When she saw Kate’s eyes roving over her body, she said, “This is all I have left of him. Well, in here at least. His body is on the steps out back. At least I think it is. Not sure where his head went. I was too busy getting showered in his blood as it cascaded from where his head had been. Funny thing, that. When it happens, you tend not to notice the big things…or the little things. Did you know blood burns when you get it in your eyes? Maybe not a drop or two, but when you take a liter to the face, it fucking burns. It burns like hell, Katy.”

“Nikki,” Andrew said.

“She wanted to know, Andy. Didn’t you, Katy? I may have lost a lot today, but not my hearing.”

Andrew flashed a warning look Nikki’s way. Something had been going on between them while Kate was out, and it obviously wasn’t pleasant. Why was Nikki being like this? With Ryker dead, Nikki should have been leaning on Andrew, not being angry and aggressive.

“Not now, Nikki. Let me get her what she needs.”

Nikki’s arm had been behind her back the entire time. She swung it forward so they could see Kate’s mason jar of pills in her palm. “Are you looking for this?”

Buttons gave a low warning growl. Even he could sense the change in Nikki.

“Yes,” Andrew said, his tone level, empty. “Can I please have it?”

Kate was afraid to speak.

“Anything to help our dear Katy,” Nikki said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

As Andrew got up to take the jar from her, she cocked her arm back and threw it against the wall. It shattered into hundreds of pieces, pills flying everywhere.

Buttons skittered away from the rain of glass and pills, yapping.

“Come here, Buttons,” Kate said, hooking her fingers under his collar. The act of moving sent waves of fire rippling from her damaged shoulder down her left arm. Kate bit her lip until it bled, fighting through the agony. She didn’t want Buttons walking around and getting glass stuck in his paws. She’d lost her brother (and all the good parts of her sister-in-law…the poor woman had lost it). She wasn’t going to see her beloved dog hurt if she could help it.

“Why the hell did you do that?” Andrew screamed, running up to Nikki and stopping just short of bumping chests.

Nikki snarled. “Because she killed him! She killed Ryker and she won’t stop there!”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I think I do. That thing is a part of her. You’re the one who showed us that. She didn’t even try to stop it. She just did her fainting act and let it tear Ryker’s fucking head off!”