Page 63 of Sinister Legacy
King’s lips tilt and then he steps closer, too. “We run in different circles, you and I.”
My eyes narrow, but Keira’s shaky voice breaks our stare-off.
“We need to call the police.”
“I’m already on it,” Chris replies, phone held to his ear.
“Something about this doesn’t feel right,” I mutter as Chris talks to the person at the end of the line.
“What do you mean?” Miles asks, sliding his gray hoodie on over his white T-shirt.
“Why would the killer announce who’s next? Why make it harder for himself? He knows we won’t leave your side now.”
“Maybe because it’s a distraction,” King drawls again.
His voice is starting to get on my last nerve. I turn on him. “Why the fuck are you still here? And why are you hanging around my girlfriend?”
There’s that smirk again, the one that whispers,‘I know something you don’t.’
“I found her outside, visibly shaken up.”
I grind my teeth so hard I worry I’ll do damage. “And now you can leave.”
King slides his dark gaze to Keira, so I pull her into my arms. Her freezing cold fingers dig into my bare chest. King’s smirk falters, but he masks it well.
Without another word, he walks back out.
“What did they say?” Marcus asks Chris when he pockets his phone.
“They’ll send someone over, and you’ll be shadowed by an officer.”
“Because that went so well for Keira,” Miles mutters, sitting down on the bench to tie his shoelaces.
“It could be worse,” I point out. “If King is right, then at least we don’t need to worry about Rodrigues.”
“Can we go back to your house?” Keira whispers quietly. “I want to leave.”
I guide her down onto the bench, reaching for my clothes, which are crumpled in a pile beside her. “Let me get dressed first.” To Chris, I say, “Are you okay with staying with Miles and Marcus until the police get here?”
Liam snores beside me in the bed, asleep on his front with his muscular arms beneath the pillow and one knee peeking out through the quilt, where it has tangled itself around his legs.
I admire his ability to sleep after everything that’s happened. While he’s been snoring away, I have stared at the windows for too long, listening to the sound of a fox barking outside and clutching my phone in my hand until my fingers went numb.
The killer has my phone number.
In the end, after hours of anxiety, I powered down my phone and placed it beside the half-empty glass of water on the nightstand. I haven’t looked at it since.
The killer said someone close to me would die if I spared Madison’s life, but what if King was right? What if it was a distraction? What if someone else gets murdered tonight?
The longer I lie awake, the more the haunting thoughts taunt me. I try to snuggle up to Liam, but he’s too warm, so I flop onto my back and stare at the long shadows on the ceiling.
When that doesn’t work, I roll onto my front and watch the minutes tick by on the digital clock. No sooner have I started to drift off after hours of tossing and turning than a heavy weight presses me down on the mattress, and the smell of bergamot, leather, and peppermint swirls around me like a heady concoction.
Warm, moist lips smirk against my ear. “Did you miss me, baby?”
King fists my hair with one hand and pulls the blonde, tangled strands at the same time he shoves Liam’s jersey up over my ass. “Did you let him fuck you tonight?”
My boyfriend snores softly beside me as King slides his calloused fingers between my ass cheeks, then lower until he circles my entrance. He shoves three digits inside me, finger-fucking me with abandon.
