Page 166 of Lau Ahi
“No?”
She ran a hand through her hair as she took a deep breath to steady herself. “No. I had heard the rumors and implored my father to do something. He couldn’t stop the harassment despite the man being a neighbor and he felt as though the girl would endure a social shunning. Instead, he forced them to do more than they’d done. She got to go to university and her family wasset up with a lump sum to buy a home and live comfortably without being bothered.”
“So what made you—”
“Because he tired of what he considered low-hanging fruit. The easy pickings. So he set his sights on a challenge.” When she looked at me her face tight she told me everything without saying a word.
“You.”
“Yes. Thought that I was in a mentally fragile enough place not to report what he tried to do. Emphasis on tried because my father didn’t raise a weak bitch.”
“You killed him at home.”
She scoffed as though she couldn’t believe I would think so little of her. “Of course not. I killed him at his home.”
“An accident?”
“Well, not exactly. I made it look like a robbery. A bloody one, but a robbery nonetheless.” She smiled softly at the memory, which seemed to bring her joy.
“You stalked and murdered a man.”
“Yes. But I didn’t need to stalk him since he came after me first.” Her face was blank, emotionless and devoid of regret.
“What was your weapon of choice?”
“A knife.” A flicker of a smile and a twitch of her hand, her body’s memory taking over.
“You wanted to be up close and personal.”
That smiled deepened yet again. “Of course I did. And thankfully his father couldn’t find anyone who would speak a kind word about his son no matter how much money he put forward and like so many cases it was quickly forgotten. The good earl died and his younger son inherited the title. He was far better than his brother and had done well for the family. So, I guess alls well that ends well.”
“Maybe.”
“You seem as though you think he might have changed.”
“Oh, I’m not saying that. Hearing that someone had tried to harm you after what I just walked in on has me livid. But if you hadn’t killed him when you did, I would’ve had it done.”
The promise of violence put that smile back on her face. “Is this more of that protection that I’m supposed to get used to?”
“I don’t know if you’re going to get used to it or not. But the fact remains that it’s there and it’s not going away.”
“Sounds like a threat to my sanity.”
“Your sanity is based on what you’re used to. I’m happy to know I’m not like any other man you’ve ever dealt with before.”
“That wasn’t meant to be an ego stroke.”
“And again, I’m different from men. What insults them doesn’t put a dent in my ego because I know who the fuck I am and what I’m capable of. Your words can’t harm me if they’re not true. You can do your worst and I’d sit back with a smile.”
“You’re irksome.”
“Thank you. Now, to get back to what we were discussing.”
“I’ve told you enough of the particulars for you to investigate and see if they’re true or not.”
“I already know they’re true.”
“Trust me that much or did you read that somewhere in my file?”
