Chapter 30 – Lily
LILY
A conflicting sense of frustration and relief buzzes through me. I’m angry at Aster for taking a life like it’s nothing, especially doing it for my safety… but I can’t help but be satisfied there’s one fewer piece of shit man on this earth.
I huff a laugh at the last line.
“Should you have any information, please contact Detective Liam Huxley.”
Aster and I both know there’s zero evidence or information to report, but even a few bogus phone calls would be enough to piss Liam off.
I also know the Cleosville PD, especially Liam, has no interest in finding the killer.
When mob bosses get taken out, we’re all just thankful someone else did the job and move on.
After tossing the paper on my mattress, I pull out my burner and type a text on the multi-tap keypad. It’s a bit of a pain in the ass, but I’ll admit it’s kinda fun. Very retro chic.
Me
L is gunna kill u
Grim
hah bet
Me
eye roll emoji
Grim
typing it is lame
Me
phone has 0 emojis. thats lamer
Grim
:-*
miss u
Me
ur so clingy
Grim
u luv it
Me
w/e
Grim
sup?
Me
chillin. u?
Grim
naked?
I snort a laugh. Thanks to the ancient relic of a phone he gave me, our texting banter is college-frat-level.
Me
wouldnt u like 2 know
Grim
nudes? :)
Me
with this 90s memorabilia?
Grim
2000s actually
Me
facts
Grim
this sux
Me
ur fault
The device vibrates in my hand, ID showing an incoming call from Grim, and I click the green phone button. “Hello?”
“Is this the horny hotline?” Aster asks.
“Sorry, Daisy Mae can’t come to the phone right now,” I say in a sweet Southern accent.
“Stop it, I’m getting hard,” he growls, and heat tugs between my thighs.
“I would have assumed by your nudes request you already were.”
There’s a pause on the line. “Hard-er.”
My stomach swirls as I find myself pacing the room, unable to remember the last time I felt this way.
I shouldn’t feel this way. Especially about him.
But damn, it’s been so long since I’ve had this chest-aching, skin-tingling happiness.
And to be honest, I’m not sure it’s ever been quite like this. So free. So honest. So addicting.
“I should get you a new burner,” Aster suggests.
“Oh, really?” I flop stomach down on my bed. “I’m forced to use that piece of shit for weeks, but the second you realize we can’t send nudes, that’s the deal breaker?”
“What can I say? I’m a selfish man.”
“I’d argue you’re a giver.” He was the other night, that’s for sure. A smirk forms on my lips at the memory. What has my life become? I’m flirting with a serial killer, and I’m… enjoying it? But I can’t find it in me to stop.
He’s a murderer!
But he’s so deliciously hot!!!
“Well, I have a surprise for you,” he says, yanking me from the devil and angel fighting on my shoulders. I’m going to have to go with the devil.
“Please tell me you didn’t kill someone else.” My words are teasing, but I do freeze, realizing it’s a possibility.
“I did not,” he reassures me, and my body relaxes. “But I must warn you, my motives for this surprise are entirely selfish.”
“I’m listening…” My feet kick to and fro like a goddamn schoolgirl.
“Check your closet.”
“Aster!” My stomach drops. With excitement. Annoyance? No, hardly any annoyance. Why am I not more distraught? “You can’t keep breaking in.” I roll off the mattress and all but fall to the floor as I rush for the wardrobe.
A low laugh rumbles through the line. “How else would I watch you sleep?”
I freeze with my hand on the closet. “You didn’t.”
“No, I didn’t,” he confirms, and for some insane reason, my body deflates with disappointment as I slide open the door. “You were at Mocha Muse.”
The hangers clank as I finger through them until they land on a black garment bag. “How long has this been here? How have I not noticed it?”
“Since yesterday. Maybe you’ve been too distracted thinking about that hot guy who was apparently a very giving lover last weekend.”
“You are so cringe.” I chortle, placing the phone between my ear and shoulder as I tug out the bag and pull down the zipper. A gasp leaves my lips.
“Now, that’s the reaction I was hoping for.”
“Wow.” My fingers graze over the floral lace of a gorgeous baby blue gown. “It’s beautiful.”
“There’s a mask too,” he says, and sure as shit, there’s a matching mask hooked in the garment bag as well.
“This was highly unnecessary.” I hold the phone to my ear once more. “I had a dress to wear.”
“Yes, but you know I have a habit of cutting off clothes if they’re in my way, and I worried you’d stop me if it’s a dress you love.”
A moan almost escapes my mouth at the memory of him slicing off my panties. “I love this dress.”
“Should I have sent an uglier one?”
“No!” I laugh. “Please, no. I can’t wait to wear it.”
“I’ll buy you another if it gets destroyed.”
“Destroyed?” Anticipation swirls in my center. “My goodness, Mr. Blake, that’s quite presumptuous for a first date.”
“I know my audience.” A car honking and muffled voices come through the line. “I have to go. I’ll pick you up tomorrow at six.”
