Page 102 of A Wild Darkness

“Sorry, Bob, but I can’t let you take any lives tonight,” I say.

Yanking the rubber gloves from my back pocket, I quickly pull them on. Bob’s half-empty glass needs to be dumped and rinsed out. I’d rather leave no evidence I was here, so maybe he’ll think he imagined the entire exchange. If not, then I’ll complain about getting sick, too, which will be the second plan, assuming he’ll believe the alcohol was tainted.

After I finish rinsing out the glass and placing it back on the rolling rack with a mirrored bottom.

“Sebastian,” Hayden’s loud in my ear.

“Bob is out.”

“Good, but we need to hurry because our friend Pete might be on the move.” Hayden’s hoarse voice cracks with slight panic.

“He’s leaving?”

“Not sure yet.”

My pulse increases. “Fuck. I still need to get to the next two killers, Dan and Harry.”

“You’re not going to have time for a friendly chat,” he demands. “You’ve got to get in and get the hell out.”

Taking one last sweep of the room, I sprint out the door. Quietly escaping and making sure it latches behind me, I move on to the next.

“On my way to Harry’s,” I breathe out while jogging down the hall.

This is what happens when I don’t plan out every detail.

But I’m a fucking animal and know how to get the job done.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

STEVIE

Sebastian drugged four people in less than an hour. He’s dangerous. And the more time I spend around him, the more real it becomes.

But do I believe he’d hurt me? Never. I trust him.

Sebastian will take out the entire world before letting an innocent person get hurt. And that is one of his addictive qualities—and something I never thought I’d be attracted to. In my mind, I always go back to us Levinsons and our complicated relationship with justice as the reason I feel passionate about things the way I do. But who really knows what lurks beyond my surface? Could this be who I’ve been my whole life?

Hell, that’s why I became a mortician. The desire to take care of people when they can no longer speak for themselves gives me a purpose. But what if I have a new passion? Calling? What if I’m meant to be a part of something more powerful? Working with Sebastian could give me the opportunity to save lives before they reach a point where they can’t speak.

“Pull around to the back of the alley,” Sebastian instructs Hayden from the back seat of a black SUV.

Hayden turns down a narrow, dark street and pulls the car to the side next to a dumpster, ensuring we’re out of view.

My stomach is in knots because I know what my role is tonight, and even though I did something similar with Larry, this time feels more dangerous. In an environment where things are uncontrolled, taking a step away from that leaves room for something to go wrong.

Sebastian turns to me, his eyes are soft but confident. “How are you feeling?”

The thumping of my heart against my ribcage is loud enough for the entire car to hear. “I’m fine.”

“Sorry, we can’t use the SEs, but I can’t take a chance on Pete seeing it. Especially when I won’t be right next to you to interfere or make sure you maintain distance.”

“I understand.” I anxiously smooth out my dress.

“We’ll be right here and won’t let anything happen to you, Stevie.” Hayden’s expression of compassion is subtle, but it makes me feel protected. “Besides, I value my life, and I know Seb would kill me if anything did happen.

“Do you have the roofie?” Sebastian asks.

I nod and pull out the white substance from my pocket to show him.