Chapter 47

Three days later

It's funny how a near-death experience really puts things into perspective.

And not just for the person who almost died.

After thinking I had died, and mourning me for days, only to find me alive, Cora has realized that she cares about me too much to willingly walk away from me.

Not that I would've let her.

The things I did before meeting her, the urges I still fight, aren't going anywhere. They won't ever go away, but she's open to finding a way to help me manage them.

I can be good for her.

EDMUND

I'll be there in 3 minutes.

Ok.

Will picked the gift up.

He's going to meet us there.

Perfect.

I want to be good for her.

But I need to do this first.

Trying to be quiet and not disturb Cora, I slip from the bed. I grab a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt from the bench at the foot of the bed and slip them on in the dark and head downstairs. By the time I reach the front door, Edmund is pulling to a stop out front.

Sneaking out the front door, I slip into Edmund's car, and we make our way down the drive and toward The Preserves. A whole development of mini-mansions burying all of our dirty little secrets.

He makes a right-hand turn, and we head through a construction gate to a section of the community still under development. William's G-Class is parked at the makeshift curb, and Edmund pulls in behind him. As he parks, Will opens the trunk to reveal my gift.

Well, my gift to Cora.

Adam Rodgers.

Judging by the looks of his face, Will has already spent a great deal of time with him. For the massive enforcer that he is, he's crying like a bitch as Will pulls him from the back of the SUV and shoves him toward the empty construction site.

I follow behind them, my gait is still a little slow from the pain in my side, so they reach the framing for the pending foundation before I do.

Catching up to them, I slide the blindfold from Adam's face and thoroughly enjoy watching his eyes widen as he takes in the ghost standing before him.

"I see you remember me." I can't help the smile that spreads across my face. "Do you also remember what I told you the last time I saw you?"

He shakes his head as I hold out my hand to Will. Flipping open the blade he pulled from Adam's pocket earlier, he places it in my palm.

"I told you," I plunge the blade into his gut, "I would fucking kill you for touching her."

Pulling out the blade, I sink it through his flesh again and again. His stomach. Chest. Neck. Thigh. Over and over. Not stopping until I can barely lift my arm. His dead, lifeless body only standing because William and Edmund are holding him up for me.

My hand is covered in his blood, and crimson splatters of him cover my arm and formerly white undershirt. Closing the ruby-red knife, I place it in my pocket as Will and Edmund drop Adam into the abyss behind him.

"I'll fill it in." William nods at us. "Get him back home before Cora realizes he's gone."

The ride back to my place in Edmund's car is silent, not a word spoken between us. Words aren't needed.

I would do the same for him.

Grant.

Liz.

No questions asked if someone dared take something that belonged to one of them.

Sneaking back into the house with the same stealthiness I used to leave, I'm hoping to get showered and back in bed without waking Cora. I'll deal with disposing of any evidence in the morning.

"Where did you go?" Her voice is soft and concerned as I step through the threshold to our room.

A bright light and her terrified gasp fill the room when she flips on her bedside table.