s not particularly comfortable.”

I pull a pink ski mask from my pocket and ease it over my face. The itchy wool makes me want to rip it off immediately, but the thought of literally freezing my face off stays my hand.

Eve pulls her mask on as well, though it’s much thinner and looks infinitely more comfortable and stylish than what I’m wearing. It covers the bottom half of her face, and instead of looking like a colorful bank robber, she still looks like a fucking model.

“Goodness, I don’t know how you can stand that wool,” Eve says.

“I just wanted to make sure my face stays warm,” I say through a forced smile.

Eve reaches into her pocket and pulls out a second thin mask. “I brought two in case someone forgot theirs. It’s just as warm as wool, but it’s more comfortable.”

Great. She’s beautiful, confident,andkind.

I take the mask from her and slip it over my head. She was right. Despite the thin material, it’s just as warm as the wool and much softer against my skin.

“Wouldn’t want your pretty face to end up with a rash,” Eve says with a wink. “You can keep it.”

I can’t tell if that was a backhanded compliment or something more genuine, but then Maverick brings things into striking clarity for me.

“Eve, Cat’s into guys, so you’re barking up the wrong tree,” he says with a pat of her thigh.

“So you like girlsandguys?” Ice Pick says to Eve, and I can already see him imagining her head between my legs.

“You wish,” Eve says, and the corner of her mask lifts as she smirks. “I’m into women exclusively, and no, you can’t watch.”

And like a beacon in the night, hope shines eternal. Maybe I’ll get that New Year’s Eve kiss after all. I just have to get through this snowboarding kill first.

I don’t know why I can’t be honest with everyone. When I first started documenting Kindra, I was merely finding a place to turn my interests into something tangible. The fascination wasn’t with the killings, though. It was about the psychology behind the slayings. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize this until after Kindra agreed to take me under her wing.

Now I’m too chicken to admit that I don’t think I can do it.

As the clearing for the ski lift comes into view, I’m running out of time to come up with an excuse to get out of this. I don’t even have Kindra here for support. The horses stop, and everyone exits the sleigh, but I’m stuck sitting here. I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t know if Iwantto do this.

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