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CHAPTER ONE
RHETT
His eyes had a sunken look to them, the whites so scarlet it was almost impossible to see the natural blue surrounding dilated pupils. Keeping my gun pressed to his temple, I brought the liquor bottle to swollen lips and forced him to take another drink. He swallowed audibly, slumping even further into himself.
He’d stopped begging nearly twenty minutes ago, which had been twenty minutes too long. I could think of a million better ways to pass my time. If not for Nova, the issue between the two of us wouldn’t be considered personal.
He’d never been a problem until he started continually toeing the non-existent line that was my tolerance when it came to her. There was no enjoyment in doing this, but because of Nova, it was necessary.
“He’s done.” I tucked my gun away so that I could use both hands. “Let’s get him into the driver’s seat.”
With a nod, Callum pulled open the car door, watching as I lifted Mickey from the ground, grabbing just beneath his arms, leaving his feet to drag. His head lolled, and a breath of pungent liquor blew across my cheek. Disgusted, I shoved his ass inside without care, causing the top of his forehead to bounce off the upper frame of the car.
A low groan emptied from the back of his throat. Filthy, drunken fingers attempted to grab at me. I easily shook them off.
Melody Parker, his rebound girl, was still out cold in the passenger seat.
The knot on her head was hidden by a curtain of messy blonde hair. We’d knocked her out as soon we’d retrieved her from the old woodshed Tripp had stashed her in. Not an easy task when the entire town was on one helluva manhunt for her. It wasn’t anything we couldn’t handle, though. We’d been down this road once or twice before.
Like with Mickey, this wasn’t personal. This chick was a nobody, the unfortunate daughter of a man on my list that had needed to be handled quickly and efficiently. It just so happened that she was useful for what I had decided to do with her boyfriend.
I made sure the front two windows of the car were cracked a decent bit, leaving the back pair up. Then, crouching, I pressed down on the gas pedal with one hand and shifted the car into drive with the other.
Due to the slight incline, it immediately began to roll forward, needing no assistance from me or Callum.
I slammed the door and moved a step back, watching it go over the peak of the cliff we were on. Its front end tilted downward, causing it to plummet a rapid rate. The noise from the falls drowned out the sound it made as it impacted Legacy Lake, sending ripples across its glass-like surface.
It could take seconds or a few minutes to sink, though that was irrelevant now. The average person could only hold their breath for thirty to sixty seconds. Neither Mickey nor Melody were in any state to save themselves, and no one was around to help them.
There was a hint of irony in killing them here. This peak was the first place I brought Nova so that we could be alone.
It wasn’t all that long ago, but things hadn’t been the same between us since that day. They never would be.
“How much time we got left?” Callum asked, his attention trained on the tail end of the car.
“Enough to get our shit together and bounce.”
“And what about Nova? You sure you’re ready to take her on for a lifetime? That’s a big responsibility.”
I thumbed my chin, glancing up at the rapidly lightening skyline. I didn’t know how to answer that outright. It was a complex question. Was I sure she was coming with me? Yes. I had been more than patient when it came to our relationship. I’d drag her ass out of Legacy Falls kicking and screaming if I had to. I needed her, wanted her in all the ways there was to want someone. Wholly. Possessively. Diabolically.
“We should head back,” I finally replied, turning around to begin the trek to where we’d stashed our ride. There wasn’t time to fumble over feelings or rationalize anything.
The outcome wouldn’t change. I’d made a choice, and now there was only one way this could end.
Nova Markov had to die.
CHAPTER TWO
