Her eyes drop to the floor as her chest heaves. “Traci and Staci are dead.” She releases a shaky breath. “Their bodies were found at Devil’s Bluff. Just like Candi and Shadow.”

A heavy feeling sinks into my muscles and uneasiness crawls along my neck.

Fuck.

Chapter 40

Aspen

Back-to-back wakes for girls I used to see in school every day are definitely not something I ever planned on attending a mere five weeks before graduation.

At least now people have stopped acting like these murders are just random terrible things that happen in life.

Doesn’t mean the local police are any closer to finding a suspect, though. Even my stepfather is growing frustrated with their efforts. Or as he put it—their lack of effort.

I peer at the pink coffin with a set of pom-poms placed on top. Yesterday was Staci’s funeral...and tonight is Traci’s wake.

Given this is the third one I’ve had to attend in such a short amount of time, I’ve grown a little desensitized.

Plus, it’s hard to muster any sympathy for a girl who set me up to get raped at a party so she could film it.

Doesn’t mean I wanted her to die, though.

I look around the packed room, wishing Knox were here. But he can’t be because he has a fight.

Seeing as he made me quit stripping, I don’t think it’s fair that he keeps partaking in these illegal brawls of his—no matter how much money he makes—but arguing with him is like arguing with a wall.

I pull Knox’s keys out of my purse. He told me to take his jeep to the wake and pick him up at the warehouse after I was done.

Perhaps I should go up to Traci’s coffin and pay my respects, but that’s hard when you had no respect for someone to begin with because they were a horrible human being.

Casting one last look at her pink casket, I say a silent prayer that her murderer is found before he or she strikes again.

I’m walking out to the parking lot when someone grabs me by the shoulder.

I spin around, ready to attack because there is a freaking killer on the loose, but relax when I glance up and see Leo.

Well, kind of because it’s weird to see him here.

“Didn’t mean to scare you,” he says, raising his hands.

“It’s fine. I’m just…jumpy.” My nose scrunches as I assess him. “What are you doing here?”

Sticking his hands into the pockets of his suit slacks, he releases a long-suffering sigh. “Looking for you.” Concern lines his features. “I’ve been worried about you.”

I adjust the strap of my purse on my shoulder. “You could have just called.”

He laughs, but it’s devoid of any humor. “You don’t pick up when I do.”

He’s got me there.

Guilt floods my stomach, which is weird because I have nothing to feel guilty about.

We broke up. Or as Knox would put it, we never even began.

How could we? I’m eighteen, he’s forty-eight…and he’s married to someone else.

Our relationship was immersed in secrets and only able to flourish in the dark.

I want someone who isn’t afraid to be seen with me in the light.

“I’ve been—”

“Let me guess,” he cuts in with a roll of his eyes. “Busy?”

I’m not sure why he’s giving me the third degree, but it’s not warranted because I no longer owe him any explanations.

“Yeah. Prom is next week and then after that it’s graduation.”

And then college.

I make a mental note to talk with Knox later about that, because while I know my plans, I have no idea about his.

Maybe we can get an apartment together, because God knows he must be sick of living with his uptight asshole father.

Leo’s face falls. “Dammit, Aspen.”

I bristle. “What?”

He shrugs helplessly. “When did we become strangers? When did you stop caring?”

“I don’t—”

“Did what we have mean anything to you? Anything at all?”

Now I get it. He’s still hurting and needs closure.

I tell him the truth. “It did. It taught me a lot of things. And while we didn’t work out, I’ll never take for granted that you were there for me when I needed someone.”

And for that, I’ll always be grateful to him.

Taking a step in my direction, he cups my cheek. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

I don’t know what to say to that, but it’s obvious he takes my silence as compliance because he whispers, “I’m still in love with you.”

He tries pulling me close, but I place a hand on his chest, stopping him. “I’m sorry you’re hurting, Leo. Truly, I am. But what we had is over. You need to find a way to accept that and move on.”

He looks so distraught—so ruined—my chest sinks. I never wanted to cause him pain.

Even though we had no business sleeping together…I think he did it to fill a void inside him.

Just like me.

“I can’t move on. I need you, Aspen.”

And I need him to let me go.

I’ll never forget what we shared, but all I see when I look at him now is a broken man that I can’t save.

Because I’m no longer tethered to him.

I take a step back. There’s nothing more he can say to salvage this. “Goodbye, Leo.”

Taking a cleansing breath, I start walking toward Knox’s jeep.

“Knox is here?”

I stop in my tracks. “No. He lent me his jeep so I could come here tonight.”

I don’t miss the animosity in his tone when he drawls, “I see.”

Chapter 41

Aspen

“We need to talk.”

Sitting up, Knox reaches for his pack of cigarettes on the nightstand. I watch the muscles in his broad naked back stretch and contract with the movement.

I’ve been wanting to ask him about his plans after graduation for what feels like forever now, but every time I try, he either changes the subject, or distracts me with mind-blowing sex.

Seeing as we only have two weeks left until we cross that stage and receive our diplomas…it’s now or never.