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“It's fine. She can’t hurt me anymore,” I assure him.

“That may not be true. Tristan called. There's been another botched turning.” He pauses, carefully choosing his words. “I’m sorry, Tom was found outside the club,” he forces out, stumbling over the words. It’s probably harder for him to say he was sorry than the fact that Tom is dead.

Holy shit! Tom is dead. “You're sure?” I ask.

“Very. He was left in the same spot as Beth was. They tried to turn him into a lion. They failed epically.”

I stared at him blankly for a minute and then burst out laughing. I laugh until tears run down my face. I hear questions of concern from Harmony and her men. Ryker is quietly watching me, waiting for me to collect myself. It's genuinely a poetic end to Tom’s life.

“Sorry,” I gasp for air. “I just find it so ironic. Tom always wanted to be the king of the jungle. He acted like he was so fierce when all he did was put on an act. He met his demise like that, but I can’t seem to be sad about it.”

“You don’t have to be sad. He made your life hell, and he doesn’t deserve your compassion,” Ryker says, running his finger down my face. “Unfortunately, I have to go see the body.”

“Alright, let’s go.” I turn to Harmony. “I wish we could have finished the night. We’ll have to do it another time.”

“We will. I understand—do what you have to do.” She hugs me and whispers in my ear, “We’ll have a girls’ night soon. You have to fill me in. One question, though: does he wear the knives in bed?” she asks, pulling back and wiggling her eyebrows.

Her mates are hissing. Jax pulls her away from me with a scowl on his face. She knew no amount of whispering would stop them from hearing her naughty question.

Ryker is grinning. “She’ll be sure to let you know. I know how curious you are.” He moves away quickly, so Blue’s fist misses his face. “You don’t have to come with me if you are uncomfortable,” he says like he didn’t just avoid a black eye.

“I want to. I need to see him.”

I hear my demons knowing voice whispering what I shouldn’t admit out loud in my ear. I like the idea of seeing him weak and beaten.

***

I stare at Tom in fascination. I reach out a finger and poke him, pulling back quickly.

Ryker smothers a laugh.

We are in an old warehouse, staring at the deformed body of my ex-boyfriend. Bash was waiting for us when we arrived. They moved the body away from the club so no one would freak out and call the police. Tristan was tasked with guarding Ava. By the stress on Bash’s face, he would rather be in charge of a dead body than my best friend.

If vampires aged, he would have added ten years in the past few hours. He gives me a tight smile, watching me carefully as I take in the sight of my ex.

Tom’s hair, usually short, had grown to his shoulders. It was shaggy and pale gold. His face is the same proportions as before, except for the nose, which has grown in size. His body was bloody and broken. His arms were bent at the elbows in the opposite direction than they were supposed to be. The real shocking element was that he had a tail.

A tail!

My worry about having one was correct. Fur stuck out straight from the end of it. It was just weird.

His clothes were torn, with their remaining shreds clinging to him.

Should I feel remorse? I try to muster up an ounce of sadness and come up with nothing. He always wanted to change me. He tried to shape me into the woman he wanted. I failed over and over again to become someone he would be proud to have on his arm and in his life. After all the struggle, he was the one that was put through hell to turn into something else.

Ryker watches me. His eyes haven’t strayed away from my face for more than a minute. I think he is deciding what to do to ease me. But I am not showing which helpful speech he needs to give.

“We had to fix the memories of a couple that was out back, making out. They didn’t see anyone drop the body, just the body itself. I checked the security tapes, but they must have known where they don’t reach,” Bash says.

“That is unfortunate. Whoever is doing this must be familiar with the club. I’d hoped Greg was the only one. If someone else in our employ is helping do this, it would answer so many questions on how they are pulling this off,” Ryker says calmly.

“Why Tom? They had to know you wouldn’t care if he was dead,” I ask.

“It doesn’t make sense. We thought they were coming after you, sending you a message from all this. But she’s right. On the outside, looking in, killing Tom would be doing you a favor,” Bash says.

“So, they aren’t trying to come after me. Serenity is the one they want to get to. Which, they have to know, would involve me. That’s why they are leaving them at the club, two people directly connected to her life.” Ryker’s eyes burn with fire. “As much as I hate to say it, your mom is a likely suspect,” he says and looks at me with regret.

“Okay, I agree they are targeting me for some reason, but my mom? She may be a prejudiced bitch, but murder? Not just killing people but killing them after trying to turn them into the animals she hates,” I say in disbelief. “Why would she?”