Page 131 of Lady Killer

Although she had insisted on me using drugs for my first kill—“better safe than sorry”—Mami personally preferred deadly plants to get the job done. Less risk of something being tied back to her work.

“Why were you there so long? Did he hurt you?”

She scoffed. “I’m fine. He just took a long time to die.”

My fears weren’t unfounded.

Three of the doctor’s past girlfriends had been hospitalized during their relationship with him. One of them miscarried in the third trimester after she fell down a flight of stairs.

There were rumors that he had sexually assaulted one of the residents at the hospital where he worked. A woman had brought a complaint against him forward but retracted it at the advice of HR. Coincidentally, two months laterthe Hauserman family announced a multimillion-dollar donation to the hospital.

I picked at my cuticle, a habit Mami hated, and she caught me right away, wrapping her hand around mine to force me to stop. “You worry too much, mija.”

Unlike me, Mami needed to kill.

Something was broken inside her, and at this point, I didn’t think she could stop even if she wanted to . . .

As she sipped on her coffee, Mami told me all about her date. The lovely restaurant he took her to, the drinks they had at his place, the sounds he made when his heart started to give out on him . . .

Looking at the woman, with her beatific smile and maternal energy, no one would’ve ever guessed she was a stone-cold killer.

Like mother, like daughter.

Chapter thirty-seven

Luz

The Blackwells took the news about Mami much better than I would have anticipated. Although I got the impression Lucian would have more questions for me soon.

When the dust settled, we had tentatively agreed to follow my plan, provided I spent some time demonstrating my skills.

It wouldn’t be easy, but I was confident I could do it.

Still, when I tucked myself into bed that night, my mind was racing a million miles per hour.

The door creaked open, and I bolted upright.

“It’s me, Starbright.” Everest slunk into the room, his fair features making him look like a ghost in the moonlight.

I relaxed into my mountain of pillows as he slipped off his loafers and climbed into bed next to me.

“You didn’t have much to say at dinner,” I said, rolling over onto my side to face him.

Lying down next to me, he pulled me close before reaching up to push my hair from my face. “You aren’t going back, so there is nothing to talk about,” he said, looking me dead in the eyes.

“Ever,” I began, but he silenced me with a finger over my lips.

Draping his leg across mine, he pressed our foreheads together. “I was right,” he whispered, pressing one of his soft kisses on the end of my nose.

“About what?”

“You. You’re perfect, little killer.”

I frowned, confused at what he meant.

“Those boys deserved the deaths you gave them. Not only that, but you did it all alone.”

“I had Mami’s help for Kai.”

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