Start a War (Saint View Psychos #1)(27)

I crouched, offering Kellan a high five. “How are you today, my friend? Shall we play some more Spider-Man?”

The little boy cheered and grabbed my hand, pulling me through the room. We passed Bethany-Melissa trying to pry a two-year-old from her mother’s leg so the woman could go to work, but she gave me a distracted smile.

Kellan tugged at my hand, guiding me to sit at the table with him. But instead of getting out toys, he pinned me with a look, his face completely serious. “Can I tell you a secret?”

I nodded. “Of course. I’m good at keeping secrets. I have many I’ve never told anyone.”

Because telling people you had a body count in the hundreds was never polite dinner conversation. Especially when you weren’t talking about people you’d slept with.

“I think Miss Befany-Melissa is pretty. I’m going to ask her to be my girlfriend.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Want to know a secret of mine?”

The boy’s eyes went big. He nodded and leaned in closer, putting his little hand on my arm.

“I think she’s very pretty too. But for the sake of our two-day-old friendship, I’ll step aside. You make sure you treat her well though.”

Kellan grinned. “I’ll bring her flowers every day. And take out the trash.”

Kellan was everything I liked about children. He reminded me of Ripley. I glanced over at Bethany-Melissa, who swung the now smiling toddler around while his mom made a quick getaway.

She caught me watching her and made her way over, a big smile on her attentive face.

Kellan was right. She was very pretty.

Too pretty really. It was hard to focus on anything but her.

“What are you two boys chatting about all secret-like over here?” She swayed as she stood smiling over us. The toddler on her hip seemed to appreciate it. He’d laid his head on her shoulder and was snuggled into her neck.

I nudged Kellan. “Go on. Ask her.”

Kellan’s eyes went wide. He shook his head viciously and then zoomed off like he was the Road Runner. The toddler in Bethany-Melissa’s arms struggled to get down and chase after him. She set him down, and the two boys disappeared into the fray of the room. “What was that about?” She sat next to me.

Her scent washed over me. Something sweet and delicious. I suddenly understood why the toddler had pressed his face into her neck.

I had an urge to do the same.

But like many of my urges, I stifled it. “Secret boy things.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I’m good at keeping secrets.”

“So am I.”

She laughed, and the sound was like a bell tinkling. Beneath the desk, I gripped my thigh, digging my fingernails in sharply. “There is one secret I might need to tell you though…”

She raised an eyebrow. “Do tell.”

I stood. “It’s one that you really need to see.”

“Why do people keep saying that to me?”

Her voice was such a low murmur I wasn’t sure I’d heard properly. “I beg your pardon?”

She shook her head, and her ponytail swished. “It’s nothing. Let’s see your secret.”

“We need to go outside for a moment.”

Bethany-Melissa scanned the room. “There’s not many kids here yet. We won’t be missed for a moment. If you’re quick.”

“I will be.”

We ducked outside, and I jogged to my car and pointed through the window. “Look.”

Little Dog had a setup fit for a queen on the back seat. Treats, food, water, and of course, her fluffy pink dog bed. I’d left all the windows down a bit so she’d have enough air.

Bethany-Melissa squealed. “Oh my God, is this your dog? She’s so cute!” But then she spotted the cast, or maybe the cuts and grazes. “What happened? Is she okay?”

“I’ve only just adopted her. She was hit by a car I was driving behind on Monday night.”

Bethany-Melissa clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes going wide in horror. “No!”

“He left her for dead on the side of the road.” The evil part of me whispered something in my ear, and I couldn’t resist his demands to repeat it out loud. “I would have reported it to the police, but I only caught half the number plate. C-A-L-E…but I didn’t quite get the rest of it.”

The color drained out of Bethany-Melissa’s face. “Cale… The last number wasn’t an eight, was it?”

Yes.

“Might have been. Why?”

“Never mind. The main thing is she’s okay.” She glanced up at me. “We can’t leave her in the car all day though.”

I frowned. “I left the windows down.”

“Why didn’t you just leave her at home?”

“There’s no one there. I didn’t want her to be lonely, and I can at least have lunch with her if she’s here.”

She smiled. “That’s very sweet.”

I shrugged. “I haven’t had a pet for a really long time. I’m not really sure what to do with them. My last dog died when I was seven.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“We never forgave my mother for that.”

Bethany-Melissa’s eyebrows furrowed together. “Excuse me?”