Page 59 of Wicked Riddles & Bitter Heartbeats

“You need to stop with the attitude,” I tell her.

“I don’t need to do anything, Atticus. I don’t even want to be here.”

“Feel free to leave,” Lilah comments.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Violet says, holding my gaze.Testingme.

She takes one step toward the door before I shout, “Sit the fuck down.”

“Geesh, okay,” she mutters, moving to the table and sitting.

“You too,” I tell Lilah, harsher than I’d have liked.

She frowns but walks to the table with her head down, sitting a few spots away from Violet. I move to the opposite side of the table so I can see them both clearly.

As I stare at them, Lilah sad and Violet looking for a fight, all I can do is shake my head.

What the fuck have I gotten myself into?

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Lilah

Violet is really pretty. It’s kind of annoying. She has this sweet and innocent look about her, even though I know she's far from either of those things. No one would expect this girl to murder anyone. She looks like she spends her days perfecting her cosplay outfits and watching anime.

Though Atticus doesn’t look at her the way he looks at me, he’s still looking at her, and for a moment, I consider scooping his eyeballs out. I’ve gotten pretty good at it and may even be able to do it before he realizes what’s happening. He wouldn’t expect it from me…

As I watch him from across the table, I see something on his face that I haven’t seen yet. Worry. And that makes me feel bad. So, scooping his eyeballs out won’t be necessary just yet.

He settles his attention on Violet, and says, “There are two things I want answered immediately. Why are you killing all these men? And how did you know about Lilah?”

Oh? She knew about me? My eyes narrow, and I glance at her from the corner of my eye.

“I don’t need to answer either of those questions,” she says as she picks at a cuticle.

“Why are you acting like this?” Atticus says. “You never used to be so—”

“So,what, Atticus?” She jerks her head up to glare at him, her words like venom. “Don’t act like you know me anymore. It’s been nearly ten years—”

“Which isyourfault.”

Violet shrugs, uncaring, as she stares down at her nails again, her temper seemingly gone. “It was for the best.”

“You think so? Because I don’t. Look at you. You’re one body away from getting arrested.”

“I said I’m fine,” she singsongs, but I hear the annoyance beneath that tone.

“You’re not!” Atticus shouts.

I’ve never seen him mad like this before. Like… actually angry over something.

I feel like a child caught in the middle of a fight between my parents, and I don’t like that. My parents never had the opportunity to fight like this, since my mother died during labor. But if they had, I think this is what it would feel like.

“Are you keeping me here all night?” she says after a long pause.

“Yes.”

“Then can I have a bed to sleep in? I’m tired.”

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