“Just to kill me.” I shrugged. What else could the man who had everything want from someone like me?
“Are you okay?” Skye reached for my hand, squeezing it softly.
What a loaded question. I thought about it for a long while. Was I? I sighed deeply, tears for my mother rising to the surface again. I brushed them back with my free hand and nodded to my friends.
“I am. I finally feel like my mother can rest in peace.”
And so could I.
I’d reflected a lot on my grief journey yesterday while visiting her grave. Her headstone had been decorated with pink flowers and other trinkets from fans. I’d picked up each and every item, thinking about the people who’d gifted them. They loved her so much for the woman she was on screen, never knowing the woman she was off it.
My mother experienced more than I would likely ever know. Good and bad. And now that the men who hurt her for the final time were dead, I could move on.
Skye reached for something from the floor and stepped over to Sebastian’s dresser. She’d found my knives. Lita Reyes’s final gift to me were the tools I needed to claim my freedom from the pain of losing her. The words carved on those knives echoed in my brain.
Good For Her.
Good for me.
It wasn’t until we heard sirens that Sebastian returned, drenched head to toe.
“I’m about to be interviewed on the news. Anyone want to join me?”
The group helped me put a clean shirt on and go downstairs. I took a couple of pain pills Skye had pulled from her purse. People flooded Sebastian’s yard. He took my hand, leading me through the front door. We could hear screaming out by the road, and when I looked, I saw twenty people, at least, with cameras and boom mics, waving and yelling to get our attention. Together, the four of us went down to speak to them.
“Sebastian! What happened? How did Elliott Bradley end up dead in your pool?”
Anderson, Sebastian’s agent, appeared out of nowhere, pushing his way through the crowd. He stood beside us as Sebastian gave his statement to the public.
“I have spoken to the police, but I will say it here as well. Yesterday, the news came out that in the past, I have had relations with many people—many of whom were closeted men—in this industry, and in exchange, I received roles or higher salaries. I told my agent that I was going to come clean today. Elliott came and threatened me not to. He had a gun. He shot once, and the backfire caused him to drop it. I picked it up, and when he came for me, I shot him in self-defense. He fell into my pool and drowned before I could save him.”
“Why did he want you to keep quiet? Did you have sex with Elliott Bradley?”
I held my breath as Sebastian took the fall for my murder.
“No, I did not. But I have had sex with many of his colleagues. I won’t be giving out names, but it happened. And to be honest, I really,reallydo not care.” He paused, taking my hand and squeezing. He lifted it to his lips, kissing it gently. “Hollywood is a town full of secrets, and I and many others like me are a part of that. While I know it’s not a good look, and I’m sure that many great, more deserving people lost out on roles to me simply because I had no shame, I can’t take back what has happened. I’m sorry to anyone I hurt while trying to advance my career. I won’t be partaking in that kind of audition process anymore.” Sebastian squeezed my hand as he said his public statement.
We turned to leave, letting Anderson step in to answer questions.
We went inside and spent the rest of the day repeating our story to the police over and over again. They were trying to make one of us goof up, but all four of us were tight-lipped and told the same story. Eventually, everyone took their leave, and only Sebastian and I remained.
He helped me shower, and despite knowing I could finally sleep in peace, he insisted I stay the night with him.
“Neither of us is in good shape to drive,” he said as he came into his room from his own shower. I’d been given one of his T-shirts and had already climbed into bed. He dried off, put on boxers, and joined me under the covers. I snuggled closer, and he took care not to touch my wounded shoulder.
“We did it,” I said sleepily. “My mother is finally at peace.”
“And you’re gonna be soon, too,” he said, and I gave him a look.
Realizing how ominous that sounded, he laughed and backtracked. “My bad. I meant because you’re falling asleep. Don’t worry. I’m not gonna murder you. I won’t even touch you.”
My belly fluttered, and I rolled to face him. I winced as I put weight on my left side.
“What if... I wanted you to.” I placed my hand on his warm, bare chest. His muscles were always so...
I sighed and looked up into his beautiful emerald eyes. Even in the darkness, they shone. For a brief moment, I reflected on how we’d gotten here. This man had murdered for me and still looked so innocent, so happy, so perfect.
He furrowed his dark brows, and his lips formed a thin line as he shook his head. “You gave me five chances to convince you to stay. I used them all, and I’m no closer than the day we reunited. You’re off the hook, Final Girl.”
