Page 140 of Executing Malice

“That’s Everett?”

It’s not the question I expected, but I nod.

To my eternal damnation, she shakes her head and takes another step away from me. Her bottom lip folds up between her lips.

“Leila...”

She gives another sharper rock of her head. “Don’t.” She may as well have killed me. She may as well have punched a hole in my chest and ripped out my heart. But she’s not done. “I ... I can’t believe...”

Everett chuckles. “Oh, that’s rough.”

But I can’t take my eyes off her. Can’t wrap my head around the fact that she’s pulling away from me.

“Let me explain,” I try.

One hand comes up, stopping me even though I am incapable of moving without my knees giving out.

“Did you kill him?”

My fingers curl into fists.

“I ... I had to,” I’m trying to explain, but the foundation of my sanity is beginning to fracture all over again like it had eight years ago when she vanished. “Let me explain.”

“No!” she snaps, scrambling back until there is a canyon between us. “You killed someone.”

Obviously not,I want to shout back.He’s standing right there.

But the words refuse to slip off my tongue.

“You should tell her what happened, little brother,” Everett taunts. “Confession is good for the soul, I’m told. Do you want me to tell it? I’ve always had a flare for stories.”

I burn with the need to tell him to eat shit, but I can only stare at Leila ... my fucking Leila as she watches me like I’m a monster. Like everything I did wasn’t for her.

“It’s not what you think,” I whisper.

“You lied to me,” she snaps back.

“I have never lied to you,” I retort, but I did keep it from her.

I did hide it because I knew she wouldn’t understand. How could she now, when she hadn’t then? This is the very reason she’d run and it’s happening all over again.

“You lied!” she screams, beautiful face twisted, eyes wet with tears. “I hate you.”

I can’t breathe. Every drop of air has mysteriously vanished, and my head is throbbing, begging for even a sip. My lungs burn with their useless attempts around the serrated shards of glass embedded in my chest.

When she hiccups a sob, I want to die.

I want Everett to just shoot me. There is no longer any reason worth living and I won’t live without her.

“Didn’t go the way you planned, did it?” my brother drawls. “I guess this version is weaker. The old Leila would have run into your arms and licked the blood off your face. This one...” he clicks his tongue with a disappointed sigh. “She’s ... normal. Like everyone else. Sad, really, because you can still see that fire in her, but maybe I’m wrong.”

“I want to go home,” Leila states, voice breaking. “I don’t know what’s going on here or what you both want, but I’m not going to be a part of it. Give me my keys.”

“Sorry, Lils, but you’re not leaving.” Everett taps the barrel of his gun against the side of his thigh. “This is a family matter and since this whole thing started with you, it’s going to end with you.”

No. That’s not happening.

Finding the last of my willpower, I straighten and face him. My mind instinctively moves to block Leila from him.