Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Four
Ruby
Lindsey’s attention stays fixed on the window. My pulse pounds violently.
Now.
The sound of the knife sliding out of the block sends a drop of sweat slipping down my back.
And just like that, it’s on the counter behind me, the pill in my hand plinks into the sink, and I’m facing her as if nothing happened.
As if she’s decided the intrusion wasn’t intended for here, Lindsey stomps to the side window and glares at the pigs. “If they don’t shut up, I’m going to put a bullet in each of their heads.”
I lift my chin as bile rises in my throat. “That would defeat the purpose of staging a suicide, wouldn’t it?”
“I’d think of something.” Her narrowed eyes remain locked on the pig pen. “Maybe you were so devastated over Xavier that you took the pigs out with you.”
I cough, nearly choking on the pill dissolving against my cheek. She’s not going to back down. I need to make my move before it’s too late.
The knife handle presses against my back. Cold metal. Sharp. Dangerous. But not as terrifying as the gun in Lindsey’s hand.
She looks back. “You swallowed it?”
“Yes.”
Her shoulders loosen. Good. She believes me.
Another pill is snatched off the table and dropped into my open hand. “Take another.”
I stare at it for a second too long.
Lindsey’s expression hardens. “Don’t start.”
“I’m not.” My voice shakes convincingly because this time I don’t have to fake it. Fear claws through every inch of me. Not for myself. For the baby.
Buy time. Think. Stall.
“How did you even do all of this?”
The question catches her off guard. “What?”
I force my voice to be quieter. “How did you do everything you did and nobody caught you?”
Something dangerous flickers across her face. Pride. There it is. Keep her talking.
“I was careful.” The gun lowers another inch.
My pulse jumps. “You broke into my house more than once.”
Lindsey laughs. “I’m getting good at it. Last night was a bit of a challenge. Today….” She shrugs. “Piece of cake.”
“Last night?”
Cold slides down my spine. Xavier.
My entire body feels like it might drop to the floor. What if she did something to him too? Drugged him. Shot him.
“He almost caught me.” She waves the gun in another slow arc. “I knew your schedule better than you did. I watched everything.”
He’s okay. Relief hits me hard in the chest. Or at least it sounds like he is.
The knife handle is right there, pressing against my back. All I need is one opening. One second when the gun isn’t pointed at me.
Then I’m using it.
Arm. Shoulder. Chest. I don’t fucking care. I’m getting that gun away from her.
“You know what the funniest part was?” When I don’t answer, she does it for me. “You kept thinking it was some creepy guy.”
My fingers remain wrapped around the pill as the one in my mouth continues dissolving. Bitter. Chalky. “What if someone saw you?”
“No one pays attention to women.” She starts pacing again, restless and agitated, the gun moving with her. “You know how many times I stood in this house while you slept?”
A chill tears through me.
“How many times I watched him touch you? Fix things for you? Act as if you mattered more than anyone else?”
Another squeal erupts outside. Samson. Loud. Agitated.
Lindsey’s head swings toward the back door. “I’m going to put a bullet in that pig’s head.”
I’m not sure whether she’s angry that Samson might draw someone’s attention or because he keeps interrupting her chance to explain how much smarter she is than everyone else.
My fingers close around the hidden knife handle as I spit the dissolving pill into my palm and let it join the other one in the sink.
Careful. Steady. She doesn’t notice. She’s unraveling too fast now.
“You ruined everything.” The gun swings toward me again.
My pulse roars in my ears. Then a vehicle door slams outside. Harder this time. Closer. Lindsey freezes. So do I.
Silence crashes through the kitchen. Then all the pigs start squealing. Xavier. They think he came home to feed them. Lindsey turns toward the sound.
And I move.
I kick the chair toward her. Lindsey spins, eyes widening as one of the legs catches her in the shin. She stumbles with a scream, the gun jerking toward me.
Too late. I yank the knife from behind my back and swing.
The kitchen explodes with sound.