I lean in closer, letting my words bite into him. “She’s my wife now, by the way. Thought you should know that before you leave this world. Don’t worry. I’ll send your own wife straight to you, soon enough.”
His eyes bulge, mouth working to form words.
“S-Stop,” he stammers, but I don’t. I plunge the needle into his arm and clamp my other hand over his mouth.
He thrashes, body fighting the restraints, but it doesn’t last long. I hold his gaze the entire time, forcing him to look into my eyes while he slips away. I want his last sight to be the man that sends him to hell.
I wish I would’ve done this bloodier. I wish I would’ve ripped him apart with my bare hands. This is too clean. Too fucking easy. But it’ll have to do. I need Grace to think it was an overdose. I want her unsuspecting. I want her to keep living her perfect life. For now.
I’ve been gone a month, chasing crumbs through the veins of the cartel. Another dead body. Another waste of fucking time. No closer to Sombra. No closer to Grace. Just more blood on my hands and a tracker app on my phone that I looked at religiously. That tiny dot, moving around Silverpine. Proof she was still breathing, proof she was still in a safe place.
I’m back now. Back in the shadows where I belong, watching her. Keeping my distance. Fingers itching to close the gap. If I stepped out right now into her line of sight, would she look at me with hate? Disgust? Or that dead-eyed emptiness from before? That one gutted me the most. Like I wasn’t even a person.
Doesn’t matter. I stay hidden and I keep watching.
She looks better. Stronger. There’s a lightness to her steps, a smile I haven’t seen in a long time.
But not today.
Today, she’s in a meeting with a contractor, explaining something to him, hands moving in the air, eyebrows pinched together. But the asshole’s not even listening. I can see it from here. Myth wasn’t wrong, this guy’s been slacking off. Probably thinks he can squeeze a few extra bills out of her, take advantage. We’ll see about that.
I almost stop breathing when I see Griffin, that grinning fuck, walking up to her out of nowhere. All casual smiles and too-easy charm. He wraps his arm around her shoulders like he fucking does it all the time, like she’s his.
My fists clench so hard I hear the knuckles crack.. She doesn’t push him off. Doesn’t shake him away.
Fuck. I have to force air back into my lungs. Control the urge to storm over there and ram my fist through his goddamn face. Punch him straight into his next life.Wasn’t he with Temperance? Is he just spreading himself around town like Halloween candy?
When she finally steps back and his arm falls away, I can breathe again. But the burn stays.
I wait until she leaves, and of course it’s with Griffin — the asshole — in tow.
My hands are shaking when I step out of the shadows. The contractor’s lounging on some busted-ass lawn chair like he’s got nothing else to do.
He sees me moving and his eyes go wide. He scrambles to his feet, stumbling over his own legs. There’s probably murder spitting from my eyes. Good.
I stalk up to him, every step like thunder, and stop just inches away. Close enough to see the sweat bead on his forehead.
He opens his mouth, but I don’t give him the chance.
“I know what you’re thinking.” I lean in, voice like a razor. “But you’d be wrong. I’m worse than I look.”
I tap the patch on my chest, and his eyes flicker to it. Then back to me.
“Gh—Ghost?” His voice is a whispered question.
I nod slowly. “That’s right. I earned that name. Not just because I can move without being seen. It’s because I’m real good at turning people into ghosts. Quick. Efficient.” I lean in closer, drop my voice to a growl. “If the woman who hired you frowns one more time because of you, I’ll add you to my collection. Understood?”
He nods so fast I’m surprised his head doesn’t snap clean off. But it’s not enough.
“Words, fucker,” I spit, tone lethal.
“Got it. I got it,” he stammers, hands flying up in surrender.
I keep my eyes on him for a few more seconds, just to let the fear truly sink in. Then I turn and walk away. If he’s smart, he’ll take the hint. If he’s not… Well, I’ll be watching.
I’m back from another hunt. Five Verdugos gone. Seven in total. But Sombra? Nowhere in sight.
I’m losing patience. Thought I almost had him this time. One of those bastards I put in the ground gave me an address, spit it out through his broken teeth. Too bad Sombra hadn’t been there in months. The place was dead. Cold.
