Page 47 of Vicious Hearts

I wrinkle my nose. “You mean he’s not just getting turned on by violence?”

“Who says the killer is a he?” He smiles. “Manypeople get turned on by violence, Rox. Despite your makeup and high neckline, I can still see those bruises when the light catches them right. I put them there because I was fucking horny and wanted to do that to you. Didyoutry to stop me? No.”

I flush at the memory.Jesus. I know what he’s getting at.

“So you’re saying we’re all kinda deviant, it’s just on a spectrum?”

Ben swills his wine around in the glass. “Yep. The Dollmaker and I are not different species. It’s only a matter of light and shade. I don’t know for sure what I’m capable of. Nor do you.”

There’s a commotion near the bar, and I turn to locate the cause of the ruckus. To my surprise, I see Oliver. He has his back to me, blocking my view of whoever he’s with.

“Now you just calm down,” Oliver is saying, holding his hands in the air. “There’s nothing to be achieved by—”

His companion shoves him aside, and my stomach drops.

It’s Graham, a butterfly bandage on his swollen nose. He’s walking toward us, wearing the expression I know so well. It’s the face he pulls when he’s about to lose his shit. Ben stands up as he reaches us.

“You better fuck all the way off, then keep going,” Ben says. “I mean it.”

Graham ignores him. Ben starts to stand, but I grip his hand harder, and he sits down again. Graham pulls a chair from a nearby table and sits beside me.

“I just want to apologize for before,” he says, his smile as false as they come. “Detective Hillard says he’s not gonna pursue the assault charge, but he won’t tell me why, so I have to assume you are dodgy.” He leans closer to Ben. “I’ll get my father’s people to find out about you, and then maybe there will be consequences.”

Ben lets go of my hand. I see it twitching on the tabletop, and I know he wants to beat Graham to a pulp.

“So why the apology?” Ben asks.

“I’m sorry you and I had to come to blows over something as insignificant as this broken, needy little whore.” His hand whips out and clutches my arm.

Ben leaps to his feet and punches Graham in the face, fucking up his nose again. Graham lets go of my arm and falls off the chair, blood soaking his shirt.

“You think you can turnmedown?” he screams at me. “I get what I want. You have no idea who you’re dealing with!”

Grabbing the table's edge, he scrambles to his feet, leaving a bloody handprint on the surface. He snatches up a napkin before stumbling away and out the door.

The diners, frozen in place, return to their meals. Ben winces and flexes his hand.

“My knuckles are absolutely fucked,” he says. “If I can go a few hours without picking up a new injury, I’ll consider it a win.”

Oliver comes over to us, all flustered. “I’m sorry,” he says, grimacing at the blood on the table. “I was trying to smooth him out. He was furious about the, um, incident earlier today, and he called me demanding I fire Roxy.” He takes my hand and pats it. “I’m not going to do that, dear. But do be very careful of Graham. He’s…temperamental.”

“So am I,” Ben interjects. “Don’t worry, Oliver. I won’t leave her side.”

“That’s good to hear.” Oliver takes a napkin and drapes it gingerly over the pool of blood. “I’m sorry. I can’t evenlookat that. Did you go and see Farraday?”

“Yes,” I say. “I’m not gonna be working with him anymore.”

Oliver sighs. “It’s too bad. But you know what they say—don’t set yourself on fire to keep other people warm. You worked hard to get where you are. I’m glad I don’t have to try and defend your actions anymore. No one will judge you for abandoning a lost cause, and Farraday is as lost as they come.”

16

Ben

“I’ve met Graham before.”

Roxy turns to me. “Really?”

We’re at Inwood Hill Park, watching the Coots on the river. The restaurant wanted us out, so we paid up and bailed, but I stopped at a dessert place and managed to get some takeout tiramisu.

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