Page 34 of Sweet Lies

“I have your back, Bec. I always will.”

She nods. “Now?”

“No. Tonight.”

* * *

There were hardly any streetlights at the Times bar. Derek went in a couple of hours ago and hasn’t left yet. It’s only a matter of time. Hopefully, he’ll be the last one out—less worry about witnesses that way. It’s close to two now, and they’ve turned the open sign off.

Finally, he exits the bar and stumbles down the street.

Rebecca stares straight ahead before opening the car door. I retrieve her gun from the glove compartment, place it at my back, and head out after her.

We follow for a few blocks before he starts down an alley, and watch as he steps up to the wall and unzips his pants, needing to relieve himself. He’s not the first to use this alleyway for that purpose—the smell of urine and trash here is overwhelming.

I hand the gun and silencer to Rebecca, and she takes a tiny step forward, and then another. Derek hasn’t noticed. She lifts the gun just as he looks up.

“Hey. What are you doing there? Put that down.”

He slurs his words as he steps away from the wall, his pants almost to his knees. He stumbles closer. I sense her nerve slipping but don’t move closer. This is her moment and her kill.

“Hey. I remember you.” His finger shoots out, pointing at her. “Your Levi’s whore.” And he laughs. “You here for another round?”

He steps closer, and I see her hand shake. I know she won’t be able to pull the trigger.

He’s getting closer, about to grab the gun. Rebecca shrieks, and I know she’s closing her eyes. Grabbing my own gun, I aim and shoot.

For a second, the only noise is Derek’s gasp of shock. His hand touches his chest where the hole has formed—blood pools from between his fingers before he falls to his knees. Rebecca stands as still as a statue. I don’t think she’s letting herself breathe.

I place my hand on her shoulder and feel her flinch.

“Let’s go. I’ll call and get this taken care of. We need to leave.” My hand leaves her shoulder to take her elbow, and I lead her from the alley.

When I turn on the car, her shaking begins, and she rocks in her seat. Her mouth is open, but nothing comes out.

As we pull away, she lifts her legs to her chest and wraps her arms around them, trying to make herself as small as possible.

Not knowing what to say, I settle for, “We’ll take a break or stop it altogether. I’ll take care of it for you, so you never have to think about any of this again.”

I take her silence as a yes till she speaks twenty minutes before we reach the hotel.

“No. I want to do this—need to. I want your help. You promised you would help. Who’s next?”

For a second, I have my doubts, but I promised her and need to follow through even if I was leading her deeper into a hell of her own making. “Louis Green, in Chicago.”

ChapterTwelve

REBECCA

We leave for Chicago the following morning and spend Monday finding and watching him, waiting for the perfect moment. He spent three days with me, doing unimaginable things to me. By the end, I didn’t think I could walk again. I lay in bed for what felt like hours. That was the only night Levi let me have off in years. He was worried I would scare the other customers away.

I can kill him, and Iwillkill him for that girl in the bed. Tonight’s the night. I wanted to wait till Tuesday to have more time to get my thoughts and feelings in order. It would be after dinner.

“You ready?” Andre asks, exiting the bathroom.

This hotel is just as nice as the last one, with a huge room and bathroom. The pillows in this one, however, are better—firmer.

My mind must want to get off the topic at hand if it’s now focusing on pillows!

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