Page 119 of Camera Stays On

“What did you do for him?” I asked, trying to keep her talking.

“That little fire at your dirty movie theater? That was me. Locking up Lux? He suggested it. Putting the extra trap in the woods that Bea didn’t know about? I was told to set it.” Her lips curled into a smile that didn’t meet her eyes. I swallowed deeply and tried to settle my breathing. What was happening?

She swung her broom again, and my arm flew out reflexively, batting it away with my bar. She stumbled a bit, and when she regained her footing, growled at me.

“I’d been begging him for a long time to let you go. I loved him despite all the things he told me about you and him. I thought seeing you moving on with someone else would give him the closure to finally marry me. I guess I was wrong. He’s not going to marry me until you’re no longer an option at all!” She jerked her arm forward, poking the air just inches from me with her broom.

“Fuck you.” I stared at her. The memory of my home in Chicago up in flames consumed my vision. She’d done that. I let out an exhausted laugh. They were two peas in a pod. I’d heard Sawyer say the same exact shit, but about me instead of him. I was sick of it. Batting the broom away, I stepped toward her. “Fuck you so fucking hard, Juliet. You think I want that fucking psychopath? I don’t. I never wanted him. I don’t know why you’re fighting me. You’re already in the dress, go get your future husband and leave me the fuck alone.”

By the time I’d stopped talking I was right at her nose. With my empty hand, I reached for her wrist and squeezed until the broom fell from her grasp.

She winced, but then quickly brought her other hand up to slap me. My head flew back, and I blinked at the sharp sting, but then shoved her back. Juliet took advantage of my momentary confusion and rushed me, knocking my weapon out of my hand. It flew across the room and landed on the floor with a rattling clang!

I kicked her broomstick in its direction and then turned to her, ready to fight hand to hand. My heart screamed for vengeance for The Pink Curtain. All its history, gone. Because she wanted some mediocre dick.

She tried to slap me again, but I caught her hand and shoved her back. Revenge strengthened me as we pushed and shoved. I punched her shoulders, and she clawed at my neck. I kicked her shins, and she yanked my hair down and hit my back. She let out a guttural scream as we fell to the ground and continued to roll and punch and grab for each other, eventually hitting the table. Lifting my head to search for anything to hit her with, I spotted a chair. I reached out and snatched its leg, yanking it down and moving away just in time for it to fall and hit her square in the face, causing a crunching noise to ring out across the room.

Satisfaction warmed my chest, soaking into my body.

“You bitch! You don’t deserve him, that ring, or his last name!” she screamed as she clutched her bleeding nose. I shoved her away from me and stood, gripping the table to not fall over. She was much stronger than she looked. Glancing around the room, I searched for a way to end this. It was her life or mine, that was clear, and I wasn’t going to let her win. She’d hurt so many people already, I wasn’t going to let her reign of terror continue. If I had to choose between her or myself, I wasn’t going to just let her take the W.

Bracing myself, I pushed away from the table and stumbled to the sink. I raised my left hand, flashing the stupid fucking ring at her.

“This is what you wanted? The ring? You’re right, I don’t deserve it. I deserve better. Come get it.” I tugged Sawyer’s ring off my finger and dropped it into the sink. Juliet’s eyes went wide and she leaped up, running to it. I stepped aside, moving to the other end of the counter.

“Why would you do that?” she screeched as she dug her hand deep into the disposal. She turned her head and glared at me, but then her eyes darted to where my hand rested on the switch. “Wait, my hand is stuck. Don’t—”

I flicked the disposal on, and she screamed as the blades made impact with her fingers. I bit down on my lip and closed my eyes. In my head, I listed the reasons she deserved this. My thoughts covered the sounds of her hand being mangled, mixed with the clanking sound from the ring bouncing around. Lux, Gavin, Bea, The Pink Curtain, my leg. I repeated the list as her bones were crushed, blood was squirted, and Juliet’s screams were lost to me, until finally she fell over the sink and stopped moving.

The disposal had been running for a few minutes, doing damage that could not be undone. I shut it off and went over to her body. I leaned over the sink, and her eyes slowly flickered open and locked on mine. Her face and pretty white dress were covered in blood. She was fading fast.

I shook my head. How sad her life had been. How long had she spent pining over a man who didn’t love her back? She hurt so many people in that time, and as I watched the life slowly go from her, I couldn’t bring myself to feel guilt. Her eyes opened and shut, and when they opened again, I knew it would be the last time. I smiled then, and offered her my last words on all of this.

“You can have the ring, but I’m taking the last name.”

Chapter 55

Andi

TAKING HIS LAST name?

My heart slowed as my brain processed what I’d said to the dead woman in the kitchen. What had I meant? I mean, I knew what I meant, but...was that just me gloating, or did I...

The image of Asher, with his stunning half-smirk, half-smile, and his long, playful hair flashed in my mind.

I did want that.

Just not from the brother everyone assumed.

I plopped down on the couch in the living room and stared at my now bare hand. An indentation where Sawyer’s ring had sat remained in my finger.

What would a ring from Asher Delambre look like?

More simple, I was sure. Sawyer had gone for flashy, but that wasn’t me. Hell, I didn’t even need a ring. I certainly didn’t need the church wedding or another fucking dress. But... being tied to Ash through matrimony wouldn’t be bad. Maybe even a brood of little Delambres someday.

I’d never wanted kids with Sawyer.

Loud, slow clapping from the other room pulled my attention back to reality. I bolted out of my seat and braced myself. Mick came into the room, holding the large kitchen knife we’d seen on the camera feed.