She stared at Alistair, ignoring me.
“She hid herself away after Libby died,” he said. “Until Saira pulled her strings. Convinced her I had a hand in the murder. Offered her revenge as bait.”
Holly’s eyes narrowed. “H-how do you know? Have you been spying on me?”
Alistair laughed, sharp and cruel, flashing perfect white teeth. “What you did to Vera is inexcusable. You belong behind bars for that assault. Don’t you agree?”
“Alistair has protection,” I cut in. “They’ve been watching you. They warned him. I saw Saira this morning. She bragged you’d be unleashed. Alistair and I connected the dots over lunch at The Villa. Classy place. Not your kind of crowd.”
Holly’s mouth twisted. “I hate you both.”
Alistair smirked. “Your feelings are irrelevant. Let’s stick to facts. Like the fact that Angelique hired a new employee who matched your description. That was the last piece of the puzzle. So I booked you for the night.”
“Y-you set me up.” Holly’s bewildered gaze snapped to me.
“You set yourself up, honey,” I corrected, my tone cutting. “For failure.”
“Without my sources, I wouldn’t have known you planned to kill me,” Alistair said.
In my head, I thanked Lou and his crew, as well as Lieutenant Frank Berry and Bianca Cavalli. Each of them had handed us a piece of the jigsaw, and now Saira’s web was laid bare.
“Holly,” Alistair said, his voice like a blade sliding free of its sheath, “when you mess with Vera, you fuck with me.”
Her face crumpled, tears sliding down her cheeks. I stroked her hair, almost gently. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry for your loss. But you should’ve talked to me instead of pulling a syringe.”
Her eyes flared with resentment. “What will you do to me?”
“Jail seems like?—”
A knock on the door cut me off.
“It must be Frank,” Alistair said, opening the door.
The moment it swung open, Erin stormed in, wild-eyed and screaming, a handgun clutched in her grip. “You fucking bitch!”
Holly shrieked as I held her tightly.
“You!” Erin screamed as she leveled the weapon at us. “This will shut you up.”
The sharp pop of gunfire tore through the room, splitting the air apart. And just like that, hell erupted all over again.
FIGHT OR FLIGHT
Vera
There are sights no one should ever endure: a dying child, a field of corpses, an animal tortured for sport, and murder up close. Holly’s last sound was a glass-shattering scream before Erin’s bullet shattered her skull.
I shouted Holly’s name, but received no response. Crimson fluid seeped into my dress while I grappled with what was happening. Pieces of her skull were on my lap as her body lost its life. “This isn’t h-happening. I-it can’t be,” I stammered. I was in too much shock to mourn or cry. I didn’t dare look at Holly again. My eyes couldn’t unsee what they had already seen, and once was enough.
Fight or flight—choose fast.
I chose the first, fleeing from Holly’s lifeless body to protect Alistair. Call it instinct or protectiveness, I was ready to fight for him.
“No,” he growled, shielding me from Erin.
“Step away, Scotty. I don’t want to hurt you. It’s her blood I want,” she ordered, pointing the gun at me.
“Why?” I asked. She looked deranged with her unkempt hair, hollow eyes, and gaunt cheeks.
