Page 111 of Death and Do-Overs

“Yes.” His response was immediate and firm, as cold as the night air that assaulted it. “He’s a good person.”

Not I’m sorry, not I’m one hundred percent with you.He’s a good person—defending the murderer. Pain seared through me, raw and unrelenting, as if my very soul had been scorched.

“Good people don’t kill other people,” I said, and turned for the door.

Maybe I wasn’t the best person. I never claimed to be. But I would never kill someone, a stranger, with her back turned so she had no chance to defend herself.

I never had a chance.

“Where are you going?” he asked. “Mar?”

I froze. “It’s Marnie. I never should have expected anything but betrayal. Don’t follow me. This alliance is over.”

It broke my heart to a thousand pieces to walk away.

It broke my heart into a thousand more when he made no attempt to stop me.

CHAPTER 24

MARNIE

Ihated Levi for hurting me.

I hated myself for letting him.

I hardly spoke to Imogen after returning to our room last night. The next morning, I still couldn’t seem to get my head straight. The worried looks she kept shooting me as we sat at the cafe made me even more self-conscious about the feelings I didn’t want to feel.

She kept casting big puppy eyes at me as she nibbled on her muffin.

“I’m fine,” I said.

“Okay.”

More worried stares ensued.

“Stop looking at me like that,” I said.

“Of course.” She tilted her chin up and stared at the sky.

I sighed. “I didn’t say you couldn’t look at me at all.”

“But I don’t knowhowI’m looking at you. Whatever offensive expression I’m sporting—it’s totally involuntary, so it’s safer if I just do this.”

“It’s worse,” I said.

She looked at me again, this time with a look of bewilderment.

That was better.

“It’s just….” She pressed her lips together.

“What?”

“I know Levi is important to you. You’ve bonded in such a special way in such a short time.”

“He’s not important to me.”

“As a general rule, inconsequential people can’t devastate us.”

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