“See you then.”
“Oh, and baby?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t wear anything underneath.”
I can’t help the grin spreading across my face.
I’m trying so damn hard not to fall for this man.
He’s done horrible, awful things… but I also think I understand him in a way I’ve never understood anyone else.
And I also feel like those dark thoughts that run through my head, the ones I can’t quiet, can’t escape, he would welcome them willingly without judgement.
“Lillian!” Liam shouts from the other side of the house, and I jump. His loud stomps echo as he heads for my room, and I rush to hide the burner in my desk. “What?” I call out just as he arrives at my door.
“Why the hell did one of my informants just tell me about a brunette with sparkling pink cowboy boots who was seen with Frederick Vetrel last week?” His eyes fall to the same shoes sitting next to my desk, and he’s aware I have a wide collection of wigs.
“And don’t you fucking lie to me. I was with you when you bought those. ”
“Who told you that?” I ask, playing innocent. “And why are you acting like you’re the boss of me? You need to relax.”
“I’m trying to keep you alive!” The angry blood vessel in his forehead threatens to rupture. “And apparently, I’ll be trying to keep you out of jail as well.”
“Why are you acting so insane?”
He takes a deep breath, then releases it slowly. “Frederick Vetrel is a very dangerous man.”
“I’m not sure if you saw the news, Detective Dickhead,” I snark and he scowls. “But Vetrel is dead. So not really an issue.”
Liam’s eyes are unamused. “He was connected to some screwed-up shit, Lil. You need to stay clear of anything related to that family.”
“It was a Karma request. And it’s over now, so you don’t need to worry.”
“Don’t need to worry? There’s a serial killer on the loose.” Two, actually. “And I’m responsible for finding them and failing miserably. The captain’s breathing down our necks, and now I have to figure out how to keep my little sister’s name out of a murder investigation of a notorious crime boss.”
“You’re ten minutes older.”
His face reddens. “Lillian,” he says in that tone that means please stop messing with me, I’m not in the mood.
I release a heavy sigh. “Like I said, I was there for a Karma request.”
His brows pull together, a panicked look in his eyes. “Was the request to kill Frederick?”
“Oh my god!” I throw a pillow at him. “Are you serious?” He looks at me expectantly. “No, I didn’t kill him. You know I don’t do that kind of stuff.”
“Do I?” His response is a slap to the face. “Because I have the feeling you’ve been keeping things from me as of late.”
“Wow, that’s a load of horse shit coming from you. Care to fill me in on how the Kodak Killer case is going?” A silence settles between us. “Exactly.”
“What was the Karma request about?”
“Vetrel hiked the rent for his tenants, then vandalized the places who couldn’t pay, so I politely asked him to stop.”
“The autopsy mentioned he had a knife and a bullet wound that were a few days old.”
I shrug. “Maybe I wasn’t so polite.”
His mouth falls open. “Are you serious? When the hell did you start hurting people? What happened to the hands-off approach?”
Aster must be rubbing off on me because the next words out of my mouth are, “Some people require more than that. Vetrel certainly did. Looks like someone else felt the same way.”
“That sounds an awful lot like motive.”
“I didn’t kill him.” But I know who did.
“Do you know who did?” Yes.
“No, of course not.” Guilt settles in my chest at how easy it is to lie. But for some insane reason, I want to protect Aster. And I do truly believe the world is better without Frederick Vetrel in it.
So if my brother wants to figure out who killed him, it certainly won’t be with my help.
“I really hope you’re telling me the truth,” Liam growls before stalking down the stairs, then slamming the front door after him.
“Okay, then,” I mutter to myself, returning to my place on the bed. My cell phone rings, and I sigh. Who the hell needs something now? Picking it up, I note Unknown on the caller ID.
I’m getting whiplash. My hot killer boyfriend left me a dress, my brother’s accusing me of a murder, and now this fucking guy?
“What?” I say after pressing accept.
“Well, that’s not a very nice way to greet someone trying to help you,” they say in that deep digitized voice.
“Help me? I was almost caught witnessing a murder because of you!”
“And what makes you think that wasn’t intentional?”
I freeze. Time stands still. It was… planned? “What?” I whisper.
“I thought you’d have figured it out by now.”
“Well, if you’re so interested in helping, maybe you’d care to give me a hint?”
A heavy sigh comes through. “I heard you’re attending the Westerfords’ gala tomorrow night. Guess I know why you wanted the schedule.”
“What can I say? They throw a good party.”
“Be careful.”
“Why do you care?” A silence falls between us. “Who are you?”
“You’re not asking the right questions.”
I rack my brain. “Will you be at the event tomorrow?” More silence. “If you really give a shit about helping, I need you to give me something.”
“I wonder how hard it is to get a bloodstain out of a Persian rug,” they say, and the line goes dead. Cleaning? That’s what they have for me?!
I’m never going to find the Kodak Killer.