Page 129 of Vicious Deception

Killing Ludo won’t heal us completely. Neither will just being together. But the weight on my shoulders is already lighter. I still feel Sammy with me, but now the burden of guilt has disappeared.

I can breathe again. I canliveagain.

Chapter thirty-seven

Wren

TwoweeksafterLudo’sdeath

The last song of the concert comes to an end, and applause fills the theater as one of Oliver’s favorite pianists gets up from the bench and takes a deep bow. She’s glowing, and as she straightens, I grin at the smile on her face.

Oliver leaps to his feet along with the rest of the audience, and I follow suit. He looks good—healthy and happy—and it makes my heart melt to see him this enthusiastic.

It’s amazing how much difference a short amount of time can make. All of us are doing much better.

As we file out of the theater, Maria loops her arm through Oliver’s. “Did you enjoy yourself?”

“That wasamazing.She’s even better in person than I thought she’d be. I’m glad we got the chance to see her. Thanks for coming out with us.”

“Oh, Ollie. You’re always worth celebrating.” She plants a happy kiss on his cheek.

Right.I almost forgot that she thinks this is all because of Oliver’s birthday next week. It sort of is, but it’s mostly an extended celebration of Ludo’s death. We have other things planned for O’s birthday.

We all head to a nearby rooftop restaurant that Elliot loves and get drinks. Meredith has been enjoying a lively conversation with Finn, which is a relief to us all. I was worried she wouldn’t be able to get over her initial dislike of him, but they’re getting along just fine.

The guys are laughing happily with Sparrow and Maria, and I watch them all with a soft smile. Behind them, the sun is mostly set, but the string lights overhead illuminate the rooftop just fine.

We’re just missing Aubrey,I realize. When I told her about our plans, she said she wished she could come out for a week, but she can’t risk showing her face here. Ludo is officially missing, but the authorities and the general public don’t know he’s dead yet.

With the information that Axel has leaked, there are now a lot of people who want to hurt Holloway. Many of them would be happy to do that by killing his wife. It’s all right, though. We’re planning on doing a yearly trip so we can see each other in person.

Maria slips away from the rest of the group to join me. Together, we lean against the railing and take in the view.

“We still good for our shopping trip tomorrow?” she asks me. “I have our whole day planned, and Elliot already gave me the go-ahead.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

We got to meet last week when we went over to Meredith’s for dinner. Just like Oliver said, his mom is an incredible cook. I didn’t want to stop eating.

A slight breeze passes over us, and I shiver. Without the sun, it’s a little chilly. I’m in love with what I’m wearing—a black dress that hugs me in all the right places—but it probably wasn’t the smartest thing to put on.

“Cold?” Rhett asks as he moves toward us. He already has his suit jacket halfway off.

“A little.” But at the realization that he’s been watching me, warmth floods my body. When he drapes his jacket over my shoulders, I stretch upward and plant a kiss on his lips. “Thank you.”

He adjusts the jacket to make sure it’s secure before he rejoins the group, his hand sliding into Elliot’s. Over the past two weeks, I’ve seen him loosen up more than I ever thought possible. Now, he looks completely at ease.

“Did something happen?” Maria asks me. “I mean, I know his dad passed away. But is that really what’s made the difference? I’ve never seen him be this lovey-dovey before.”

I choke on my drink.“Lovey-dovey?”

She giggles. “I think it’s cute.”

With a laugh, I let my gaze rest on Rhett. He’s still fairly reserved, but he’s definitely been more affectionate lately. Me, Ell, and O have all been soaking it up. “I think Richard’s death probably had something to do with it. He’s healing. We all are.”

Maria will probably never know the full extent of what we’re healing from, but that’s okay. It doesn’t change the amount of love she has in her heart for us.

We should probably join everyone else, but Maria and I wander into the little garden section of the rooftop. It’s a peaceful area with a cute archway and a fountain in the center. The small pool is lit up, and the water glitters from the lights.

---