Page 119 of When He Plays

“Why did you kill Evelyn? If she was so useful, why murder her?”

“Because she would have turned on me, eventually. But, since she was so great in bed, I made it quick for her. No torture.”

“I’m sure she really appreciated that,” Charlotte snapped. “Though I bet she would have appreciated living even more.”

“Hmm. Probably.” Utter unconcern. “I was watching when you came to Pierre’s hotel. I was in his room, staring out from his window. See, at first, I thought that I’d let him go down for my crimes. I asked Evelyn to meet me at his place. My accommodating Evelyn came without question. So cute. I had planned to leave her dead body inside the room, implicating him. Figured you’d find her.”

“Find her and arrest Pierre.” Charlotte kept her eyes on him. You didn’t take your eyes off a snake that might strike at any moment.

“Right. If the killer was in custody, then I’d be free to walk off into the sunset. But I saw you arrive while I was looking out at that great Vegas view. You and Logan, and Sebastian trailed right behind you. I just could not resist talking to you. Taunting you. Too much fun. I had sliced Evelyn’s throat from ear to ear⁠—”

“You’re a monster!” Harper yelled.

“Then I called you on the phone while she was still warm on the bed.”

Nausea rose again. This time, it was because of the disgust and horror that she felt. “You got off on that,” Charlotte accused. “Because you enjoy hurting and torturing. It gives you pleasure.”

“Um. Indeed, it does. But it also pays well. Secrets are so valuable.”

“You tortured Jacqueline Foster in order to get secrets.”

“I did.” No hesitation. “Plenty of people in this world wanted inside info on Jezebel Jenkins. Not that the name she uses is real. But her niece gave me so much intel that was real. Her niece described the intricate workings at the CIA. She told me about you—described you to a T. And your partner Jamar. She told me he was always in the background, so I knew to go and take him out before pulling you in my trap.” He seemed so proud of himself. “She told me that Jezebel controlled the missions, but didn’t get her hands dirty. My chatty, chatty Jacqueline. She swore that you would sacrifice yourself in an instant if you thought it would save an innocent, and, look, here you are. All ready to be sacrificed.”

He really shouldn’t be so proud. His grand plan was about to go straight to hell. “I’m not planning to die.”

“Few people do. It just happens anyway.” He raised one hand and tapped his index finger to his temple. “Almost forgot, in case you’re standing up there, all bold and brave because you think Logan is coming to join the fight…I sent someone in to finish the job on him.”

Her stomach heaved. “What are you talking about?”

“You think that you’re distracting me. It’s cute. Really. You’re trying to get me to keep talking because you believe that help is coming. It’s not. I want you to know this. Mostly because I want to see the hope die in your eyes. It’s great when that happens. Such a rush.”

Harper was silent behind her.

“Logan is truly dead,” Carmichael informed her. “Dead. I was watching the video feed, of course. I saw you pull the trigger, but I never saw a spray of blood. Kind of telling, don’t you think? Could have been from the angle, granted, but I believe in being thorough. So after you left the suite, I sent a helper I had in to finish up the job.”

Her drumming heartbeat echoed in her ears.

“He’s not coming to help you.” Blunt, brutal words. “Logan Sterling is dead. After you left him, Evans McCall, Logan’s own VP of Security, headed into the suite and shot him. Logan is dead. Dead. The dead don’t rush to the rescue.”

Had he just carved out her heart? Felt that way.

Logan… Dead…

No. No.

She’d seen a flash of light in the darkness. A signal.

I trust Logan. He would not dare die on me!

“Charlotte.” He drew out her name. Seemed to enjoy the sound of it. “You are going to die with me. You will beg me to end you. And, when you’re in pieces, then I’ll vanish. Ares will take the fall for my crimes. Did I mention that Evans was going to help me set him up? He was. Very helpful guy, that Evans. Sure, he’s a terrible gambler with one serious debt that he needed to pay off, but he has come in handy. He even made arrangements for Ares to be at Logan’s hotel today. Got to have the guy at the scene of the crime, right? Evans called Ares. Told him that Logan wanted to see him. Sure, Ares was trying to slip out of Vegas, but when he realized Logan wanted to see him, that changed his plans and he agreed to come for a meeting.”

The bastard thought he was so smart.

“Ares will go to prison,” Carmichael assured her. “You’ll be buried. Logan will rot in hell. All tied up with a pretty, bloody bow.”

No, no, that was not happening. “Come in the cage with me.” Low.

“Sorry? Don’t think I heard you.” He angled an ear toward her. “Maybe say it louder. And beg.”