Page 35 of The Wraith & Her Killer

EpiLogue

PART ONE

Another day, another body.

I’m standing next to my bike, wiping the dried blood and sinew from my exposed skin with a damp rag. I can’t stop the nostalgia that washes over me when I think about the way Steve and… What did the other guy call himself? Ritz? Like the cracker, I guess. Anywho, they screamed so pretty for me as I drove my arrow right through their hearts after fucking with their minds a little first.

Okay, so they’ve been dead for like, fifteen minutes tops, but it was a juicy kill and one I won’t soon forget.

I’d received a kill contract for them by some Scottish mob boss in Northern California, so I decided to make a little minihoneymoonout of it. You know, since I totally fucking married Odessa two weeks ago. Granted, said honeymoon was planned for all the wrong reasons because I refuse to be parted from her and need to keep her close to me. It’s an unhealthy obsession, really. But myWraithalso deserves to spend some time in the sun and not have to worry about tomorrow for once.

These men were being held prisoner in a new warehouse for sexually assaulting someone close to these Scots, and apparently one of the victim’s partners went batshit crazy and wanted them to die a very graphic death.

Since that’s my specialty, I was all in. It’s my self-appointed task to rid this planet of the scum that dwells within it, I was all too happy to oblige.

I send off proof of death to the contact and payment follows through a moment later. Job done.

I scowl at the bloodstained rag like it offended me, because I really don’t feel any better. I’m on edge and my hands are itching to find more victims to make an example of. I can’t see straight. Not when I’ve been away from my wifefor this long. My brain is running on two modes.

Fuckorfight.

While I’d fucked my little wife goodbye this morning before heading out for this job, it wasn’t enough.

Rune and Calix agreed to come down and keep an eye on her while I took out the trash. Since it’s been quiet from all three of them, I’m assuming they’re all just fine and haven’t killed each other yet.

That’s a lie. There’s no assuming. I watched them. So I know she’s fine, because I kept a live stream from the security cameras inside the house on and in my ears the whole time I was working.

I mount my bike and take off, breaking so many laws and speed limits as I make my way back to Odessa. Thank fuck there’s no traffic, but even if there was, I’d be slashing tires and throats all the same just to get back to her.

She mostly stayed in our bedroom the whole time, reading, watching the ocean from our private balcony, or doing fucking yoga that only pissed me off because I wasn’t there to watch her bend into those positions. Or fuck her when she wasn’t all twisted up like a pretty little pretzel.

Occasionally, she’d venture beyond our room for a snack or a meal, which Calix was thrilled to prepare for her. He and Rune have never been better—Cal’s words, not mine—but I can see a shift in his demeanor when he’s around Odessa.

He’d never shown interest in women before, and he’s only ever had eyes for Rune, but he’s different withOdessa.Rune takes care of him, but he gets to take care of her when I’m not there. Rune isn’t blind to it, either.

I’m still not thrilled about the idea of playing with the three of them together, but it doesn’t make my eye as twitchy as it used to. I don’t have that strong urge to stab the only two men I trust… that much. So, you know, progress.

“Oh, fuck.”The breathy words take me by surprise, because Odessa has been so quiet all damned day. But that…Thatsounded like a fucking moan. Which shouldn’t be possible considering I’m here and she’s there and Rune and Calix are… Oh, shit.

Logically, I know they would never betray my trust in them, but with the way my own father tried to kill me and with the way she’s just moaned in my ear, any-fucking-thing is possible.

Nobody, not a goddamned soul, gets to paint her pleasure to draw those sounds out of her sinful mouth unless it’s me.

I make it back to the beachside manor in record time and skid to a stop in the garage next to the armored SUV that Rune had driven down. I’m about to remove my helmet when I hear another soft moan drift through the speakers. It confirms that what I’m hearing is the live camera footage.

So I hadn’t imagined it earlier.

She’d been so quiet up until this point, save for asking Rune or Calix questions throughout the day and into the evening.

My blood pressure rises instantly when another soft moan graces my ears.

What the fuck?—

My helmet is off and I’m practically kicking in the door, hunting down the source of her pleasure, ready to fucking maim.

Okay, so maybe the murderous thoughts are still there because I swear to fucking all that is unholy, if Calix is touching her without my goddamned permission, I’m going to?—

I hear the faint sound of someone yelling what I think could be my name, but it’s unclear through the blood fucking roaring through my veins and whooshing through my ears.

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