My jaw dropped, and my eyes widened at his question.
Anthony C. Hopkins.
The very idea that they could have raped herafterthey’d murdered her… I was going to be sick.
Bryce retracted his question quickly. “Evie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be crude. It just came out. I—”
I put my hand up to stop him as I closed my eyes, forcing the idea that men would rape a dead woman out of my mind. “It’s fine. Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past them, but I think it was before.”
“To use another man’s words, they wanted to teach her a lesson,” Sebastian said, taking my hand again. The warmth was comforting, and I relaxed.
“I see. I’d ask what lesson, but it doesn’t matter. No one deserves what they did to her.”
Silence followed briefly, but Bryce was good at pushing the darkness away. “Anyway, I just wanted to talk to you guys and see what your plans were. Not too many people have heard—or care—but I got word that talent manager Jason Dourif was found in his house, face covered in cocaine, and he’d been stabbed to death. Now, to anyone else, he’s just another dumb talent manager who didn’t pay his dealer. But to me, knowing what I know…” He tapped his temple. “I have a feeling you two made a guest appearance at his house that night. Didn’t you?”
Sebastian and I looked at each other. His expression softened, his eyes comforting me. We turned back to Bryce. What was his endgame? This little cat-and-mouse situation wasn’t his MO. Finally, I just asked.
“What do you want? Money?”
“Money?” Bryce’s mouth fell open, as if truly shocked I’d ask such a thing. Leaning over the table so that we had to do the same, a slow grin spread over our friend’s face. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him reach for the pink box with the red ribbon and slide it across to me. “I’m not here to take. I’m here to give. I’ve been waiting five long fucking years for this moment. She gave this to me the day before she died.”
I straightened and took it, lifting the lid. Right on top sat a note with handwriting I hadn’t seen in years. My breath caught in my throat as I lifted the small piece of paper.
James Dean once said, “Live fast, die young, and leave a good-looking corpse.” I have a strong feeling that I might be doing that tonight. If I didn’t come home and Bryce has given you my last parting gift, please, learn how to use them.
Don’t let them take you alive.
Love,
Mom
Tears flooded my vision as I read the words over and over again. The men at the table sat silently, letting me take things in. Setting the note down gently, I peered into the box.
Inside were two small push daggers. I lifted the one on the left and ran a finger along the sharp edge. Slowly spinning it in my hands, I admired the short, smooth, four-inch light-pink blades with red handles that hadGood For Herengraved in a pink cursive font. A chill went down my spine, and I looked back up at Bryce.
Red and bubblegum pink were her signature colors. They matched the box they came in. She’d given them to him to give to me because she knew there was a chance I’d need them.
Don’t let them take you alive.
She’d known she wasn’t coming home.
Bryce reached for his beer, pulling my attention from the gift. “Evie, I don’t want money. I want to help.”
Chapter 28
Sebastian
The Signature Weapon
“Ican’t imagine her carrying knives.” Evie sat between Cujo and Precious on my couch a week later, twirling the daggers between her fingers. “But she clearly had them specially made. They look new.”
“Maybe they were,” I suggested, coming from the kitchen with a Red Bull in my hand. I offered her a bottle of water and sat down on the other side of the couch. I’d tried to sit with her, but my dogs seemed to prefer Evie to me. They’d never liked a sexual partner I brought home before, but with her, it was like she’d been their original owner, not me. I tried not to get jealous of the amount of cuddles they were giving her, but this side of the couch was quite lonely.
“Maybe they weren’t hers but made for you. They don’t say Lita on them.”
“True,” she mumbled as she studied them. They were pretty nice push daggers. “Good for her. That’s kind of iconic, don’t you think?”
“They are very Lita-coded,” I agreed.
