Page 161 of Pretty Poisoned

The masked man removes a nail kit from his bag, handing it to Declan. He takes out a pair of clippers and trims my nails down to the quick—until they're painfully short—and then scrubs the raw skin clean. River loses most of the nails on her right hand, too.

Then, we're both given a pair of black shorts and a couple of t-shirts. I step into the shorts and then pull the shirt over my head. On the front of the shirt is a woman with comically large tits, the words'Everything is bigger in Texas!'in bold font underneath her.

If Luca were here, I'd tell himthisis the worst part of my night.

I sigh, shaking my head as I look up from the ridiculous fucking shirt and see the masked man holding the bone saw watching me, shaking with silent laughter.

I cock my head to the side. "Really, Bone Saw?" I deadpan.

Still laughing, Bone Saw gets Declan's attention before pointing to me and making the chef's kiss motion with his hand.

"Yeah, no. She's mine," Declan says, handing River and me each a pair of sandals. "Don't put them on until you get out the door. Then, go through the side gate and the hotel's back entrance. Take the stairs up to our floor and wait in my room for me. Keep your heads down, and don't talk before you're in the room. Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it," I tell him.

"River?" he presses.

"Yes," she replies weakly.

Declan hands me the key after we both step into our sandals, and we make our way out the side gate and around the back of the building.

"River?"

"He said not to talk," she says softly.

If River hates me, then what am I going to do? It's not like I wanted to kill her—I'm not dangerous, I didn't plan this. I certainly didn't mean to get her sucked into it. I think the image of River—free-spirited, loving, eternal optimist River—sobbing, naked, and terrified in the bathroom will haunt me just as much as that tattered, blood-soaked grey sweatshirt.

I can't fucking breathe.

I saved Luca.

I'm not a bad person.

It's not my fault.

I'm sobbing by the time we get to the staircase.

When we finally make it to the top floor and into the hotel room, Hazel is there waiting for us.

"Oh, thank god!" she says, jumping off the couch and crossing the room in half the number of strides it typically takes.

She throws her arms around River, who sinks into her, weeping against her chest. "It's okay," Hazel says, stroking her hair, kissing her. "You're safe now. I'm so sorry, Riv. Come sit down, okay? Sit."

She rubs River's back as she guides her over to the couch. "What happened?" Hazel asks her. "Tell me everything."

I stay there in the doorway for a few minutes, watching them, before I realize I'm not wanted here right now. I did this—it's my fault. I don't deserve comfort.

Lowering my gaze, I walk back to the bedroom, closing the door behind me.

I crawl under the covers and replay the scene over and over again in my head until I fall asleep.

TWENTY-SIX

Ifeel warm skin against my back and lean into it, assuming in my sleep-induced haze it must be Luca. I reach for him, forgetting everything that happened until I run my hands over Declan's smooth jawline instead of Luca's stubble and then through his shorter, silkier dark hair.

I remember why it's not Luca. Luca got shot. And I…

"Hey, kitten," he whispers into my ear.

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