Page 117 of Watch Me Burn
My heart stutters.
“Now, there are plenty of people who drive Range Rovers, over thirteen hundred registered in Colorado alone, but…” She trails off as she looks at me, almost as if waiting for me to argue.
But I can’t speak over the lump in my throat.
“They also found some unidentified DNA near Pearson’s body.”
Now my heart stops. DNA evidence. Damien wouldn’t be that sloppy, would he? But even he’s human. Even he can make mistakes.
What if they match it to him?
“And?”
I hope my voice doesn’t sound as strangled as I think it does.
“There was a screwup in the lab, and it never got tested. It was just sent to Denver on Friday.”
I look away, unable to hold her gaze, afraid she’ll see the truth written across my face.
“Luna, if you know something, if you’re protecting someone, you need to consider what that makes you.”
An accessory. An accomplice.
The words hang unspoken between us, but they might as well be carved into the air.
“I don’t know anything about those deaths.”
It’s not a complete lie. I don’t know the specifics, the how, or the when.
But I know who.
Karen sighs, and for a moment, she looks less like a cop and more like the woman who used to bring me cookies when I was a grieving ten-year-old and comforted me when Grandpa died.
“You’ve been through a lot in your life. I know that. Your parents, then your grandfather. You’ve had more than your share of loss. I’d hate to see you throw your life away for someone who might not have your best interests at heart.”
The words sting. Damien deceived me, lied to me, and made me fall in love with two different versions of himself. But even knowing that, even hating him for his betrayal, I can’t stop loving him. And I can’t stop protecting him, no matter how hurt and angry I am.
“Is that all?” I ask, my tone cool.
She studies me for a long moment, those knowing eyes taking in every micro-expression, every tell. Finally, she nods and stands. “For now. But this isn’t over, Luna. Whatever’s happening, it’s going to come to a head soon. I just hope you’re on the right side when it does.”
I lean against the kitchen counter after she leaves, my hands shaking so hard I have to grip the edge to steady myself. She’s right. This can’t continue. Sooner or later, someone will put the pieces together. And when that happens, both Damien and I will be exposed.
I’m not so worried about the tire tracks with all the Range Rovers around Estes. But DNA evidence. Unidentified DNA.
Shit!
My mind races through possibilities, each one worse than the last. What if they get a warrant for Damien’s DNA? What if they search his properties? What if Karen digs deeper and finds something that connects him to the murders?
Everything between us is shattered. The lies he told, the trust he broke, and the way he ripped my heart apart. It still bleeds from what he did to me. But that doesn’t matter. He needs to know that Karen still suspects him. He needs to know about the DNA evidence.
And we need to figure out what the hell we’re going to do if she finds something that connects him to those murders.
The thought of losing him to prison or justice or consequences steals my breath. All I can think about is protecting him, keeping him safe.
I can’t change what I know. The truth has lodged itself in my chest like a shard of glass, and ignoring it won’t make the cutting stop. And no amount of denial will erase what I’ve learned. All I can do is warn him and hope we can find a way to navigate through this nightmare before it swallows us whole.
I reach for my phone, my fingers trembling as I scroll to his contact. Three days of silence, and now I’m about to break it with a warning that could destroy us both.
