Page 67 of The Devil's Playground

Not that he’ll care. He has a dainty little blonde wife of his own, and she’s all he cares about.

Well, that and Nicholas, but considering how twisted these twins are, that’s a given.

With a clunk, I see the second thing that tells me I’m dealing with Hunter. Though I know he’s armed—his weapon of choice being a switchblade—all I can see is the motorcycle helmet that he just dropped on top of our table. It has a skeleton emblazoned on the front of it.

I asked him why once. He told me he likes the idea of being death chasing after whoever is in his sight.

Yeah. He’s a disturbing fucker, but he does good work.

I raise my eyebrows at him. I’ve been expecting him. I told Nicholas where I’d be if his brother needed to find me, knowing that Hunter has a tendency to show off in front of anyone who knows his serial-killing secret.

“How’s it going, Royce?”

My gaze slants toward Nicolette. “Good. You?”

“I’ve had a most… thrilling night, you could say. Chase didn’t last as long as I like, but the hunt was highly satisfying. Thanks for that. Nicholas hasn’t let me have any fun since Halloween so this was worth the drive. Speaking of… if you want to lend me your van again, I got a spot where no one will find your guy.”

I know exactly where that is, too. The Reed twins have their own private cemetery behind their big house in Shadowvale for the rapists, abusers, and molesters that they target to get out their own bloodlust.

It’s a perfect resting place for Miles Haines.

Dipping my hand in my front pocket, I avoid my rigged coin, reaching for a set of keys instead. With a smirk, I toss them at Hunter.

He catches them one-handed. “Thanks.”

“Just make sure you get it back to me this time. After Christmas, we were down a van for three whole weeks.”

“Sorry about that,” Hunter says, not sounding sorry at all. “We had a lot of snow this year. But Nick said ‘thanks’, too.” He chuckles to himself. “He sure appreciated your help in delivering his Christmas present.”

Considering I agreed to help Hunter Reed bring Tamryn Carlisle to visit with Nicolas for the first time since she left Shadowvale years ago, I’m sure he did.

Huh. Tied up, indeed.

Lifting his helmet, Hunter gives me a mock salute. “Pleasure doing business with you, Sinner. Until next time.”

Nicolette waits until Hunter has vanished among the throng of dancers before she takes a sip of her cocktail, then asks, “So… do I want to know what any of that was about?”

Probably not. I lift my own drink up, tipping the shot glass in her direction. “Just know that I upheld my promise, yeah? You won’t have to worry about Haines bothering you ever again.”

Now, if only I could get rid of Alfieri as easily…

TWENTY-FOUR

IT’S NOT OVER

NICOLETTE

Royce was right. It’s been a week since Miles Haines ‘disappeared’ and it’s like no one gives a shit.

I’m sure someone does. A wife, some kids, parents… there had to be someone who loved him. If not that, then the fact that he was more than happy to blow cash at both the Devil’s Playground and properties on the East End. Money talks, and there has to be someone out there who notices that one voice has been silenced.

It hasn’t gotten back to us, though, and that’s all I care about. Whether it’s because, as Royce explained, he ‘contracted out’, or because we had an obvious alibi—being seen by everyone visiting the club that night—when he went missing, it doesn’t matter. We’re free and clear.

Well, when it comes to Miles, we are. I don’t have to worry about him cornering me in a hallway or trying to take what he thought I owed him.

But what about Kieran? I want to convince myself that our ‘chance’ meeting the night I saw The Phantom of the Opera with Royce was just that: a coincidence. Too bad I know Kieran Alfieri better than that. If he let me see that he was out there, watching me, it’s because he wanted to.

Is he watching me now? I know he had the house under surveillance because of the dragonfly figurine he left in my mailbox. That’s one good thing about basically moving into Royce’s place. Even if Kieran figured out that this is where I’ve been staying lately, the Paradise Suites has a doorman, an elevator with a keycard, and security vetted by the paranoid Devil himself.

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