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34
“Would you kill a mentally ill person?” I asked as I stood in the doorway of the nursery watching Ray change our daughter’s diaper.
“It would depend,” he replied, glancing up at me.
“On what?”
“On if it was warranted. I don’t kill people erroneously. Gotta be a reason. If there’s an adequate reason, they die.”
“What would warrant killing a mentally ill person?”
Picking Blaze up, he kissed her forehead and moved toward me, stopping just beyond my personal space. “Oh, I don’t know…maybe if they tried to have my wife killed?”
Dropping my gaze, I shook my head. “I don’t even think that’s a good reason. She was sick, Ray, and at this point, who knows what lies Marlon might’ve been feeding her?”
“So, I should kill him instead?”
My head snapped up. “No! I’m not saying you should kill anyone!”
He nodded, his eyes piercing mine. “See, that’s where we’re going to have a problem. Somebody or somebodies gotta die for this. Whoever took the time out to download and get on the Tor browser, find The Agency’s site—which ain’t easy to do—put in the request, and jump through all the hoops The Agency makes a person jump through to pay fifty-fucking-thousand dollars to have you eliminated most definitely gotta die. Then, they had the presence of mind to cancel the order. Mentally ill or not, this shit—all of it—took thought. It was deliberate, Lilith. That level of intentionality is dangerous, and in this case, deadly.”
I blinked. “But?—”
“Now, I let Marlon live against my better judgement because I didn’t wanna upset you, but you gotta know I ain’t gon’ let this shit completely slide. The culprit gotta pay, period. Me being a killer? That ain’t a joke. I kill. I’ve been killing for a long time. For you and our baby and us, I’ll quit after I take care of whoever put this hit out on you. You understand?”
“I-I do understand. I just…I’d feel guilty about someone with Felice’s issues being harmed.”
He shook his head, rubbing Blaze’s back as she began to softly fuss. “Ain’t your guilt to feel. I’m the one pulling the trigger. Not you, and believe me, I ain’t gon’ feel shit when I do it.”
I felt my eyes expand.
He smiled, holding the baby against his chest with one hand while grasping the front of my neck with the other. Leaning in, he kissed me long and hard, biting my tongue in the process.
“You forgot who you married? You scared of me again?” he asked me.
“No. I’m…turned on. I think a part of me finds your cruelty attractive.”
His eyebrows flew up. “Oh, yeah? Hold onto that feeling for later. Let’s go eat some lunch, and tonight, I’ma eat you.”
“I’m coming with you,” my wife said, making me laugh.
“No, you’re not,” I informed her.
“Actually, I am. I want to talk to her. I’ve met her before. Maybe I can get the truth out of her.”
“Whatchu gon’ do? Bring the baby?”
She frowned slightly, eyes searching the room. “Shit.”
“Right.”
“You stay. I’ll go. Memphis and all her guns can go with me.”
“That would be a hell fucking no. You ain’t going a got damn inch outside this house without me.”
“Denita can watch her. Or you can bring Felice here.”
“Lilith, I’m going to kill her. You want me to do that here?”
