Page 12 of Murder & Mayhem
“Of course. I wish I could drag it out, but we’ve already been here way too long, and I fucked up the original plan anyway.” I pulled out my favorite serrated blade and stepped onto the tarp.
Joey was still knocked out, which was a shame. He was getting a much easier out than he deserved.
I raised my knife.“Cover your face, for fuck’s sake,”Gideon snapped in my ear.“You don’t have time for a shower.”
Shit. Almost forgot about that. I dug in the bag, pulled out a bandana, and tied it around my face. I’d have to sacrifice my favorite work shirt, but desperate times and all that.
I glanced back at Jamie before doing the deed. “Any last words?”
He shook his head. “No. I just want it over with.”
That was fair. I took one more hard look at the pathetic waste of space who’d terrorized poor kids for way too long unchecked. “You deserve way worse than this. See you in hell.” Then I cut his throat.
Blood spattered over the bandana and shirt, but thankfully, I managed to avoid my hair. I hated trying to get blood out of my hair. I didn’t move until the last bit of life drained from Byrne’s face.Never leave your target before you’re sure they’re dead.Once I confirmed that, I carefully stepped off the tarp, so I didn’t track blood, before I finally turned to Jamie. I was unsure what to expect. It was one thing to think you were okay with witnessing a murder and an entirely different thing to do so.
Jamie’s attention was solely focused on the lifeless corpse of his stepfather.
With cautious steps, I closed the distance between us. He didn’t even seem to notice me at all.
“Jamie?”
Nothing.
“Jamie,” I said again, louder and sterner, since he seemed to react well to that tone of voice. He blinked but that was it.
“Sweetheart, I’m gonna touch you. Is that okay?” His eyes flashed at me. It wasn’t a yes, but it wasn’t a no either. I reached out, tortuously slowly. Jamie didn’t stop me. My fingers brushed against his cheek, featherlight. He flinched slightly, but then relaxed and pushed into the touch, just a fraction.
“Are you okay, beautiful?” I needed to stop with the fucking pet names, but something about Jamie had me forgetting all my good sense.
At first, I wasn’t sure if he was going to answer, but I finally got a small nod. “He’s really dead?” he asked.
“Yeah, he is. You can go see if you want. But don’t touch him.”
“Seriously?”Ari deadpanned in my ear.
“No wonder it’s been so long since you’ve been laid,”Gideon added.“Is this your idea of game? Showing off the dead bodies of your lovers’ enemies like a trophy?”Gid guffawed, laughing so hard he started to choke. I ignored both the assholes.
Jamie’s eyes flickered with surprise, but there was interest there. I could see it. Eventually, though, he shook his head. “N-no. As long as he’s dead, I don’t care. I want this to be done.”
I ran my thumb along his cheek. “It will be. Gideon is gonna come here and clean up for us.” Ideally, Gid would come with me as backup since we didn’t know what we were walking into, but time was of the essence. I’d have to take my chances. “I’m going to change, and then we’ll leave, go findBailey, and you’ll never have to step foot in this fucking place again.”
Jamie’s lips twitched. “I wish I could burn the whole thing to the ground.”
“No,”Ari immediately yelled, knowing I was already contemplating it.“That house is a fire hazard waiting to happen and is way too close to the others. The neighborhood would be in flames before the fire department ever had a chance of getting there.”
I pouted a little as I relayed Ari’s message. “Sorry, my party pooper brother said that collateral damage is too likely. But we’ll find something to light on fire. Maybe O’Malley’s house?”
This time Jamie really did smile. “Yeah, maybe.” Fuck, he was so cute when he was contemplating arson. I’d known there was a little naughtiness under that good-boy exterior.
“Get the fuck outta there already. Gid’s leaving now.”
Right. I quickly discarded my ruined button-up and tossed it on the tarp. Gideon would get it.
Jamie gasped. I raised an eyebrow at him, grinning as he unabashedly stared at my naked torso. “Like what you see, beautiful?”
Jamie snapped his eyes up to my face, horrified. “Oh god.” His cheeks were so red, he looked like a cherry. An adorable, sweet cherry I wanted to taste. “I’m sorry.”
I licked my lips. “Nothing to apologize for. I know I look good.”
