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“Stop you? You mean kill you.”
“Yes.”
“You’re insane,” I rasped. “You want to die?”
“I do not, but this isn’t about what I want.” He moved forward, hand outstretched. “This has always been about you. You are ten times the sanctimonious bastard than Douglas Herbert could ever be. You think you’re above us—hiding out with your chickens and leaving the silly townspeople to their silly games. Your ancestors ran out on the fight and your coward ass did too.”
“What are you talking about?!”
“I’m talking about you, me, and Jennifer Wilson. You can’t run away this time. She dies tonight unless you break free of that goody-two-boots, farm-girl act and do what has to be done.”
“None of this has to be done. You don’t have to hurt anyone, Cavendish. You said you don’t want to die, so let’s end this.” I dropped my voice. There was no other word for what I was doing than pleading. “Your job, your family, your girlfriend. Remember what you killed your best friend to protect. It can all be there waiting for you tomorrow morning. No one has to die tonight.”
My speech stirred nothing in his eyes. “Tonight’s as good a night as any other. To die is my birthright, de Souza.” And then he was there, fingers caressing my cheek almost lovingly. “But to die ripping out a piece of your soul, that is my honor.”
“I won’t do it.”
“Then, Jennifer won’t make it back to her job, family, or girlfriend tomorrow morning. I’ll get to see how long you can live with that, before you blow your fucking brains out.”
Teeth bared, I slapped his hand away. “You’re not hearing me. No one is going to die tonight. You confessed to killing Douglas and targeting Jennifer. I have more than enough to take to the sheriff.”
“Go on, then. Send him speeding out here to arrest me.”
I yanked out my phone to do just that, putting distance between us in case he made a grab for it.
“Although,” he said. “You may have trouble getting through. Ruckus Royale’s already started for half the town, so the station’s getting flooded with calls. How long are you going to listen to a busy signal before you get a hold of someone?” Cavendish flashed that grin. “I’m sure you’re not expecting me to stick around until you do.”
I shrugged. “Fine. Go on the run.” I spoke with bravado I didn’t feel. “The cops will know you’re after her. They’ll protect her until they eventually catch up to you. At least Jennifer will be safe.”
His grin widened—a nasty, terrible twist of his handsome face, and I knew before he spoke. “Will she?”
“What did you do?”
“Nothing other than what I promised to do. I’ve had months to plan this. Don’t you think I worked in a few fail-safes in case you caught me before time? And you did,” he said. “When I noticed you lurking around my house, I went with plan B.”
“What’s plan B? What did you do to her?!” My phone rang in my ear. And rang. And rang. And rang.
“What did you do, Rainey? Why did you take so long? Why’d you waste so much time?” He shook his head, reeking with disappointment. “She’d be safe at home getting ready for Ruckus right now if you had killed me sooner.”
“Stop,” I shouted. “Stop pretending this is my fault when you’re the psychotic piece of garbage threatening her. You won’t make me responsible for what you do.”
“You are responsible!” The bellow blew me back. Rage bulged his eyes and dots of spittle sprinkled my shoe. “You did this. We are here because of you!”
“How?” The dial tone was louder than my whisper. “Why?”
“If you want to play the innocent, then go. Run to the station, report me, and wash your hands of the whole thing. It’s what Great-great-grandma de Souza would have done,” Cavendish said, lips curled. “Keep the family tradition going.”
“My family has nothing to do with this. I have no idea why you think you know me, but you’re going to start making some sense. Why did you pick me? Why is it your honor to force me to take your life?”
His gaze drifted over my shoulder. “Interesting. Are they your backup plan?”
“What? My backup plan?” I turned around and screamed.
Cairo and Jacques leaped out of the truck bed, hitting the ground as Roan squealed to a stop, Arsenio and Legend riding passenger beside him.
“This is a treat,” Cairo said. “Couldn’t wait till tonight, could you, Rain?”
“What are you—?”
“Get her,” Jacques barked. “We’re taking them both.”
“We don’t have enough,” Roan said.
“She’s not a sacrifice.” The look on Jacques’s face answered the question. It wasn’t irony. “She’s mine.”
He was going to kill me.
Jacques and Cairo charged.
“Wait!”
A streak cut across my vision. Cavendish threw himself in their path. They slammed into him with an audible sound of bone crunching bone and went down in a heap. I turned tail and ran.
