Page 59 of Wickedly Played
I know Serena liked me, too. I felt it in the way she spoke to me. I felt it in the way she lay on me, as if she needed to draw my strength from me to transfer to her. I would have given her anything to help ease the guilt I know she’s feeling about the death of the waitress.
ME: Tell me everything you have on Serena’s ex-husband.
FRANKY: We intercepted a shipment of high-dollar shit. Retaliation is coming
ME: When can we make the move?
FRANKY: About a week
“She’s upstairs now. Tell me more about what you know,” I demand.
Wood places his hands on his knees as he looks at me. “The waitress’s name is Meredith. She was twenty-two, just moved here, and from all accounts, she didn’t do anything to piss anyone off. There wouldn’t have been anything tying Meredith’s death to your client, but there was a note left on her body.”
Wood hands over a tablet with a picture of the note. I recognize the handwriting perfectly.
I know you found her body. I know you probably think it was some madman who killed this beautiful soul. She interrupted me. I was going to talk to my true love, Serena. She was with her fucking bodyguard. He has been trying to steal her away from me. I know the truth, and soon everyone will, too. Serena is mine. I will kill again.
“The stalker is getting bolder,” I retort sardonically.
Adam plucks the piece of paper and starts to examine the writing on it. “There is something a little familiar about this writing. Where the fuck have I seen this before?”
“Maybe from the other notes that the stalker has left?” I snap.
“Do you really think your attitude is needed right now, bro?”
“This is getting us nowhere,” I murmur. Fighting with Adam is the last thing I want to do right now. He might be an asshole, but he’s one of my only family members I have left.
Well, Adam and our older brother, Joe. Joe has been a hired gun for the military forces since I learned how to walk. I haven’t seen too much of him since I got back because he’s been busier than fuck. And truthfully, I didn’t want to see him. Joe never wanted to follow in our father’s footsteps. He didn’t care to continue the family legacy of being soldiers for the McDougal Crime Family.
Every time I see him, I am reminded of everything I have done, and I’m still not good enough for the one thing I want the most.
Serena.
“Anyway, I have to check how Serena is doing. Are we done here?” I demand. I’m standing up and walking toward the staircase. The message couldn’t have been any clearer than it is right now. I’m ready for everyone to be out of the house.
“See ya later, bro,” Adam calls over his shoulder, and then the other men proceed to leave, too.
Once at the top of the stairs, I smell the sweet smell of Serena. She opens her door as my hand is raised to knock on the door.
“Did everyone leave?” Her eyebrow is raised in question.
I nod. “Yeah. They left just now. I wanted to check in on you.”
She giggles mirthlessly. “Your hot and cold act is getting really old.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I stare down at the little firecracker. “Excuse me?”
“You act like you like me, and then you take it back. You act like you might want to be with me, and then you’re all,I’m a professionalandI don’t cross the lines,bull shit.”
“What do you want me to do, sweetness?”
Her head flies back. “How about you be honest with your feelings for once and tell me how you feel. Either you want me, or you don’t. This limbo act is getting to be too much.”
My hands reach out, and I grab her jaw a little more forcefully than intended. “Is that what you want?” She gulps loudly with her eyelashes fluttering. “You want me to be honest and do what I want?” One of my hands drops to her neck. My fingers squeeze her delicate throat.
Her hands graze my overheated muscles under the cotton shirt I’m wearing. “Yes. Please.”
“What if what I want is something I don’t deserve?” I’m asking her honestly. I don’t deserve to have anything significant in my life after the life I have lived. I have already failed one woman. Fuck, I watched my team die in front of me. I couldn’t have done anything to prevent it from happening. I watched it all happen while I was chained to the wall. I faked passing out to see the fate of my team. I got lucky. I got away with injuries, but I was the one who had to tell my team’s family members how their loved ones died. That was on me.
