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I gawked at him. “My bosses know that Sebastian is a killer?”
“No. They know that Sebastian is a powerful man who helps relocate women and children, and when he keeps them safe, he’s breaking laws. They’re some of the best criminal attorneys around. Those are the men I want on his side. That file was blank because I asked them not to keep any record of what I’d shared. They probably slipped paper in it so it wouldn’t arouse suspicion. Apparently, it didn’t work.”
The color drained from my cheeks, and I shot him a sheepish look. “Dope didn’t tell you that I thought you were Death?” And that I was freaking the fuck out when I thought I might be sleeping with Sebastian’s best friend!
“Must be all the mysterious disappearances that raised suspicions.” Dope quirked his brow at Kip.
Kip glanced at the floor. “I’m not using drugs, if that’s what you’re thinking. Haven’t touched the shit again. Between work and cleaning up Death’s messes, it’s a lot. Sometimes I just have to regroup and take some time to myself.”
Tension filled the space as the guys stared each other down, the silence almost deafening. I didn’t think Dope bought Kip’s lame story any more than I did.
Kip finally looked away and returned his attention to me. “At least our efforts aren’t in vain. I would much rather you suspected me than Sebastian until we knew you were going to stay by his side. Well, we hoped anyway. And, the wild ride is about to begin again. Death will be back soon.”
“How do you know?” I took a drink of the pale ale.
“Has he been complaining about headaches to you?” Kip asked, hopping onto the barstool at the butcher block countertop.
“Yeah, but I just figured it was left over from the car accident.”
“The headaches show up, his sleeping patterns change, and he gets agitated easily. Eventually you’ll see that, but I think the two of you are too new and in the honeymoon phase. Kip and I usually meet here to make sure we’re tracking him, cleaning up, and doing all of the other shit that comes with his killing sprees.” Dope shoved a hand through his messy hair.
“This will be the first time I see Death and know the truth.” My stomach clenched with the thought, but at least I knew they were the same man. Kind of.
“Maybe you can talk to him, tell him that you know who he is,” Kip suggested.
My head whipped in his direction, horror twisting my expression. “I’m sorry, what? You’re kidding, right?”
“No. Ella, he loves you even as Death. If you can get through to him, he might get help. We can’t cover for him forever. We do our best, and now with you helping, it’s easier … but we know the cops are going to catch him sooner or later.” Kip’s shoulders tensed, his anxiety evident.
My gaze narrowed in on Dope. “I thought you said if he knew he had another personality it could drive him over the edge.”
“Each person and how they react is different. It can cause severe anxiety, and when he stresses, he kills. It’s a risk we are going to have to take, and we’re running out of time,” Dope said.
I tapped my foot against the floor, my nerves on edge with the idea. “He can’t get caught. Besides, he’s cleaning up the pond scum that are a waste of space. I hate to admit it, but I’m actually supportive of his rampages.” I winced with my confession.
“Don’t feel bad. We are too.” Kip pursed his lips. “He’s doing a lot of good. That’s not the problem. It’s that we need to move him, or he has to get treatment. He’s been killing in the same area for too long.”
A moment of clarity smacked me. “Because I’m here.”
“Yup.” Dope popped his ‘p.’
I massaged my forehead. “I can’t make the decision for him, to get help or to move, I mean.” I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “What if he doesn’t accept the truth? What then? We move?” I couldn’t leave Portland.
Before either of the guys could respond, an idea barged into my thoughts. I added, “I will take him to other parts of the country. And I’ll help you guide his kills.” I threw my head back and barked out a laugh. I had lost my fucking mind.
The guys glanced at each other and nodded. “We’ve done what we can, but now we have someone with a stronger influence. You can keep him busy while we find more scum of the earth. We’ll do whatever it takes to keep him out of prison or a psych ward. They’ll throw away the fucking key if they catch him. I love my bro, and I have to do everything possible to keep that from happening.”
“I love Death too.” He’s dark, powerful … savage. My thighs clenched with the thought of him pinning me down and taking what was his. The sex with him was the extreme opposite of Sebastian. I craved both sides of Sebastian. Realizing that I was being selfish, I snapped out of my hormone-induced brain fog.
“We have a plan A and a plan B. I’ll see what I can do when I see him again. He deserves the choice, and I’ll do anything to protect him. My dad is still in the clinical trial, and I won’t move away full time. I can’t.”
“We get that, Ella. We just needed to be on the same page for Sebastian’s sake.” Dope eyed his green beer bottle, then tilted it up and guzzled it, loudly burping when he was done.
I looked at Kip and shook my head. “How do you put up with him?”
Kip laughed. “He’s a dude. Besides, when he burps and farts around you, then you know you’re no longer a friend. You’re family.”
I laughed. “Lucky me.”
