Page 130 of Sin Like the Devil

“What about the words that leave your mouth?” I shout back. “He deserves better than a murderer for a friend.”

“Shut the fuck up, Ripley.”

But I’m not done.

“Holly wasn’t even the first person you killed, was she?”

Lennox recoils like I’ve slapped him. “Choose your next words carefully.”

If I have any hope of getting to Raine, I need to remove this stubborn obstacle. I’ll rip out his heart and grind it to a paste without feeling a speck of remorse.

“It wasn’t hard to dig in to you. Plenty of news articles out there. The angry, grieving teenager left all alone to piece together what happened to his baby sister.”

“Enough,” he warns, nostrils flaring.

“What was her name, huh?”

“I said enough!”

It isn’t enough. Nothing will ever be enough when it comes to Lennox. For a man who has experienced the deepest depths of grief and despair, he has no concept of the evil he’s inflicted in the name of love.

And he expects me to abandon Raine because he says so? Raine is the one who needs protection from him. Lennox is a fucking disease. One that needs to be eradicated, once and for all.

“Rose… Or Iris? No, that’s not right.”

His chest vibrates with a growl. “Stop.”

I snap my fingers. “Ah, Daisy.”

Lennox’s pale-green eyes swim with intense pain.

“Beautiful kid,” I continue spitefully. “It’s hard to believe that you didn’t know what dear old Grandad was doing to her every night. Not until she killed herself anyway.”

The colour has drained from his face. Pulling his innards out for inspection and splattering them all around us has never felt so sweet. His pain is my pleasure. I’ll never get enough of this sweet satisfaction for as long as he’s still breathing.

I raise a hand, and after years of wondering, lift the silver necklace that hangs around his neck. I’ve never been close enough to pull it free from his t-shirt before. It’s always hidden with the chain peeking out of his collar.

At the end of the silver chain are two military dog tags. My thumb smooths over the inscribed surface. Alfred Nash. I recognise the name from the news reports. That doesn’t explain why Lennox still wears the insignia of his first victim and sister’s abuser, though.

“Did you care for Daisy so little that you’ll happily wear his name around your neck?”

Grabbing my wrist, Lennox prises the dog tags from my hand. “I wear that monster’s name as a reminder to always do what’s necessary to protect those I love.”

“Like murder?”

Spittle flying, his next words come through clenched teeth.

“I don’t care if the world hates me for what I’ve done, I’ll do it all over again. Alfred deserved to die. And Holly was a threat. Now… you.”

“And what am I? Another threat to be removed?”

For a flash, I swear I see a hint of remorse in his eyes. The briefest whisper of something akin to enjoyment of our toxic back and forth. However, it’s soon crushed and replaced with his signature brand of hatred.

“Yes.”

His fist snaps out then slams into my stomach. My bruises have only just healed and faded from Rick’s attack. Winded, I double over, gasping for air.

Lennox moves fast, wrapping a burly arm around my neck to trap me in a headlock. I hit him repeatedly, but it doesn’t stop him from choking me out.

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