Page 97 of Lethal Weakness

“He’s no longer a useful asset,” Oni says.

“He killed all those people,” she cries, clawing at her forehead.

“Linden.” I cup her cheeks in my hands so she has to look at me. “I got it from here. Go get in the truck.”

She looks at me wide-eyed and tearful. “Are you going to kill him?”

I don’t respond, not out loud. I let her see the killer behind the mask. When she doesn’t run screaming, I nod.

My hands fall from her face before I move to the guard’s back, and she watches my every move. He starts jerking against the chair as I palm the back of his head and forehead in either hand.

“Wait!”

My eyes snap to hers, and I prepare to disappoint her once again. I am going to kill this bastard for hurting her, whether she wants me to or not.

“Don’t do it in my kitchen… I actually have some good memories here.”

Dancing. Singing. Coloring with Avery. Midnight dessert. All the memories I watched from afar. But I stare intently as her cheeks get pinker, and I can recall the memories that I was a part of too.

I straighten, dropping my hands from my soon-to-be victim. “You’re right. I apologize.”

Her kitchen can remain unstained.

She scrambles towards the door as I drag the bloodied guard and his chair into the living room. I look at her, desperately seeking her approval.

She nods, and this time when my hands go to his head, she disappears outside.

I snap his neck with one easy twist, and leave my team to it.

Linden’s still attempting to climb into my truck when I get outside, but she’s getting in the back seat with Avery.

I know I’ve lied to her for months, and she also knows that I’m a killer now… But I can’t stand the thought of her being afraid of me.

I take off the small gun I have strapped to my ankle and stick it in the pocket on the back of my seat. “In case you’ll feel better having this close by.”

She glances at where I stored the gun but doesn’t say anything.

“Whatever you need to feel safe, I’ll do it. Just tell me.”

“I need to be close to Avery,” she says solemnly.

I nod in understanding, getting in the front seat. I tuck a pillow on top of the center console and pat it. “For your foot.”

“Thank you,” she murmurs, leaning her head against the car seat.

“We going bye-bye now?” Avery asks, yawning. I imagine she’ll fall asleep again after the crazy last twelve hours.

“Yep, we’re going bye-bye.” I shift into drive and glance at Linden’s amused smirk in my rearview mirror. “What?”

“Your range is amusing. Trained K-I-L-L-E-R to toddler talk within minutes.”

“I’ve been unaffected by D-E-A-T-H for half my life now. The toddler stuff is a lot more pressure.”

“I still want to know everything, Jack.”

“I know. There just isn’t much I can say in front of A-V-E-R-Y.”

“Hey, that’s my name!” Avery says, and I cringe. I thought I was getting the hang of the spelling game. I didn’t anticipate her being able to spell her name already.