Page 11 of Wicked Riddles & Bitter Heartbeats

I already knew that, so I don’t comment on it.

He adds, “It’s possible you lack empathy, but not completely. I saw the way you looked at me in there.”

“How did I look at you?”

He glances at me, giving me a small smile. “Like you wished you were the one to kill him.”

Truer words have never been spoken.

Chapter Five

Atticus

I brought home a stray cat with beautiful sad eyes and a body that’s driving me to madness. One I need to have a very serious conversation with—and soon. As in when she gets out of the showersoonbecause I can’t take any risks. I was too messy, letting my darkness control me. It’s never good when I get like that, and it’s a lucky thing I wasn’t so far gone that I walked away from the scene. I’ve done it plenty of times, which is how I was dubbed The Boston Phantom, but it’s always a worry when I do. Did I leave DNA behind? Are they going to find me, knock on my door, and throw me in jail? At least when I’m aware, I can call Rex.

He’s been doing clean-up for me for years. Ever since he witnessed me kill someone when I was nineteen. It was stupidof me, and I’m lucky it was him who found me and not someone who’d rat me out or arrest me. He took care of the body by taking it to his pig farm on the outskirts of Waltham. I hadn’t gotten my inheritance yet, but for some reason, the old guy trusted me. Said I could owe him. He was the first person I paid when I got access to my money, and I’ll never forget the grateful look on his face.

He doesn’t dispose of the bodies for me. He has no way to do that. What he does is go in and clean up after me, making sure forensics won’t be able to find anything to pin on me. This only works when I can call him after, though. I’d considered giving him my location, but that seems riskier than leaving the scene as is.

Soft footsteps sound on my hardwood floor. I look up to face the stray as she walks into the living room, her dark hair wet, cheeks pink. She’s wearing one of my t-shirts like a dress, since it’s so big on her.

“We need to talk,” I say.

She nods and sits on the couch across from me. I’m not sure I’ve ever sat on that couch a day in my life. When I lived here with my parents, we hardly used this room. And when we were in it, I’d sit right where I am now. On the small couch that faces the doorway.

From the second I saw this girl, I knew she was like me. Not the same, not as much as Violet was, but enough that I know I can trust her. There is darkness there, similar to mine. I feel it. I see it in her eyes when she looks at me. She knows what a true monster is, and she knows that isn’t me. She knows there is evil out there, true evil, because she’s seen it. And I don’t mean her father, because he isn’t close to being a monster, either.

There was a ton of stuff that went around about Victor Spencer, back when the news broke, and I don’t know how much is true. Did he rape and molest his own daughter foryears? Did he brainwash her? Was killing something he did for longer than the fifteen years they learned about, without anyone knowing? Or was it as simple as a good dad snapping due to an undiagnosed mental condition?

He won’t speak about it, she didn’t speak about it then, and the cops couldn’t prove there was more to substantiate than what he got time for.

Eleven bodies.

“I’m not going to say anything,” she says, eyes imploring me.

“I understand that, but there are things you should know about me.”

“Okay.”

I’ve never been open with anyone before, and that is not even close to what I plan on doing tonight. There are only two people in this world who know the real me. Violet and me. Even Rex, who cleans up my messy-as-fuck scenes, doesn’t know much about me. I plan to keep it that way. Though I think I can trust this kitten sitting across from me, it doesn’t mean I should spill unnecessary information to her. That’s just stupid.

“One, if you even think of ratting me out, I will kill you.” She doesn’t flinch at my words. That tells me all I need to know. The girl wants to live; I saw the fight in her eyes when she thought her life was ending. She isn’t afraid of my threat because she has no intention of saying a word. Had she considered it, my threat would scare her. “Two, I don’t mind you staying here until you figure things out, but I have something I need to do which requires me to leave. And though I trust you, as odd as that is, I won’t leave you here alone.”

Once the black fog cleared from my mind, an idea came to me. A revelation. I need to meet my brother.

“Where are you going?”

“Haven’t decided yet.” I have the beginnings of a plan, but nothing solid. “I need to do some research first.”

“I can help you,” she offers, sitting up straighter.

She’s wearing an old Ice Nine Kills t-shirt that I got at a concert Violet and I snuck into. It stops mid-thigh and I’m not sure if she has panties on, but she definitely isn’t wearing a bra. Her tits are perky, nipples firm and pointy. It’s been a long goddamn time since I’ve wanted to fuck someone, but this girl… this girl could be dangerous for me because I can’t stop thinking about what her pussy looks like. She’s dangerous in the way Violet was. The thought is exciting, but Violet and I parted ways for a reason. It’s just too bad I can’t fucking remember what they are right now.

“I’ll think about it,” I say.

She scoots forward, the shirt riding all the way up to her hips before she stands and it falls back down, ruining my chance at a glimpse. Sauntering over to me in a way that is too natural and not showy, she sits beside me and puts her hand on my thigh.

“You saved my life. I owe you everything.” Her voice is soft, caring.

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