Page 33 of Kiss of Deceit

“You would have been a patient of the doctor I used to work with,” I said with certainty. “Since you’re not a good person. But it’s okay—I don’t think I am either.”

I haven’t spoken about this to anyone. In the last three years, I hadn’t let myself be consumed with my past. But that was shot to hell now. I felt like myself again, and as I stared at Lucas, I realized how much I craved this.

“Out of all of those clients, I kept an eye on the worst ones,” I continued, wanting him to know just how much he underestimated me. “I wanted to make sure their sick fantasies stayed in their heads. Some never acted on their thoughts. But the ones that did…I needed to stop them from hurting anyone else.”

“What are you, a wannabe cop?” He laughed through his discomfort. “Turning in criminals. Is that what you plan to do with me? Because let me tell you that won’t work. Even if you do have a chance to talk to the sheriff after this.”

I laughed, the noise sounding sinister even to me. “No, I didn’t get them put in prison. I dealt with them in my own way.”

He suddenly launched himself at me, aiming the blade at my chest. I grinned as adrenaline flooded my system when I lashed out my hand, catching his wrist, halting his attack. This dangerous situation calmed me in a way I couldn’t even describe. I was in control—something I’d needed ever since I was nearly murdered.

“You never should have followed me,” I told him, my voice expressionless. “But at least Hallie will be safe from you now.”

“You’re fucking sick,” he shouted before choking in pain when I slammed my free hand into his throat.

“Yes,” I agreed with him. “But I only hurt others who are like me.”

I hit him in the throat again before grabbing his arm and shoving him as hard as I could. He tottered at the edge of the cliff for a moment before gravity worked in my favor. He let out a loud shout as he fell, and then all I could hear was the chirping of the birds. I walked forward, peering over the cliff. His mangled body was at the bottom, barely visible from how far down he was.

His knife was laying in the grass, and I crouched down and grabbed it. Flicking it closed, I slid it in my jacket pocket and headed back down the trail.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

kole

“I thought you were sick.”I watched as Dani entered the kitchen.

“And I thought you’d still be sleeping, but here we both are,” she tossed back.

I raised an eyebrow at her newfound attitude. She’d been home the last two days with a cold, but she apparently decided to stop avoiding me. Something had changed, but I couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

She was wearing jeans and an oversized black sweater along with a pair of black boots. It was pretty much her everyday outfit, and even though she was completely covered up, I couldn’t get her bare ass out of my head ever since she flashed me. I rubbed my hand over my face, trying to concentrate on anything other than her.

I buttered my toast as she grabbed her purse off the counter. Even her demeanor had changed. Her confidence was shining bright, which I enjoyed watching, but I couldn’t stop questioning it. What happened in the last couple days?

“Why are you up?” she asked. “Didn’t you close the bar last night?”

“Yes,” I answered slowly. “I was hungry. Are you done avoiding me?”

She laughed lightly. “You’ve been doing the same. But yes, I’m done.”

“Still don’t trust me?”

Her eyes darted to mine. “No. But I know you won’t hurt me.”

A quiet danger lurked in her voice, and I set down the butter knife to study her. Her eyes were crystal clear, and there was absolutely no emotion in them. She gave me a small smile before heading out the door.

Two minutes later, the house phone rang, and I climbed the stairs to answer it. Taking a seat in the office chair, I picked up the receiver.

“Kole, you need to come down to the station.”

I frowned, wondering what happened for Harry to sound so serious. Maybe they had a suspect for whoever broke into the butcher shop.

“Why?” I questioned.

“You’ll see when you get here.”

He hung up on me, and I stared at the phone for a moment before setting it down. What the hell was that about? In all the years I’d been here, I’d never been summoned to the police station. After grabbing my jacket from my bedroom, I went downstairs and snagged my piece of toast before leaving the house.