“Little bitch!” he snaps, reaching out and grabbing my ankle, causing me to trip. I cry out when my face hits the marble floor. Pain explodes behind my eyes. I’m flipped over onto my back, and he straddles me. He drops his knife, and it hits the floor with a clank and then his hands go around my neck. He cuts off my air.
“I wanted Bruce to take care of you,” he growls. “Just like I wanted him to kill Cole when I drove his car to fuck his wife.” He laughs at that. “But I’ll just have to do it myself. In case you just recorded me killing Celeste.”
I try to push him off, tear his hands free, but he’s too strong. I try arching my neck to get in a breath, but it gives him better access to tighten his grip.
“My only regret is that I won’t get to fuck you.” He sighs as I try to buck him off. “Because I listened to the recording of Cole fucking you inside that bathroom, Austin.” I try to claw at his face, but his reach is longer. Making my hands only touch air. “I got off on it so many times, imagining it was you and me.”
Dots form in my vision as my body grows heavy. My arms fall to my side, and something cold touches my fingers.
It’s the knife.
I wrap my hand around the rough handle and shove it into his side. He immediately releases my throat as he screams out.
I suck in a ragged breath, my throat burning. He falls back onto his ass as he looks at the knife sticking out of his side in horror. I begin to cough.
“FUCK!” he screams, throwing his head back.
I get up to my feet and run to the kitchen where there is a landline. I pick it up with bloody, shaking hands and dial Cole’s number.
He answers on the first ring. “Hello?”
“Cole!” I choke out his name. My voice is now rough and my entire body is shaking uncontrollably.
“Austin! What’s wrong?” he demands. I hear Deke’s voice in the background.
I burst into tears and begin to tell him Kellan is here. Any other girl would call the cops. But since I know Kellan has them in his pocket, they’re out.
“Slow down, sweetheart. I can’t understand a thing you’re saying.”
“He’s here!” I scream out. “Kellan’s at my father’s house. He killed Celeste!”
“I’m on my way …” The line goes dead.
I turn to see Kellan leaning up against the countertop, the cord from the wall in his hand. The knife still in his side.
I should have yanked it out.
Made him bleed out faster. Even now, his face is pale, and he’s hunched over. Blood covers his clothes and there’s a puddle where he stands.
He gives me a bloody smile. “He’s not gonna make it.” Lifting the gun, he fires.
EPILOGUE
COLE
Twelve years later
IT’S THE USUAL cloudy day in Collins, Oregon. Any second, the clouds are going to open up and pour down rain. I miss it here. This town had a lot of demons, but it was quiet at times. You never get that in Texas. There are always people no matter where you go. And the traffic—it drives me mad sometimes.
I kneel and place the bouquet of yellow flowers on the grave. They’re the only ones at this cemetery. Not much has changed. The dead are still forgotten at the top of this hill. I come back to visit twice a year. Every Christmas and on her birthday. I wish I could come more, but work isn’t slow by any means. Running a law firm isn’t an easy feat. Even if you have Deke Biggs as your partner. But I make sure to come and tell her that I miss her. How much I loved her. How I wish she could see Lilly grow up. She’s going to turn eighteen this year, and I just can’t wrap my head around it.
I turn around, giving the grave my back and look down the hill at the house that was torn down years ago. The Lowes estate was demolished after Bruce was arrested on three counts of manslaughter. We were supposed to kill him, but like I once told Austin—plans change. And that’s exactly what happened when Deke and I showed up to the house after she called me that night.
My phone rings, and I look down to see it’s the Lowes residence. I answer, expecting it to be Celeste. “Hello?”
“Cole!” Austin’s strangled voice