Page 73 of Liar
Will walked in, his shirt stained dark red. He moved slowly, very slowly, and he flicked on the light in the kitchen. He took off his shirt, dumping it on the floor, and it was then I saw the wound. Ash had stabbed him. Couldn’t blame her. I mean, look at everything he did. It looked like he had a bandage already taped over it, but the cotton was soaked through. I had no idea where he got that bandage, or how he got back here.
Hitchhiking? Did he kill a random person to steal their car? Who could say.
Will turned around, probably to go to the bathroom down the hall and pull out his first aid kit, but he froze the moment he saw me sitting on the couch. “Declan,” he whispered, his voice a ghost of what it usually was. His skin was extremely pale; he must’ve been in a lot of pain.
But so was I.
I got to my feet, slipping my keyring into my pocket, my fingers curling around the keys to his car. “Why?” I asked, a question that meant so much more than its single-word would suggest.
“I had to,” Will said, clearly seeing nothing at all wrong with what he did.
“You had to kill Sabrina?” I hated bringing her up, but I hated even more knowing my brother was the one who did it all along. All these months, for the entire last year, Will had been lying to me. He let this entire campus gang up on me. He was the reason she died and I was miserable.
“She was sleeping with Dad.”
A shaky breath left me, and I closed my eyes for a moment. “Then you should’ve told me, and Sabrina and I would’ve been over for good. You don’t…you don’t kill someone because they make a mistake, Will. Sabrina, Dad—why did you kill Corey?”
Will’s lips were a thin line, sweat lining his brows. “He spent too much time with Ash.”
Oh, God. Will had lost it. Or maybe he never had it, his sanity. Maybe he was just a really good pretender, and all these years I fell for it, just like everyone else did.
“What about Mom?” I asked. “You said she killed herself, but…how can I trust any word you’ve ever said? How can I ever look at you again, Will?” If I was a different person, I would’ve lunged for him. Would’ve attacked him. Would’ve shouted and swore, done anything to make myself feel better. But I was me, and this…I just wanted it to be over.
To really, truly be over.
“Some things are better left unanswered,” Will winced out, pressing a hand against the bloodied bandage on his upper stomach.
That was enough of an answer for me.
He didn’t look good, and I doubted he’d go to the hospital. I should call the police, should have him arrested, but just by looking at him, I knew without a doubt he didn’t have long. Will would deny help because he knew he didn’t deserve it. He would die.
“Declan, I—”
I didn’t want to hear what else Will had to say, so I simply tossed his car keys at him and frowned. “Don’t. You’re no brother of mine anymore. Stay away from me and from Ash.” It pained me in my core to say it, but it had to be said. The keys landed on the floor right in front of his feet; he made no moves to catch them. I said nothing else as I went to the door, letting out a sigh as I closed it behind me.
I fought my emotions as I headed to the elevator and exited the building. I fought my urge to turn around and wrestle him to the ground, to swear at him and ask him how he could be such a monster. It was hard, but I walked through the dark and lonely night by myself, heading back to campus, all the while knowing tonight was probably the last night of my brother’s life.
Nothing was easy thing when you were a Briggs.
Chapter Twenty-Eight – Travis
Patience paid off. When you were in my family, you learned to be patient. Rushing things never ended well, especially when you dealt in blood and money on a daily basis. I knew for a while that Will was up to something. I’d spent a lot of time following him.
Will was not good at playing a stalker. He might be charming occasionally and get others to believe in him, but I never did. I knew a liar when I saw one, and it was as I discovered his truths, as I watched him from the shadows as he killed Corey Weinberger, that I realized just how much his truths aligned with my family’s.
He was rogue. He was alone. He would make mistakes and get caught, dragging Ash into his mess and his lies, and that was something I just couldn’t allow. I would do anything for Ash, and that included waiting until the perfect moment to strike at one of the men she loved.
I didn’t quite know exactly what his plan for Beacon Hills was, but I suspected getting us out of Hillcrest, somewhere isolated, would push him to act. And I was right. He’d wanted to kill Sawyer the same way he did Sabrina.
Will’s car sat in the parking lot, meaning Declan was here. I stood off to the side, hiding in the bushes, waiting. I’d left Sawyer’s car at the hospital after dropping Ash off there. Told her there was something I had to take care of. She knew better than to ask. I came here, and I waited.
Will showed up not soon after, getting out of an unfamiliar car, the passenger’s seat. He held a hand over his shirt, over the wound, and he waved at the driver before they drove off. Whether or not he paid for the ride didn’t matter. What mattered now was that he was here. My prey was here, and I only had to wait a little bit longer.
I imagined he and Declan had a few things to say upstairs. Not ten minutes after Will walked inside did Declan emerge, looking conflicted as he walked away.
Walked. Meaning he left the car there for Will. Perfect, really.
So instead of creeping up to his apartment, where I’d planned on doing it, I waited for Will to come back down. Time itself did not matter when you were on a hunt. Patience was something you had to learn, and I reveled in my patience as I waited.
