Page 128 of Sinister Legacy
Keira is beaming beside me, still glued to my waist, as if the thought of letting me go physically hurts her. “There’s been a development in the case, so they let him go.”
Madison’s eyes briefly land on me before she steps away from the trashcan and walks closer. “What development? Did they find out who did it?”
“We don’t know,” Keira responds with a shrug. “Hopefully, they’ll arrest the killer, and this nightmare will be over.”
“Hopefully,” Madison agrees.
Keira pats her pockets, looking in the direction of the bathroom. “Shit…” She peers up at me, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear. “I forgot my phone in the bathroom, I think. I’m gonna check.”
I watch her walk off, and when I turn back around, I spot Madison staring after her, too. Closing the small distance between us, I stare down my nose at her before scoffing tauntingly. “Thought you’d try your luck while I was gone, hmm?”
Madison doesn’t let my tall, broad build intimidate her. If anything, she rises to the challenge and inches even closer. “I didn’t have to try, lover boy. She needed a shoulder to cry on, and you, well… you were indisposed. Who do you think will be there for her when they finally arrest you for good?”
Madison’s cold smile rubs me the wrong fucking way.
“While you’re rotting away in a cell,” she continues, “I’ll be filling the void you left behind. Quite literally.”
“You’re presuming a lot of things. What makes you think I’ll be arrested for crimes I didn’t commit? And the last time I checked, Keira isn’t into girls.”
“She was pretty into it last night.”
My hands fist by my sides. I’m holding on by a fucking thread. “I always saw through you, Madison. You’re nothing but a cold bitch.”
“We’re alike, you and me.” She brushes imaginary lint off my shoulder, and I jerk back, out of her reach. “We both play dirty to get what we want. Besides, there’s something quite special about Keira, isn’t there? Something that makes lying and cheating worthwhile.”
I glower at her when Keira exits the bathroom.
“It was on the toilet seat lid. Gross, but at least it wasn’t stolen or lost.”
“I’m glad you found it,” I reply, pulling her into my body with my arm around her slim waist while keeping my eyes glued on Madison.
“I’m hungry. How about we go for some food?” she asks, beaming at us both.
“Madison has somewhere to be,” I answer, glaring at the girl in question. “Don’t you?”
“Actually, no,” she replies with a sly smile. “I think food sounds like a great idea.”
* * *
We go to the burger joint. Kara, Hayley, and Ava are here, too. After several hugs and loud, excited squeals from the girls, we pull a few chairs over and join them.
Kara is already halfway through her meal, consisting of a burger, fries, and onion rings as an extra side. Hayley sips a banana milkshake, and Ava picks at her nachos.
It’s busy on the weekend. Today is no different. The restaurant is buzzing with noise, and mouthwatering food smells drift over from the kitchen.
“Do you know how fucking worried we were?” Hayley asks. “You scared the living daylight out of us all.”
Ava nods in agreement, biting down on a nacho covered in a thick layer of cheese sauce and salsa.
“They wouldn’t tell us anything,” Kara speaks up. “Your girl here,” she points to Keira, who’s perusing the menu, “was a wreck.”
“It’s true,” Madison agrees, stroking Keira’s hair behind her ear in a move that makes me want to chop her hand off. She looks at me over Keira’s head, and there’s an undeniable challenge in her gaze.
“What happened while you were in prison? Did they bring you into one of those rooms with a mirrored wall?” Hayley’s eyes are wide and curious. The milkshake slurps as she takes a long sip.
Breaking eye contact with Madison, I nod and rest my elbow on the back of the chair. “Yeah, they tried to pressure me into admitting to murders I didn’t commit.”
“But based on what grounds? What evidence did they have?” Kara takes a big bite of her burger.
