Page 116 of Lady Killer

They all turned to me.

“I have plenty of experience turning down men,” I said, inspecting my nails.

My ring finger needs a touch-up.

“You, of all people, should know that, Nixon. If Clayton invites me to his place, I will respectfully decline and ask if he would feel comfortable walking me back to my dorm. It will be late at night and dark, and there’s a killer on the loose, so it makes sense that I won’t want to be alone. If he won’t take no for an answer, or he tries anything on the walk back, then you two can intervene.”

Lucian nodded and Nixon scowled. Alister didn’t react.

I reached over and tapped the phone.

“—anyone listening to me? I can’t—‍”

“Ever?”

“Yes, Starbright.”

“We have a plan. I’m hanging up now.”

“STAR—‍”

I tapped the red phone icon, ending the call and looked at the three killers observing me. “If that’s all, I would really like to return to the townhouse so I can finishstudying.”

We sorted out a couple more details before Lucian dismissed us, and the twins and I left.

I didn’t bother to tell them that I’d already texted Clayton to meet me at the Dagger and the Rose long before our “planning meeting.”

Men will seldom yield control, mija. Always let them believe they have it.

Chapter thirty-two

Alister

The ride to the townhouse was quiet.

Nixon was busy on his phone, and Luz seemed lost in thought.

Normally I relished the silence, but I found myself missing, if not the conversation, something else.

The lot behind ours had been converted into a garage, so I dropped my brother and Luz off at the front door before driving around back topark the SUV.

When I made it into the house, the scent of pot was obvious, and music filtered down the stairs from Nixon’s studio.

He acted unbothered about Luz offering herself up as bait to the killer, but his actions betrayed him. His vocal dislike of her spoke volumes about how deeply she’d gotten under his skin.

A yawn escaped me, and I debated where to hunt for ma petite diablesse. Her room?

Her room?

Fuck, when had I started thinking of the guest room as her room? Shaking my head, I headed toward the library where she was most likely studying.

I stopped in front of the door. I wanted her.

I always did now.

It’d only taken one fucking kiss and this woman had been in my bloodstream. An infection I had happily let ravage me.

She fought it still, and the disappearance of Autumn hadn’t helped.

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