Page 89 of Vicious Seduction

The changein Lina since reuniting with her sister was astounding—like a stained glass window that couldn’t show its colors until the sun shone through. She was playful and quirky in ways that made me want to get her naked. The cautious, determined woman I first met was still present but in a much softer, contented sense.

Seeing her with her sister was one of the most rewarding things I’d ever experienced. It was my new addiction. I wanted to find every way possible to bring that light into her eyes. More than anything, I wanted to know that every facet of that vibrant beauty wasmine.

Not only was that legally impossible while I was still married, but every minute Lina wore my ring while Caitlinstill shared my name felt like an unforgivable slight. I knew Lina didn’t feel that way. She was incredibly understanding, but it bugged the hell outta me. I hated any implication that Lina was the other woman, even if only in my own head. I didn’t care if everyone knew that Caitlin was in prison. I didn’t want to chance disrespecting Lina in any way.

When I thought about it all, I realized that punishing Caitlin wasn’t nearly as important as Lina.

I’d thought I wanted Caitlin to take the blame for her brother’s death because it was a better punishment than death, but now, I just wanted her gone. She wasn’t worth even the smallest nugget of my attention. And by keeping her around, I punished myself along with her.

I wasn’t the masochistic type.

I grabbed my phone and placed a call to a number I’d labeled as Houdini. That wasn’t his name. I’d never been given his actual name or even a nickname. Houdini had been the moniker I’d chosen for him because the man was fucking brilliant at making things disappear, whether problems or people. He was a fixer—an invaluable connection in my world.

I dialed the number. No one answered, but that was expected. Two minutes later, I received a call from an unknown number. That was how he did business. No direct contact. No names. No mistakes. Even his voice was electronically masked. I could have walked past the man on the street and had no clue who he was.

“Hello,” I answered quietly. Lina and her sister were in the living room, well away from where I sat in my office, but I still wanted to be discreet.

“You called.” Not a question. A demand. Get to the point.

“That black widow problem I had?”

“You want another capture and release?” Did I want Caitlin back in isolation? No.

“Extermination.”

“Not an easy house to fumigate. Price is double.”

“Invoice me.”

The line went dead. I wasn’t entirely sure why, but it seemed to take an especially strange sort of fucker to do that type of job. I’d never heard of one who wasn’t maddeningly cryptic or eccentric. Usually both.

I slipped my phone back in my pocket and released a heavy sigh of relief. It was done. The call was made, and the deed would be soon to follow. I was almost free.

Fuck, it felt good.

I downed the last of the whiskey I’d poured myself earlier. It was time to call it a day. I was exhausted. The girls were still curled up on the sofa in the living room. I approached from behind them, placing a kiss on Lina’s forehead.

“You two need anything before I head to bed? I’m beat.”

“I’ll come with you,” Lina offered.

“You don’t have to. I didn’t mean to cut your night short.”

“No, we were just talking about doing the same.” She and her sister stood, Lina giving Amelie a hug. “You all good for the night?”

“Absolutely. You guys sleep well.” She gave me a wave and trotted off toward the guest room she’d chosen for herself.

I rested my arm around Lina’s shoulders and got out my phone with my other hand to set the living room lights on night mode. “I feel such an odd mix of exhausted and wired.”

“It’s been a crazy couple of weeks. That takes a toll even when the outcome is good.” She didn’t say anything more, and while we got ready for bed in the master bathroom, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

“Things with Mellie okay?” I asked, watching her closely in the mirror as she removed her makeup.

“Yeah. It’s incredible to have her back, but I guess I’m a little anxious about separating from her.”

“Separating?”

“She’s definitely not going back to live in the apartment Wellington provided, and we still have the place I originally leased for us, but it’s awfully far away from here. She’s only just turned eighteen, and after everything else … I just want her close,” she concluded in a soft, sorrowful tone. Her eyes cut briefly to mine as though she were worried about my reaction.

---