River releases me slightly, but keeps a comfortable arm around my shoulders and looks back at Sebastian with a laugh. “Definitely. There will be no doubt they’ll theorize Andrew knew his attacker.”
I lift my head, forming an idea. “Let’s burn this fucking place down.”
“Burn it down?” Sebastian repeats with uncertainty, his mood changing.
River’s silent for a beat. He rubs his chin, contemplating my proposal. “We could.”
“It’s been a long time since we’ve burned down a crime scene with the body in it.” Sebastian shoves his hands inside the front pockets of his pants. “It was tricky not to prove arson, and we had to pull out the guy’s teeth…” He trails off, thinking out loud.
River and I rise to our feet. “You have pliers in your bag, right?” he asks, Sebastian.
Sebastian shrugs, like it’s obvious he’d have those packed and prepared. “Always.”
“Grab them,” River instructs. “So I can start plucking Andrew’s teeth.”
Sebastian’s palms hit the air between us with shock. “We’re doing this? We’re actually doing this like old times?”
Seeing River and Sebastian interacting reminds me of Stevie. “Wait, where’s my sister? Does she know I’m okay?” My hands run over my head while my legs tremble from the chill in the room. “Oh my god. She must be incredibly worried.”
River threads a calm hand through my hair, his face soft. “Stevie helped us find you.”
“She did?” My brows shot up in disbelief. It’s hard for me to imagine Stevie could keep a level head through something like this. “I’m surprised.”
“Your sister is more capable than you think.” Sebastian smiles, tossing River the pliers. “Let’s get on burning this shithole down, because I’m starving.”
River cranes his neck as a tooth falls into a small Ziploc bag to his side. “Looks like Andrew has quite a few cavities.”
My chest rumbles through an authentic laugh, given the setting we’re in—next to a dead body of the man I stabbed to death, while my murderous boyfriend plucks out each one of the man’s teeth—and I let myself feel all of the emotions.
“I could go for a slice of Ben’s amazing avocado toast right now,” I say, trying to think of something comforting in the moment.
“Here.” River slips his hoodie off and slips it over my head
I slide both arms through the sleeves. “Thank you.”
“You’re doing better after this kill,” he observes with a prideful grin.
“He deserved every bit of what he got and then some,” I say. “I feel empowered, vindicated,” I add with attempted conviction.
But why do I still feel the foul wetness of Andrew’s saliva and the sensation of fingertips rubbing against my skin? The churning in my stomach isn’t from taking a human life or seeing a mutilated dead body covered in blood—it’s from being touched when I didn’t want to be. He may not have raped me this time, but being violated once again by him feels even more defeating.
“Sebastian?” River suddenly says.
“Yeah?” Sebastian asks while on the phone with Hayden.
“Leave us.”
“Are you kidding?” Sebastian’s eyes lowered, annoyance written on his face. “Hayden and the guys are on their way with gasoline for the fire.”
“Get out,” River snaps at Sebastian. “Lux and I need a minute.”
“Fine.” Sebastian huffs, heading upstairs.
Once Sebastian is out of ear shot, River walks over to me and says, “Talk to me.”
Chapter 39
River
