“It’s—” Her words catch in her throat and she stifles a cough while shaking her head. “It’s not what you think.”
“Isn’t it? Did you think I wouldn’t remember who shot me? It takes one cold son of a bitch to commit murder and then try to slot back into society like nothing happened.”
Zira’s hands fly to her mouth and tears flood her eyes, making them sparkle a thousand times brighter. “I didn’t… I-I mean, I did, but I… I didn’t put you in the river.”
My gaze remains locked on hers. “Right. Does that excuse the bullets?”
“No!”
“Is that how you justified it? If I died, it would have been the river and not your gun?”
“No! Look, I-I’m sorry, okay?” Despite the fat tears clinging to her lower lashes, she’s fighting her hardest not to give in and cry, but one touch from me and I’m certain she’ll completely fall apart. “I did what I had to do, okay? You couldn’t understand, you couldn’t ever!”
“Sorry for what, robbing three high-end stores?”
“Y-Yes!”
“Terrorizing countless innocent employees?”
“Yes!”
“What about ruining the businesses, sending chaotic ripples across the gemstone market? Turned some of those employees into people now too scared to leave their home? Or are you only sorry that you did it here?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Zira gasps. “I’m sorry for all of it, okay? If there were any other way then I— and I’m sorry, I am sorry I shot you, but I had no other choice, okay? No other choice.” She repeats it over and over between hoarse gasps for air. “You’d never understand.”
“Try me.”
Her eyes flutter closed and those tears roll slowly down her cheeks. “If you can afford to shop here, then your precious, perfect little rich life couldneverunderstand. I-I don’t have to explain myself to you!”
“I’m the one you tried to kill.”
“I didn’t— I mean, I didn’t want to but I…”
“You had to,” I finish for her. “So tell me why.”
“I can’t.” Pain floods her voice and she clutches her fingers together in front of her lips. “I can’t. So… so do what you have to do. Hit me. Kill me. Call the cops on me. Whatever you gotta do, just do it, okay? Just…” Her shoulders sag suddenly, as if being caught is a relief to her and the prospect of a fate that could include death is somehow a mercy. “Just get it over with.”
I was right. Zirconia isn’t the mastermind behind whatever is going on here and my initial evaluation that she didn’t want to be a part of it is confirmed by her refusal to tell me anything. Before I was part of the Suit, I put countless people in this exact situation. Hands stained with blood and something precious in my grip that forces them to keep quiet.
Someone has something on her, something that she’s willing to die to protect.
After a moment of her staring fearfully at me, I push off the wall and sigh deeply. “I hoped we could have an open and honest conversation, Zirconia. You have to know you and the others can’t get away with this.”
“So call the cops,” she says weakly. “I’ll admit it. I did it all. Everything.”
The defeat in her voice creates a warm pulse of sympathy under my ribs, so I distract myself by adjusting my shirt. I’d planned to take her to Damian to be dealt with once I got my answers, but she’s a locked box, and without the key, I’ll remain in the dark. “I’m not calling the police.”
Her brows pull together, and she hastily wipes away a tear. “What?”
“I’m not calling the police.”
“But I tried to kill you. I thought I had.”
“I know. But you can do something else for me.”
Her eyes widen and drop to my crotch, then a flash of anger crosses her pale face like a shadow and she glares at me. “In your fucking dreams.”
“Not that.” What an odd conclusion to jump to. “The police aren’t who you should be concerned about. I know you’re not the leader of that gang.”
