Page 7 of XO Karma

“Or the twenty illegitimate children coming out of the woodwork for the will reading.”

She laughs, light and airy. “Oh, how I have always wanted a slew of brothers and sisters.” A pause settles between us, and her voice grows softer. “You know I’m kidding.” It’s been so long since I’ve thought about him. Thought about the ache he left behind. “Aster… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I keep saying all the wrong things tonight.”

“No,” I reassure her. “It’s okay. It’s just…”

“I know.” A beat of silence passes between us. “I miss him too. He would be proud of you, you know.”

“Unlikely.” If my older brother knew I’ve spent the last decade searching for retribution for his killer instead of living my life, he’d murder me himself.

“It’s been thirteen years,” she reminds me. As if it’s all but a distant memory. A memory that only haunts me on the low days, not every time I close my eyes to sleep. The memory that fuels me every time I take another life from someone who no longer deserves to live it.

“How’s San Francisco?” I ask, desperate to take the conversation to something more light and present-day. “Win any big cases lately?

“Oh.” Static crackles through the line. “Yeah, um, it’s been fine.”

“Fine? What’s going on, Belle?”

“Nothing,” she says quickly. “Everything is a-okay.”

“You once told me, if a woman says she’s fine, I should already start doing damage control.”

“Yeah, that was in reference to the women you’re dating, not your sister. If I say it’s fine, it’s fine,” she says, pitch hitting soprano.

“You know you can talk to me. I’m sorry I haven’t been answering your calls. I⁠—”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just work stuff.”

“You want to talk about it?”

“No.” Voices flood through the other end of the line.

“Where are you?”

“Oh, you know me, still at the office. I’ll call you next week, okay?”

Why is she being so cagey? “Okay… Love you, Belle.”

“Love you too, Ass.”

“I still hate that nickname.”

“I know.” Her laugh echoes through the line until the call drops.

By the time I fall asleep, I’ve almost been able to shake away the memories from the night Oliver died.

3

LILY

My foot eases against the brake, bringing the truck to a stop in the driveway. The 90s Ford is Liam’s, but given he uses his unmarked police cruiser most of the time, which is unfortunately also here, he lets me borrow it when I don’t feel like walking or taking public transport. Putting the vehicle in park, I throw my head against the seat with a groan. He’s home.

Liam’s been on me about late-night Karma runs, and although I appreciate his concern, I’m not in the mood for a lecture. I stopped by a 24/7 walk-in clinic, and apparently, I do not have a concussion, but rather a very vivid overactive imagination. There was an absence of lacerations, which was also curious, so whatever red substance was on Aster’s neck was not mine.

The rain has subsided, but I’m still wet, frozen to the bone, and if I’m honest, all I want is a slice of cold pizza, a steaming shower, and a date with my favorite vibrator.

While I draw the line at listening to strangers fucking, I can’t deny the way it activated my touch-starved body like a sleeper agent. That sexy journalist may have triggered it too.

Too bad reporter pretty boy is off limits.