The boy I once thought of as my world.
Nine years of obsession. One year of happiness.
Destroyed in an instant.
He destroyed my happiness, and then he promised he’ddestroy my life.
I guess he’s done that, alright.
There’s no longer any part of me that isn’t convinced he pulled the trigger. And I don’t wonder, either, why he didn’t kill me too. He doesn’t want me to die. He wants me tosuffer.
I don’t know how long I stay like that, willing the hot water to wipe away the memories, the pain. But at some point, my brain reminds me I have a taekwondo class to get to.
I’m regretting signing up again, and actually wondering if I shouldn’t just cancel, because exercise is not something I ever look forward to. And I’mdefinitelynot looking forward to it now.
But if I don’t get fit, there’s no way I stand a chance against Quill, who was all muscle the last time I saw him, three years ago. If he’s kept up his weight lifting, I’m fucked.
Sighing, I rummage through the bag of necessities I purchased yesterday evening with the black Amex card, and wriggle into leggings and a tank top.
This definitely doesn’t seem like the right kind of attire for taekwondo, but I didn’t bother reading the website description. Anyway, I’m not doing this for the fucking fashion show. I’m doing it to kill a man.
Maybe I should have signed up for shooting classes instead, but you can’t get a gun without a permit, can you?
I’m about to head out when my cell phone rings.
“Piper? Hi, it’s Officer Jones.”
I stop in my tracks, my heart beating fast. “Yeah?”
“Great news, Piper. You can go home.”
I sag backwards against the door as a clusterfuck of emotions overwhelm me. Relief, at being able to run the hell away from this penthouse suite, with the word danger written all over it in neon letters. Dread, at going home, and having to open up the gash just a bit and deal with all the shit inside it. Surprise, as itmeans…
“You’ve already found him?”
“Huh?”
“You found the killer,” I say. “That’s why I can go home, right? It didn’t take you very long.”
“Oh.” He clears his throat uncomfortably. “Well, Piper, the thing is, wedidfind the killer. You are no longer a suspect. Nor even a person of interest, so you can breathe easier.”
I click my tongue. I don’t give a fuck about that. I want the name of the killernow.
“Well?” I snap impatiently. “Who did it?”
“I’m sorry to tell you that it was a… murder-suicide.”
I nearly drop the phone on the floor as blood crashes against my ears. A murder-suicide? No. Impossible. Dad would never… Mom would never… He loved her so much… He worshipped the ground she walked on…
I’m in such shock that I don’t even know which of those words I speak out loud, if any. But Jones continues, “Actually, we’re not sure if it was a murder-suicide or a suicide pact. I should have led with that. I’m sorry.”
There’s a long silence as I try to wrap my mind around the words coming to me from the phone. It feels like my world is imploding.
“Impossible!” I cry, shouting the word into the phone. “They wouldn’t leave me here all alone in the world! Liar! You’re a fucking liar! Who are you covering for?”
There’s another heavy silence, and then Jones speaks, as if he’s doing his very best to control his own temper. “I understand it’s a shock for you, Piper. Believe me, I’m not covering for anyone.”
Believe me. Someone else once spoke those words to me.Believe me, Piper. I’ll never let you go.Believe me, Piper. I love you. You’re my whole world. I’ll always protect you.
