“Sorry that I like to see the best in people.”

“Is that before or after you blow open their skulls?” The bottom of his eyes twitch, like he’s cringing at that imagery. “Is that what you want?” I push. “To take me away from my friends and family? To splatter my blood over my desk? Will that make you feel good?”

“I get the feeling it’ll come down to being you or me, and I sort of like where my blood is right now.”

“Funny. I could have said the same. But if you can do it, then do it.” I’m totally fucking bluffing here because if he does it, I die. Not a fan of that outcome, so I hurry to continue. “I’m sure you don’t think about all those other people you’ve killed when you’re trying to go to sleep. Your sister must be so proud to have a murderer in the family.”

Again, the grip on his gun tightens when I mention her. It draws my attention past the barrel. Past his hand wrapped tightly around the metal.

To his wrist.

And the bright red plastic strawberry peeking out from under his sleeve.

A happy charm.

My thoughts screech to a sudden halt.

Fuck.

There’s no fucking way.

I’m about to say his name when he drops his gun hand suddenly.

“Last chance,” he says, like he’s trying to sound intimidating, but it comes out all wrong.

All I can picture is the slightly dopey sweetheart bumbling around behind the counter at the cafe. “Last … chance?”

“You need to leave. Disappear. I mean it this time.”

“Right.”

He rubs his head again, and this time, I’m sure I get a glimpse of dark hair. I’m overlaying my memory of Perry with this guy in front of me and coming up with match after match. “Close your eyes while I leave.”

Stupidly, I do exactly that.

I don’t question whether I’m making myself an easier target, and when I hear the soft creak of my office door pulling open, I’m not at all surprised.

A second later, I look.

He’s gone.

And now I need to figure out what the hell I’m going to do with this information.

He hasn’t seen Colin. He’s useless to me. One call to the police will remove him from my life, and then I won’t need to worry about disappearing.

Except.

If he is working for someone like he claims he is, there’s nothing to stop them from sending someone else. That someone else might not be so easy to scare off.

It’s like playing Russian roulette with serial killers.

Who do I want to off me first?

CHAPTER NINE

PERRY

“You’re in a foul mood,” Elle says, leaning across the counter at work while Margot ignores us both in favor of her coffee.