Stalker - Clarissa Wild Page 0,114
didn’t know what you were up to all these years, and when I saw you at that party my husband and I attended, I couldn’t believe my eyes.”
“Bullshit,” he growls.
“It’s the truth. You wanted it. Now you have it.”
“I came for your husband that night, as instructed, and instead, I found you. Imagine my surprise that it was your husband I was meant to kill.”
I make a face. “I couldn’t believe they sent you, out of all people … you worked for them.”
“Yes, and you wanted your husband dead. After his death, I found out that the call came from you.”
I gasp. “What? You knew the request came from me? And you never told me?”
I smack him on the chest, but he grasps my wrists and pins them to my chest. “You wanted him killed,” he says.
“Yes, I wanted him dead. Yes, I hated his guts. Can you imagine, after being forced to marry him?”
“I can imagine, but what I can’t imagine is you pinning the fucking blame on me.” When I try to push him off me, he shoves me to the ground, banging my head. “You fucking betrayed me!”
“I did what I had to do to survive!” I say, wincing. “Like you’re any different. You had me poison him. You wanted me to go down for this.”
“Yes, well, you have yourself to thank for that. You destroyed my heart that day after prom, and years later, I find you married to the same fucking dude? I mean, it isn’t so hard to imagine my disgust, is it?” he hisses close to my ear. “I wanted you to pay for your own mistakes. You wanted him dead so you should carry the burden.”
“But you made it all happen,” I say. “You were the killer. The hired hitman. I was never supposed to go to jail for it.”
“No. I did. I was the one who was sent to prison, Vanessa. I went to jail because of something you wanted!” He slaps my face. “That is what you deserve.”
“You’re no better than me,” I say.
“I never said that, but are you really that surprised that I came to hate you for it?” he says, cocking his head.
“No,” I say.
“That I came to get your ass and fuck you up?”
“No.” I sniff, turning my head. “I know I had it coming.”
“Yes and still you tried to lie and cheat your way out of it.”
“Just like you,” I say, looking him straight in the eyes again. “Don’t pretend you know better.”
“I don’t. I’m not any better, but that still doesn’t make it all right.”
“What do you want me to say?” I sneer. “Sorry that I lost my soul along the way?”
He laughs. “That’s not an apology.”
“Well, it’s the truth. At least I’m telling you what I’m thinking.”
“At least I’m not a fucking liar,” he repeats.
“No, you’re a bastard who would rather see the love of his life go to jail than free her from her malicious husband.”
He slams the floor beside me. “You are not the love of my life.”
I grind my teeth. “I don’t believe you.”
“How could I ever fucking love a girl like you?”
The way he says it, with such hatred and darkness in his voice, makes me want to cry.
“I say the same thing to myself when I look at you.”
For a moment, we just gaze at each other, not saying a word. I wouldn’t even know what to say. All that needed to be said is out in the world now. Yes, I am a merciless killer. Yes, I had arranged my own husband’s death. Of course, I didn’t want to go down for it. But I didn’t think Miles … Phoenix would be involved. Not like this. If I’d known, if I could anticipate, I would’ve made a different choice.
But it’s too late for regret now.
His muscles relax and he lowers his body on top of me, stopping with holding me down. He just rests on top of me, breathing out heavily from our fight, and so do I. I just lie here, staring at the ceiling, wondering what in the hell we’re doing.
“What have we become?” I murmur.
“Murderers,” he says.
“Killers,” I say. “We aren’t worth a damn thing in this world.”
“I can’t forgive you for what you did.”
“And I can’t forgive you,” I say.
“But you know what’s worse?” he says, leaning up. “The fact that my heart really does want to.”
“What?” I frown. I don’t understand. I thought he hated me. He was choking the life out