Aggro - CoraLee June Page 0,132
pushed harder. I couldn’t help but wonder if he could taste the death clinging to me. When I pulled away, he gave me a sympathetic smile. The pity caused a new wave of sadness to course through me. I wasn’t sure if it was the heaviness of the moment or his complete lack of passion for me that made our kiss lackluster, but it hurt all the same.
“I have a friend…” he said, his voice trailing off.
I scrunched up my face in confusion. “A friend?”
“I know someone who can help cover this up. He approached me a few weeks ago, and I’ve already been trying to figure out a way to get him off my back. This is exactly what he wanted. I think he can take care of this. But if I have to, I will take the fall,” he gritted out.
This is exactly what he wanted? Who wanted Violet killed?
“What are you going to do?” I asked.
Brian crouched at my feet and held my hand. “I’m going to do whatever’s necessary to keep you and Breeze safe. I’m going to save you, Ally. I can’t let you go to prison. I’ll take your place; I love you too much to let you suffer more than you already have.”
I sobbed. “But I did this.” My body, heart, and soul felt fractured. My mind had started to succumb to the numbness.
“You didn’t do this. Say it out loud, Ally. I need you to believe it.”
“But—”
“Say it!” he yelled.
I swallowed. “I didn’t kill Violet Jones,” I whispered.
“Say it again.”
“I didn’t kill Violet Jones.”
“Again. Louder.”
“I didn’t kill Violet Jones,” I said. “I didn’t kill Violet Jones!”
“Again,” Brian demanded while pacing the floors.
“I didn’t kill Violet Jones. I didn’t kill Violet Jones. I didn’t kill Violet Jones. I didn’t kill Violet Jones.”
Brian stopped and faced me. “I killed her,” he said, his voice full of steel. “Tell me.”
“You killed her,” I whispered. It was easy to believe. My mind wanted to feel the relief of his truth. It wanted to escape the guilt and the pain. “You killed Violet.”
Brian nodded. “Good.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and cried, with those words on repeat in my mind.
I didn’t kill Violet Jones.
I didn’t kill Violet Jones.
I didn’t kill Violet Jones.
I didn’t kill Violet Jones.
I didn’t kill Violet Jones.
I didn’t kill Violet Jones.
By the time we left the shop, I believed it.
For Violet and Brian’s short story, please visit www.authorcoraleejune.com/aggro
A Note from the Authors
Hey there! Thank you so much for reading!
We had so much fun writing this book. This was a difficult story to write. Grief is such a fluid emotion, and navigating it with care and raw intent was a journey we both took very seriously.
We originally wanted this to be a standalone, and would like to let you know that Kai and Breeze’s story is done, but there is still more to the mystery. Chase and Sophia’s book will be released later this year.
If you enjoyed this story, we kindly ask that you leave a review. Reviews are the lifeblood of an author’s career, and every star counts.
Have a happy day,
Carrie and CoraLee
Acknowledgments
This book would not have been possible without the support and love of Christina Santos, as well as Christine Estevez with Wildfire Marketing.
We would like to especially thank Katie Friend, Meggan Reed, HarleyQuinn Zaler, Savannah Richey, and Claire Jones for beta reading.
We are grateful to all of those with whom we have had the pleasure to work with during this book. We’d like to especially recognize our editor, Helayna Trask. She always takes the time to dive into the worlds we create and make sure they are perfect for you all. We would also like to thank all the dedicated members of The Zone, The Gray Area, and Cora’s Crew. And finally, thank you again to HarleyQuinn Zaler for this drool-worthy cover.
About the Author
CoraLee June
CoraLee June is an international bestselling romance writer who enjoys engaging projects and developing real, raw, and relatable characters. She is an English major from Texas State University and has had an intense interest in literature since her youth. She currently resides with her husband and two daughters in Dallas, Texas, where she enjoys long walks through the ice cream aisle at her local grocery store.
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About the Author
Carrie Gray
Carrie Gray is a new author who has enjoyed putting her own voice on the page and watching the story she helped create come to life. She grew up in Chicago where she received her Bachelor of Science