Page 119 of A Smile Full of Lies
The knife glinted in his hand like a sick little secret he’d been dying to show me.
But I couldn’t lose the thread… not yet. I needed him tokeeptalking.
My voice came out soft. Curious. Like I was impressed.
“You really kept the shell casings from the Stonewood Slaughter?”
Thayer grinned.
“Of course I did. What’s the point of pulling something like that off if you can’t admire your own craftsmanship afterward?”
I forced a shaky smile, hoping he couldn’t hear the wild staccato thundering of my heart over the hum of the refrigerator.
“Where?” I asked, gently. “Where’s the safe?”
He tilted his head.
“You wanna see my trophies, baby?”
My fingers curled at my sides.
“I’m just trying to picture it,” I said lightly. “All this time, we thought it was some clean professional hit. But it was you and your fucking cousins. Just some boys playing dress-up.”
His wolfish grin faltered. Just barely, but I saw it.
“I never play,” he said coldly.
My voice softened.
“That’s not what I meant.”
He watched me like he was trying to decide whether I was prey or threat.
“You’re wearing a wire,” he said, almost fondly. “Aren’t you?”
Fuck.
My mouth went dry.
He stepped forward, close enough that I could feel the heat of his breath as he leaned down and whispered, “You really think I’d fall for this shit?”
His hand slid under the edge of my sweater, fingers sliding up and grazing the mic taped to my bra.
My blood turned to ice.
“I knew you’d come,” he said softly. “I just didn’t think you’d make things so easy for me.”
I stepped back, but the knife was already rising.
The first slice came fast. Too fast.
I barely had time to flinch before the blade slashed across my side, white-hot pain tearing through skin and fabric like it was nothing.
My scream ripped loose from my throat, raw and guttural, as I staggered backward, crashing into the counter.
Blood soaked the hem of my sweater almost instantly.
Thayer’s eyes lit up with feral glee.
