Chapter 6
Kat
“Fires started together are a perfect relationship starter.”
We lay there, catching our breaths surrounded by the bubblegum pink sheets of my childhood bed having created the best memory I have ever had in these walls.
He finally stands and walks to the en suite bathroom.
I listen to his footsteps on the tile before the sink runs and then he walks back toward me.
Upon him entering the room, I see the wet hand towel in one hand and a smirk on his handsome face.
“Open your legs so I can take care of the mess we made. Then we can do whatever you want,” he speaks softly as he approaches me.
I slowly shift from my side to my back to give him easier access.
Before him, no one ever bothered to help clean me up.
When he finishes wiping up our mess he climbs back into the bed with me.
“The housekeeper is still employed. Her family has worked for the Wilsons for generations and I couldn’t find it in my heart to disrupt her life.
She keeps it clean and changes all of the linens on a schedule, so I can stay here if I want.
My stepfather was the last of his line, so it all falls to me…
. but I am sure that you knew that from your background check.
” I laugh, just wanting to fill the silence of this house.
He pulls me to his chest and runs his fingers through my hair.
“I know some of it, the actual estate documents are not stored digitally in a way I can access it without flagging the system. There are still a few things I was working on in the background.” He responds with kindness in his voice, letting me relax into him and talk because no one else has been there for me.
“I have access to the house to use now but nothing gets put into my name until I turn thirty. The trustee will buy me anything that I need, but something about the lawyer makes me uneasy, so the more self-sufficient I am, the better.” I finish telling him what no one else knows and look up at him.
We sit in the quiet of this house just enjoying each other’s company as the time passes when he breaks the silence again.
“Why did you go into law? Your resume and cover letter don’t give light to your honest motivations,” he asks me, curiosity brimming in his voice.
I start to sit up to locate my clothes and he does the same.
This is a story that I knew I would have to tell him after our first kiss, but it is not the most pleasant one.
We start to get dressed slowly as I prepare to tell my story.
“My best friend was kidnapped and trafficked when we were fifteen. They found her body in a sketchy Vegas neighborhood. The people who took her changed her hair color, made her wear contacts, and pumped drugs into her system to make her compliant. I was finally told that they had matched her DNA and had one person in custody in connection to her death. The prosecution didn’t have enough help in their office and those who are to blame slid through the cracks in the justice system.
I cannot fix something broken from outside commentary but I can make a difference every day by being the best and taking out those who get away with it,” I spout, the frustration in my voice evident.
We finish getting dressed and he pulls me against him and holds me tight.
“Do you want to spend the weekend with me? I don’t have any other plans and I want to get to know you more than behind a screen or screaming my name,” Zo asks and I kiss him in response. He grabs the tote with the electronics in it and we walk hand-in-hand to the front door.
“Fine, but I cannot have those hard drives anywhere near my apartment,” I respond as we walk to the front door.
My stomach growls and I let out a laugh in response.
Zo shakes his head as he places the tote in the trunk and we both get in the car.
We start the drive through town when a ringtone plays over the speakers in the car momentarily before he accepts the call.
“Less, I am here with Kat. What’s up?” He answers the call and holds my hand for reassurance. The gentle squeeze in the silence makes my heart feel warm and fuzzy.
“Hello, Kat. My name is Alessandro, but everyone calls me Less. You can refer to me however you are most comfortable,” he takes a moment to greet me personally and I freeze.
“Um… Hi Less, I assume you know a lot more about me than I do you,” I comment, trying to find my footing. Zo lets out a light chuckle at the exchange, his hand never leaving mine.
“I do. I am ready at the farm for the delivery and I have your order from the restaurant as requested. Do I get to meet the killer lady or are you keeping her all to yourself?” Less asks Zo, with a soft chuckle and he shakes his head in response.
“Just like everything else in this life, it is up to her if she wants to meet you. You have seen all of her crime scenes and helped arrange for the clean-up of her darker side. We are on our way.” He jokes with Less and I relax in my seat as he ends the call.
“Is there a story behind the farm?” I ask him to fill the conversation while we travel through town.
“Yes. The farm used to belong to a woman named Andrea who wanted to mean something in this city. She covered the ugly parts of her sins behind makeup and held no personal accountability until she came to us. The loan that she took was to upgrade the farm and help propel her to be a pillar in the community, but she was dishonest about her ability to keep the payment and broke the contract rules. Every person who does business with us agrees not to harm children. They agree to forfeit all property and their lives if they break that rule and try to lie to us about it.” He pauses, letting the information sink in.
I try to remember back to when the Andrea Family Farm was where everyone went for fall festivities.
They had a pumpkin patch and corn maze, but I never met the owner as a child.
Then one year, everyone stopped talking about it and the festivities were moved to AJ Farm Fest on the other end of the rural space.
AJ throws the best Halloween bashes and is known for splitting the profits of the parties with mental health non-profits in the area.
My brain processes the new information about the place where I grew up before nodding and squeezing his hand so he can continue the story.
“One night, Gio went over to check on the family investment and heard the threats that Andrea was slurring to the children. The final nail in the coffin was when she threw a full water bottle at the child’s head and he flinched but didn’t move.
Later, it was discussed that he knew if he dodged the first attempt, she would double the punishments until one stuck.
As a result, the family buried her under the barn in the cement, we took the property, and we sent the kids to loving homes where they got therapy and a second chance.
” He finishes the story as we drive through the gates.
The farm looks different in the light. You can tell that the property has been unkempt, but barely.
A tall stocky man wearing dark jeans and a black fitted T-shirt is standing outside of the barn with a bag next to his feet.
His piercing green eyes find us with a twinkle and a smirk.
Zo kills the engine and we open our doors to join him.
I step out and walk over to the trunk to walk with Zo as he hands over the incriminating things that I inherited.
“I promise that the files will be input into the system and your privacy is a top priority for us. We, as a family, apologize that we missed his predilections and did not handle the situation ourselves,” Less says with a stern look on his face.
Zo grabs the bag of food that looks heavy enough to feed an army before he shakes hands with Less.
“Thank you, your discretion is appreciated more than you can know.” I step closer to him, extending my hand to shake his in a proper greeting.
“We will be binge-watching serial killer shows and discussing the better ways we could do things while enjoying this feast. You know how to reach me, but don’t need me until Monday morning when she needs to go to work,” Zo tells him as we walk back to the car.
Once both doors are shut and the food is secured in the backseat we head back toward my apartment.
“Don’t worry, Kitten, I plan on spending the weekend ravishing you while we critique other killers,” Zo promises me.