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“No problem. I’d get in that sparring with Kyle.” I stopped at a red light and glanced at her. “Hey. What do you say I drop you off at your house, then I go home and do some stuff? Boris’s people won’t be hunting us any time soon.”
“What about Rena? She’s still a whacko. But…” She watched for my reaction. “I could call Chait and hang out with him until you and I meet up again.”
Not an option. But I needed a few minutes alone, so I could surprise her with an evening out. “Why don’t you ask him to watch Rena instead of you?”
Chapter Twenty-seven
Tessa
I was still laughing to myself as Hayden pulled up to the curb in front of my house. Hayden revealed his jealousy too easily. I wouldn’t complain that he wanted me for himself.
“Did you text Chait?” he asked.
I dug out my phone from my purse and typed. Hayden needs to go home 4 a bit. Can u keep an eye on Rena til he comes back? I gri
“I should wait until he answers.”
“I’m fine. Let me know when you’re on your way back.” I leaned over and kissed him then got out and made a dash for the front door.
Hayden hesitated as if deciding whether or not to leave. Seconds later, he drove off and I went inside. The place was deserted. No Bree. No babysitter. Right away, I looked for the note my mom usually left, telling me Bree’s whereabouts — which usually required me getting her from somewhere.
Sca
My phone beeped and I dug it from my purse that still hung on my shoulder. The text from Chait read, Can’t find her. No one knows where she is. Be right over. Stay there.
Dropping the phone in my purse, I set everything on the counter. Crap. Where was Rena? An uneasy feeling spread through me, sending a rush of adrenalin and pumping blood faster through my veins.
“Hello, Tessa.”
I spun around. Rena emerged from a shadow in the far corner of the living room.
Not good.
I forced a smile and pretended to be happy to see her. If she knew I suspected her intentions, she might speed up her plans. Whatever they were. I willed my shoulders not to bunch up. “Hey, what’s up? Chait here too?”
“No.” Rena skulked toward me, setting off alarms in my head.
“Oh. Did you want to do something, hang out maybe?” I motioned to the couch, left the dining room and walked past her toward the living room. “Come sit.”
She twitched. Good, I’d thrown her.
“Something happen? Did you want to talk about it?” I sat then pointed at the other end of the couch.
Rena followed, but instead of sitting, she loomed over me, arms held stiffly at her sides. “You’re too much like your sister. She did nothing but cause trouble everywhere she went.”
“Did I do something to upset you?” I rose from the couch, stood toe to toe with Rena and, as discreetly as possible, sca
“You think I don’t notice the way David looks at you?” Her fists balled at her sides.
I tensed, then made an effort to appear relaxed. “Can you be more specific?” If I could keep her distracted…
“He watches you like he used to watch Zoe.” An u
“I don’t want David. Even if I wasn’t with Hayden, I’d go for Chait.” I waved a casual hand in an effort to lighten the mood then smiled and returned to the sofa. Her words sunk in. My sister? What did she mean about Zoe? “Seriously, Rena, if I had any interest in David, I would’ve made an effort.”
“Didn’t you? I can’t believe you think I’d fall for that. Even if I bought your flimsy reasoning, I still saw you with Boris.” She pulled a large blade from the waistband of her jeans. “Recruits don’t meet with Boris so soon. Unless they’ve already chosen sides. Everything you’ve told us is a lie. And when I tell David and Chait, they won’t care if you’re dead.”
I needed to stall Rena while I found a weapon. Arguing with her wouldn’t make her more pleasant. I held up my palms as if trying to hold her back with sheer will, then leaped onto the sofa and over the other side. “Hold on. What was that about Zoe?”
Rena slinked around the couch toward me, the long blade gleaming in her hand. “She had to die. And so do you. If I allow you to live, you’ll mess everything up.”
Nodding, I ignored the surge of terror permeating my bones and urging me to run. She’d catch me before I got to the front door. There had to be something I could hit her with. A lamp wouldn’t stop her. The couch was too awkward. In my peripheral vision, I noted the heavy bronze statue on the fireplace mantle. I needed Rena mollified the next few seconds, until I could get to the statue. “Of course. I mean, you can’t let someone come between you and the man you love. You have to do what you have to do.”
Rena smiled a sad smile but that faded and I knew my time was ru
“I think so too.” My stomach churned. Another few feet and my trembling hands would be wrapped around the statue. I inched sideways toward the mantle.
Her face twisted into an ugly scowl and her knuckles stretched white over the handle of the knife. I inhaled sharply and lunged for the statue. Before I could swing it, I heard a loud pop then a red spot spread over Rena’s chest. Her eyes rolled, her head tilted and she crumpled to the floor.
“You okay?” Chait shoved his gun in his pocket, grasped my shoulders and studied my face.
“I guess so,” I choked out. “I may not be so good though when she wakes up. She wants to kill me.”
“She’s not going to wake up.” He gently rubbed the tops of my arms.
“You only shot her once.” My shaky voice rose in pitch. “That doesn’t kill us. Right?”
He gri
“It kills them instantly?” I asked, a bit u
“No.” He slipped the bullet back into his pocket. “It paralyzes them right away though. The poison keeps working and within a few minutes, death.”
I crept closer to Rena and stood where I could see her staring eyes, then I turned to Chait. “Just like that? But you killed your own partner.”
He grunted. “Yeah, I picked up on that.”
“Why?” I had to keep talking. Anything to distract myself from Rena and her dead eyes at my feet.
“She was about to kill you.” He gave me a look that told me he couldn’t believe I’d ask such a stupid question.
“Rena was on your side and I haven’t a
His mouth fell open, then he shook his head. “It’s more complicated than that. I want what’s right. The thing is, Rena was only in it for Rena. I got tired of having to watch my back when she was supposed to be looking out for me. Not a very good partner if you think about it. You never know when someone like that will decide they’re done with you.”