Page 41 of Vicious Little Darling

“Are you busy?” She sounds wounded.

“Uh, not really.”

“Oh.”

Silence hangs on the line between us, and I try not to let my mind wander too much—to what it could’ve been like had I kept myself from fucking her. My alter ego could’ve disappeared. Xander could’ve stepped in. I could’ve kept her. Alive. Forever.

“I just wanted to apologize,” Ember breaks the silence. “So yeah. Sorry. I’ll let you go. See you at work.”

“Wait,” I blurt out before I can stop myself. “Are you at the bookstore today?”

“No,” she says. “I took the day off. I’m trying to find another place to stay, actually. I, um… with the way everything has gone…”

“You can stay with me,” I offer stupidly, as if I’m in a trance and have forgotten everything that was just discussed. “I won’t tell Josh.”

She falls silent.

“As friends,” I add, thinking maybe that’ll lessen the blow. I don’t know why she’d agree to move in with a guy she barelyknows after everything she’s just experienced, but maybe she doesn’t equate me with the guy behind the mask.

“Um… Maybe. Maybe just until I feel comfortable to stay at home again… The police said the sample matched one taken from around the city… from a…serial killer.” She chokes on the words, and I wince at how bad they make me sound.

“Wow,” I force myself to sound surprised. “I don’t know what happened, but it must be bad. Pack a bag. I’ll come get you.”

“Okay, I’m staying with my neighbor, Rose.”

Fuck, the nosy lady. She’ll recognize me. Shit.

“Oh damn,” I say, keeping my cool. “I’m on the other side of town, which is usually not a big deal, but…” My voice trails off. “I have an appointment. Do you think you could meet me at the coffee shop? If you don’t feel safe, I can come and get you afterward. I just thought you might be on this side of town if it was… Well, you know… I…” I play myself off as struggling to say the words.

It must work.

“I’ll meet you,” she says quickly. “I want out of here ASAP. I can meet you at the coffee shop in like an hour. If you’re not done with your appointment, I’ll just wait for you. I don’t have a lot to take, as you can probably guess.” She gives a stilted, embarrassed laugh, but I try not to read into it or react. I don’t give a shit if she’s poor.

“Okay, cool. I’ll pick you up from there. You might want to let someone know where you’re staying, just in case the police need to speak with you again. I don’t know shit about it, but I’ve watched plenty of those crime shows.”Lies.I know all about it from personal experience, and I also know that the moment the cops know she’s staying withme,they’ll back the fuck off. They’ll assume I’m the big bad boyfriend, there to extract my own revenge—as long as she’slivingwith me…

After all, I’m the son of a high-ranking cartel legend, and the nephew of the current man who’s running the business. No one is going to fucking touch Ember once she’s here. That’s where Pitman has it all wrong. I haven’t been giving myself enough credit. Because of my blood, Icanhave what I want.

And I want her.

No matter the fucking cost.

Now, I just need to go clean up my apartment.

Chapter Twenty

EMBER

“Hi!” I blow out a breath of relief as Xander steps into the coffeeshop, where I’m nervously bouncing my foot against the tile, a duffle bag sitting beside me on the floor.

“Sorry I’m late,” he says, swinging the bag up and over his left shoulder. “I picked us up a few things for dinner, since it’s your first night.” He smiles in a way that makes my insides feel warm. And safe. Which is something Ihaven’tfelt since what happened last night…

The police made it all the worse when they called a few hours later to confirm a pending match to a fuckingserial killer.

My hands start to sweat as I get to my feet, but I just wipe them on my dark-wash skinny jeans.

“Let’s go. I think I could use some peace and quiet. I swear I keep looking over my shoulder.” I brush the hair from my face and avoid Xander’s gaze.

His hand lands lightly on my back to guide me past him, and I jump, stumbling sideways and running into another woman. She lets out an angry huff as her iced coffee spills down the front of her.

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