Page 47 of Intent to Kill
Mercedes smiled as Paul and Dan shared a chuckle that made Adam’s pout grow deeper.
“About Tia,” Mercedes said. “I’m going to take another shot at her.”
“So soon?” Carlos said. “Didn’t seem she was open to conversation.”
He was probably right. But everything changed when someone important to you died. And unfortunately for Tia, that was all too often. It was an effort to hold back tears as she glanced at her feet. “Another girl died last night.”
“Oh.” Carlos’ smile dropped as he looked nervously around the room. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news... but will that be enough to bring her around?”
“It won’t hurt. I know what I have to do now to get her on our side,” Mercedes said, kicking away her chair and standing to put some distance between her friends and the reminiscent feelings of loss that were encroaching on her mind.
“I’m listening,” Adam said, appearing over her shoulder like out of thin air to whisper in her ear.
She jumped, erotic shivers running down her spine before she smothered the feeling and turned to face him. “You won’t like it.”
Adam just shrugged.
“Tia won’t join us because she thinks we’ll get her killed. Because she thinks we got you killed. So...” Mercedes said, flicking her thumb over her lip and smirking as Adam’s hungry gaze followed the movement. “...Show her you’re alive.”
“What? Are you fucking craz–” Dan stuttered, but one short look from Adam had him shutting up.
“You want to tell Tia I’m alive?”
Mercedes nodded.
“You trust her?”
“I do.” Mercedes didn’t miss a beat before answering.
Adam searched her eyes. She wasn’t sure what he saw, but it seemed to be something that pleased him. Because his eyes softened before focusing back on her again. “Then I trust her,” he said. “My life has always been safest in your hands.”
“Are you kidding me?!” Dan shouted. “This is a massive secre–”
This time it was Paul who pinned him with a glare.
“Okay, I’ll just shut up, then, shall I?”
“Just tell me what you need me to do,” Adam said.
* * *
The cemetery gardens were sparse and decadent, a paradise among grief. A beauty against loss, bringing life to the death. Tall pine trees hung shadows over the narrow gray roads and dropped fluffy green leaves over flowerbeds.
Underneath a grand oak tree, Adam, Paul, and Mercedes waited. Rain hit the trees above them, grouping raindrops that made a heavy splash on their black umbrellas.
“You sure now’s the right time?” Paul asked, shuffling his umbrella into his other hand.
“I can do this,” Mercedes said. “I have to remind her of who we are.”
She fanned her floor-length, black cashmere coat to create a breeze, revealing the black shorts she wore underneath. The rain only increased the humidity in the city.
Adam bit down on his knuckles as he eyed her legs before snapping away. She rolled her eyes at him again. They seemed to be permanently fixed to the back of her skull these days.
Across the graveyard she finally spotted Tia arriving, strolling casually through the rows. Tia, with flowers in her hands, kneeled in front of a headstone and wiped at her eyes.
“You should both wait here.”
Mercedes left Adam and Paul standing under the oak tree and crossed the short road to reach Tia. Passing a group of flowerbeds, Mercedes plucked a white rose and held it at her chest as she approached.
