“Relax. I’m all done here.” I dropped Mr. Floppy to the middle of her bed, grinning, and stuck my knife back in my pocket.
“Done doing what?”
“Let me know if you need a discreet bailout or my tech guy.”
“Malek! You better answer me. What did you do?”
“Sleep tight, love.”
“Ma—”
Call ended.
Oh, she’s fuming. This is too much fun. My face hurt from all the smiling and continued to hurt the entire way back to my house. I’m a little sad I don’t get to see the look on her face when she gets home, but I’m giddy at all the possible texts she’ll slam me with later.
Now, I’m off to talk to a man about a Karen.
CHAPTER 9
The Mortician
Emmy came out with security, and my stomach rolled while I waved her over and wondered if I was about to be read my rights. I guess if that were gonna happen though, it wouldn’t be from a rent-a-cop, and it would have already come to pass while I’ve been sitting out here waiting in this damn car. Deputy Dipshit watched her until she closed her door, and I gave her my best grin while she got buckled.
“You hit her, didn’t you…”
Oops.
“I most certainly did not. Why would you think that?”
She clicked the last buckle and crossed her arms, smirking. I tried to remain at least alittleinnocent-looking. “Logan’s mom was crying and talking to security, but she wouldn’t tell them what happened.”
“Yeah, well…” I turned around and slid my sunglasses on. As if that would do anything to hide the fact that my five-year-old niece just pegged me. “You don’t need to know what happened. All you need to know is thatLogan…won’t be bothering you again.”
“I love you, Auntie Sev.”
Just when I was about to put this car into drive, too. I smiled up into the rear-view. “I love you more, my little pasta noodle. Let’s not say anything about security to Daddy, okay?”
“‘Kay.”
We butchered every song on the radio while I hauled ass back to Castine to drop her off. I tried not to let my grindingsuspicions of what manner of crazy shit Malek did to my apartment cut into my Emmy time, but God help me…I was so nervous about it. By the time I managed to get in the door, it was after eight and I was half afraid he’d be waiting in the shadows like a vampire.
I had a switchblade out and ready to jab when I stepped in and flipped on the lights. One long panoramic scouring of my house and…nothing seemed like it was even touched. I know better, though. He did something. I canfeelit. I checked all the things that meant most and again…nothing. Plants look fine. He apparently wasn’t stupid enough to tear off one of my lilies as a sad effort towards a romantic gesture.
But then I went to my room…
“Iknowyou’re lying!”
There. On my bed. The expensive toy he’d taken a selfie with…WITH HIS FUCKING NAME CARVED INTO IT.
He left a little note right next to it.
“Now you have to think of me while you’re using it. <3”
“Oh, you son of a bitch. If I get my hands on you…”
Ping.
Asshat: Welcome home :)
