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Liam holds me captive in this house, as a fake girlfriend who has to play that role in every humiliating way. Daisy has invaded my house, targeting me for God only knows what.
Is it possible Aaron did send her? Or is she here for another reason? Another ghost from my past come for revenge? Or just an opportunistic grifter, a common con artist, a garden-variety blackmailer? I certainly hope to learn why she was taping me, but mostly, I just want to get rid of her.
I will not say that Liam’s crimes deserve death. Nor that Daisy’s deserve the possibility of life in prison. But I will say that I am fine trading those fates in return for my freedom.
The night is still young, and there’s plenty of time to kill Liam and frame Daisy.
The first part of the plan succeeded. That pill from the pharmacist mixed into Liam’s drink fast-tracked him into Drunk Liam. No, it fast-tracked him into Real Liam, slamming down his inhibitions. I knew he’d hit on Daisy because that’s what he always does when he’s drunk and there’s a decent-looking woman around he can humiliate me with.
Yes, I knew Tom might also bring out Liam’s belligerent side, but I could work with that. Dose Liam’s drink to make him flirt with Daisy, and then dose Daisy’s with my sleeping pills to make her pass out tonight, opening a black hole in her memory where I can insert Dead Liam.
Daisy? Wh-what have you done?
I won’t call the cops and see her marched off in handcuffs. Not unless she forces my hand. I just need to convince her to run. Seed the fear that she killed Liam during a blackout and let her flee, preferably after I confront her with the camera and get her confession there.
So why am I hesitating? Why am I making excuses? Because I’m not a cast-iron sociopath, as much as I need to be.
Damn it, I need a few shots of that scotch myself. Liquid courage.
Liam is in my bedroom. The door is half-open, and as I approach, I see him lying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Staring up at that crack.
I freeze. He’s noticed the crack.
I put the camera back last night. I hadn’t wanted Daisy to check and see the camera was missing.
Has Liam noticed the camera light?
No, that isn’t possible. I’d replaced the battery. Without that alert light, it’s impossible to see the camera through that crack.
Except he’s looking straight at it.
He’s grinning up at it. As I watch, he makes a kissy face, and waggles his brows and then turns, as if jokingly giving the camera his “good side.”
“Hey,” I say as I walk in.
He gives a start and then covers it with a grin as he extends his arms. “Celeste, come here.”
I roll my eyes as I walk toward him. “What the hell was that downstairs?”
“You. Loved. It,” he says, punctuating each word with a smack of a kiss. “Especially the part where two hot guys were fighting over you.”
“You weren’t fighting over me. You were just fighting.” I pause. “Did you call yourself hot?”
“I’m totally hot, and I know it, because you cannot get enough.”
I move to the foot of the bed, out of camera sight. He grabs my arm and pulls me into bed. When I try to stay on the far side, he tugs me under the camera and tugs my shirt from my shorts.
“You loved it,” he says. “And you would have loved it even more if Tommy had gone for it. Cute tattooed mechanic with grease under his fingernails. Perfect one-night-stand material. You get the chance to hit that, you should.”
He’s laying a trap here, and I’m not stupid enough to fall into it. I sputter a feigned laugh. “Didn’t you just spend the last two hours being pissy because you caught me touching his arm?”
“Nah, I was just giving him a hard time. And if he offers you a hard time? Ride ’em, cowboy.” He grins. “Just as long as you don’t mind me driving Miss Daisy.”
I should respond, make some joke, but all I can see is that crack overhead as he peels off my shirt, directly under it.
Daisy.
