Page 59 of Dead Love

I didn’t bat an eye. “Warnings only matter when concern is needed.”

“And you should be concerned. We’re coming for you.”

Andrew tilted his imaginary hat to Catie, then smiled with his pearly whites. “Have a good day, Miss Catie. Say hello to Miss Kora for me.”

As soon as he stepped into the sunlight, Catie turned to me.

“What did he mean,another charge?What’s going on?”

I pinched my mouth shut. “How should I know? He’s full of shit, like the rest of them.”

“I need to tell you something, Vincent.”

I ignored her, heading back to the crematory room. Inside of the doorway, her posture stiffened, and I rubbed my forehead. “What is it now?”

“I went by Poppies & Wheat.”

I stilled. “What?”

“I wanted to check on Shea. The flower orders haven’t been fulfilled—we’ve been calling the grocery store instead, and while most of the families are fine with it, some are annoyed, and I figured I should check on her. She’s a mess.” Her shoulders tensed, and she swallowed hard. “I don’t know what kind of mother she was in the past, but she won’t even leave her bedroom. She barely eats. The only time she leaves is when there is a possibility that her daughter might be out there.” Her hand fluttered to her ears. “Isn’t there a way you can help Kora, and make sure her mother isn’t torn apart like that?”

I tipped my head back, my chest expanded. “The Novas aren’t so perfect after all.”

She scowled. “You’re acting like that makes you happy,” she snapped.

I shrugged. “If she wasn’t such a controlling mother, maybe Kora wouldn’t have left.”

The loosely curled mohawk on top of Catie’s head shimmering in the light. “I don’t know what’s going on with you lately,” she crossed her arms. “This fascination you have with Kora. Why she never leaves. Why you feel the need to keep her here. But I do know that Shea needs my help, and I heard someone screaming the night of Nyla’s funeral.”

I looked down at my watch, dismissive. “You were hearing things. Seeing things. It was dark.”

“You know that’s not true.”

I smiled, finally looking back up at her. “Tell me what you think you know, then.”

She narrowed her eyes.You are an asshole,she seemed to say. “I would never rat you out,” she said quietly, “But I will help Shea.”

She turned toward the door, and I shook my head. “Remember that if I get convicted, this place will go under. You won’t have a job to come back to.”

“I’m aware. But this job has always been about helping people who are suffering. And Shea? She’snotokay,” she said. I smiled. Good. That was what wassupposedto happen. “I’m going to finish the wake, and when I’m done, I’m going to help Shea search for her daughter. Heronlydaughter.”

“Do what you want.” I wasn’t going to stop her.

She stormed out of the door.

Once the day was finished, I waited an extra three hours before I went back to the house. I don’t know why. A dull pain inside of me lingered, warning me that whatever it was, I wasn’t going to like it. Before Kora had the chance to knock, I let myself into the basement, but I sat in the loft, trying to gather myself. What did I want to accomplish with her now? She was supposed to be nothing. A plaything. An innocent woman I could break apart. Her life,her happiness,was never supposed to mean a thing to me.

“Vincent?” Kora said, stepping onto the loft. I slid over on the couch so that she could join me. “I thought you were up here.”

Her body was warm beside me, but I was cold. Kora was my spark, the fire I needed to help me see through the darkness. The only way I could make this all go away, was to kill her, like I had always planned. And I had to do it right now. I had a gun in my holster, a knife in my pocket, a device that would release toxins at the push of a button. And yet now,nowthat I had seen how brightly her flame could burn, I had no desire to extinguish it.

And that enraged me.

“Why did you come here?” I asked. Anger rang through my tone, but I didn’t care. I wanted her to be scared. Like she should have always been.

“What?”

“Why did you come here?”