Kissed Blind (Hot Pursuit #2)(87)

He shook his head and puffed a small laugh. “Oh, please. That is ridiculous. You should have never drunk that, and you know it.”

“Really? Okay. And what about that little car accident of yours? Rats chewing through brake lines—who’s heard of anything so bizarre?”

“Strange things like that can happen.”

“Oh sure, right. They happen all the time. And what about that special new tea she’s been fixing you lately, huh? I guess you don’t see the coincidence in that, do you?”

“No, I don’t. She’s observant and pays attention to what I like. It’s what I pay her for.”

“And what else are you paying her for?” Her look silently accused him. “If I hadn’t shown up in Cincinnati, would you two still have been sleeping in separate rooms?”

“Camille.” His tone held a certain finality. “They found solanine in my blood.” The color drained from her already pale complexion. “I had a hunch and told them to look for it. Looks like it was a good one.”

“What’s solanine?” I asked.

“Do you want to tell them, darling, or should I?” His voice hardened and offered a warning.

Camille scooted her chair away from his bed and slowly rose, staring directly into his eyes. “You brought this on yourself.”

My skin felt like an accordion someone had squeezed, and all of my body heat escaped. I took a step toward Camille.

Oliver held up his hand. “It’s okay—she can’t do anything to me anymore. But I want to clear some things up, and I have a few questions that deserve answers.”

“Do you now?” Camille crossed her arms.

“You’ve been poisoning me for months.”

Her shoulders tipped in a barely visible shrug.

“Those men who took me the day I got sick on set, where I can only assume you also poisoned my salad, you hired them?”

Her lips were flat and even. “I needed you impaired, and it offered a convenient distraction to your little security girl here. You left me no other choice.”

“You tried to kill me? The man who always stuck beside you, the man who held onto your secret, the man who lifted you up for so many years before your career took off, you tried to murder?”

“Yes, because you’re the ungrateful shit who wants to throw me away like a used tissue, just toss me in the trash with yesterday’s lunch.”

“But why make me sick over and over for the past few months?”

“To show you how much you needed me. I felt you slipping away months ago, but I always helped you feel better, didn’t I?”

“By what? Backing off of poisoning me?” He huffed in disbelief.

“Sure that, but also the special juices, arranging the doctor’s visits, and getting you medicine.”

“But you were the cause of everything!”

She held up her hands. “I had to do it, don’t you see? We needed each other! I saved you all those times just like I knew you’d save me when I drank that smoothie.”

“Wow.” He laughed and appeared dazed. “You’re sick.” He took a deep breath and released it slowly. “We’ve put on the charade long enough, and I’m tired of acting.”

“Maybe you’re acting. Have you ever thought for a second I’m not, that I still love you?”

“One thing I know for certain is that you’re a tremendous actress, and this has been your greatest performance. You don’t try to kill someone you love.”

She rolled her eyes. “God, you’re so obtuse.”

“And you’re a psychopath. What sane person does something like this?”

“Maybe one who’s been pushed to her limits by her thankless husband.”

“Do you not see how crazy this is, poisoning me and hiring men to kill me?”

She ran her hand over her hair from root to tip. “For all the good it did me. The greedy thieves tried to blackmail me, even after they screwed up in the park. They couldn’t do one simple thing.” She swatted something floating in the air. “I should have never trusted them again. I don’t know why I was surprised when they did what they did.”

“Jesus, that was you too?” He furrowed his brow. “Why would you do that?”

“Because, you wouldn’t leave well enough alone. You pushed and pushed and pushed me the moment I arrived in town, throwing her name in my face the first opportunity you got. A little accident in the park where you were killed would’ve shut you up and would’ve been less of an inconvenience to Martin on the set.”

“How considerate of you.” He shook his head. “And then people would have seen your suffering. I bet you would have loved all the attention.” His mouth slacked as he looked away.

“Probably.” She shrugged. “But I even gave you another chance after that, but again.” She narrowed her eyes. “You insisted on starting arguments every chance you got. And now this divorce nonsense.”

Oliver’s muscles tightened, and he drew his head back stiffly. “I just… I can’t… I just can’t believe you’d do this. And you say you love me.”

“Oh please. People show their love in different ways. Have I ever mentioned your diddling on the side? What was that last actress’s name, the young, up-and-coming who knew you’d launch her career?” She thrust one finger toward him. “I never said a word, not one, or even acted the slightest bit jealous. That’s love, Oliver. That. Is. Love.”