Page 77 of Death Kiss

‘I’m not sure that this is responsible criminal behaviour,’ I say, tracing my fingers over his, where they sit loose against my throat. ‘You’re going to go in there with a bloody lob on and smelling like pussy.’

He gives me a smirk before slowly licking his wet fingers. ‘Can’t have him dying with your scent in his nose. That’s mine.’

I reach for his belt buckle, craving more, but he stills my hand. ‘Let me carry the need in there, Princess. The desire to get you out and alone will fuel me.’

Closing my eyes for a second, I breathe him in. The musky smell of me, with the mind that lingers on his breath. The surrounding trees add to the heady scent, a light wind dancing around us. Suddenly the cold makes me shiver, the heat of our tryst dissipating and reminding my body it’s bloody cold out.

I stoop to grab my knife, straightening as Liam adjusts his still hard dick in his trousers. We move together past the trees, crossing the grass and taking cover behind the first row of bushes. Adrenaline courses as we fix our masks back into place.

It’s now or never.

Moving silently, I go towards the exposed portion of the power cable, until a distant siren roots me to the spot.

Not so distant, perhaps.

Liam yanks me back behind the bushes as the sirens grow louder, flashing blue lights soon dancing off the trees.

‘Fuck,’ Liam says, ‘Come on.’

We retreat to the treeline, dragging our masks up, hearts racing, and watch as multiple police cars storm around the corner and pull up in front of Ashworth’s house.

‘Damn. Are we too late?’ I ask.

‘I don’t think so,’ Liam whispers as an orange glow lights up the windows inside the home. Moments later, Ashworth appears at the door in striped pyjamas and a dressing gown. Police officers pour out of the cars and surround the house.

‘What the fuck?’ I can’t believe my eyes. Ashworth looks furious, even from across the large garden, gesticulating wildly until an officer slaps cuffs on him.

‘If we hadn’t stopped against the tree… we’d be in there now.’ Liam sounds half relieved, half enraged.

‘Saved by fingering, who’d have thought it?’

‘Kat,’ Liam says.

‘Saved by the devil’s doorbell...’

Liam smiles for a moment, before it melts from his face. ‘If he’s in custody, he’s untouchable. He won’t die. We can’t finish the list.’

I can feel his heart breaking. Everything we’ve worked for… remaining unfinished. Fear creeps in among the anger. Because Ashworth knows who we are.

If he’s in custody, he might squeal like a piggy to save his own ass.

Fuck.

Dipping behind a tree, I pull out my burner phone and turn it on. Right there on the news page, I find the answer.

LOCAL OFFICER EMBROILED IN ABUSE RING.

An acrid taste fills my mouth.

Freddie published it early.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Liam’s jaw tightens as he reads the headline. ‘I’ll kill that smarmy little fucker.’

‘Get in line,’ I say. ‘A whole year we’ve waited to get to this point.’

‘A year wasted.’