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His skin pales. “You’re engaged?”
“Soon to be.” I sit forward, elbows on my knees. “As far as I’m concerned, our history is buried. I’m willing to move past it and allow you to continue living for Briar’s sake if you’re willing to do the same.”
Warren scoffs, leaning back and averting his gaze, even though he knows my offer is the best he could hope for.
I shrug and lean back. “Otherwise, if you want to kill me, you might as well do it now.”
Warren is well past his prime. A feeble old man who hasn’t bothered to take care of himself well enough to remain independent and healthy for much longer. He is a man with little to lose but without the strength he would need to defend himself against me, and he knows I’m not going down without a fight.
A full three minutes of silence tick by before Warren finally clears his throat. “My daughter may not realize it, but she’s the most important person in my life. I want to move forward. Make amends for my past.”
“If you intend to make amends with Briar, you’re already too late.” My muse has long since decided to cut her father out of her life. I will do nothing to stand in her way, even if she has a miraculous change of heart.
“I am well aware of my daughter's resentment toward me. I don’t expect her forgiveness. At this point, I only wish for her safety and happiness.”
“We’re in agreement there.” Perhaps the only thing Warren Marshall and I will ever agree on, the only common ground we’ll find—Briar. His daughter. My muse.
Her family ripped me apart, but she put me back together. A devious twist of fate.
Warren assesses me. “Is it true, what you said earlier? You’re the one who stabbed my brother?”
“Yes. Don’t ask me if I regret it.”
“Because the answer would be no?” A rhetorical question. He doesn’t need the answer. We both know I could never regret taking the life of the man who attempted to hurt me and kill my mother. “I’m assuming you still have my ear as well.”
“Do you want it back? I can’t imagine it looks much better than the one you have remaining.”
He leans back in the chair, drumming his fingers on the armrest. “So you intend to propose to my daughter?”
“I will. When the timing is right.”
He snorts. “If she agrees?—”
“Don’t bother with a speech about how I need to treat your daughter when you have no idea how to do so yourself.”
The sharp edge in my tone silences him.
I took his brother; he took my mother. We both lost someone we cared about. What’s done is done. He can continue to come after me, but that will only worsen his relationship with Briar. She already hates him. If he kills me, she may just seek revenge on her own father.
I did teach her how to shoot, after all.
Warren stands, nodding once. “Keep the ear. And be good to my daughter.”
I flash him a grin. “I’ll be a saint.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
BRIAR
On campus, the administration temporarily gives me Dr. Barrett’s old office, and I reorganize the entire room and burn sage to get rid of any bad spirits. His ghost is likely well aware that I know exactly who killed him.
This morning, I received a text from a different unknown number.
Aren’t you supposed to be preparing for class?
I’ve never believed in ghosts, but I’m starting to think Dr. Barrett’s vengeful ass is haunting me. I’ll have to Google whether ghosts can interact with technology, but I’m going to guess they can.
Pretty blue dress today. Wearing it for someone special?
