When I arrived, he was already partly undressed.Bare chest exposed like he thought it might impress me.Thankfully, he'd kept a towel around his waist.
His eyes darted over me, sizing me up as I stepped inside.
I flipped my hair over one shoulder and tilted my head, studying him.Short. Broad-chested.Hmm. Where to start?
"I ordered a blonde," he grumbled, turning away from me like I was something disposable.
I forced a coy smile and took a step closer.
"You got an upgrade."
The green dress I wore barely covered me, and I hated how exposed I felt in it.Especially with what I had hidden behind my back—my knife, cool and steady in my palm.
He huffed. His lips moved, muttering a low stream of filthy thoughts from his rancid mind to his frothy mouth.
"Oh, don't be like that," I said sweetly. I stretched, accidentally on purpose letting the skirt ride up. Then I eased the door shut behind me and flicked the lock."We're going to have fun tonight."
"Might as well. Good-for-nothings—"
I circled him once, slowly. Let a finger trace along his cheek.Then, with a snap, I closed the blinds.
My anticipation was growing. My mouth began to water.
"Look into my eyes," I whispered, voice low and husky.
He looked up at me, and I saw it in him—He thought I was nothing.A plaything.
Perfect. Time to play.
"Because these are the last eyes you'll ever see," I snarled.
Then I struck.
My foot slammed into his chest, knocking him flat onto the bed.
"Lacy Cummings. Do you remember her?"I drew out the knife so he could see it glint in the low light."She went missing three months ago. You were the prime suspect, but the police couldn't touch you. Not enough evidence. And your lawyer? Top of the line."I licked my lips, the adrenaline flooding me like fire."Well. I'm not the police."
"I didn't kill her!" he gasped.
But I saw it in his eyes.
Liar.
"How does it feel?" I lowered the knife, the blade hovering just above his lip."This is what she would've felt. Think about that.""Think about her."
"Please—" he whimpered. "It was an accident. She overdosed, I swear! I didn't kill her—I just… moved her. She's in the woods. By the highway."
He was trying to shrink into the bed.
Useless.
I twirled the knife and smiled, beatifically.
"Too late for that now."
I cupped his face gently with my free hand. Then leaned close, my lips brushing his ear.
"I'm going to enjoy this. Just like you enjoyed all those poor little girls."
Then I stabbed.
He died faster than I would've liked.I never enjoyed the fast bleeders.
Afterward, I left a note revealing where to find Lacy's body. I wiped down every surface I'd touched, cleaned my prints, and laid the knife beside him.
Poor man. Couldn't live with the guilt of what he'd done to Lacy.
Hopefully it'd take a while for someone to find him.Then again, the smell always gave them away eventually.
I gave the room one last glance. My fingers itched to leave behind a flower. But I resisted.
Nightglass wasn't the killer tonight.This was just justice.
Real justice.
I slipped out the window and disappeared into the night.
Mama had dinner ready when I got to her house.
"Sorry for being a little late," I said casually, handing her a bouquet of flowers."Had an errand to run. Traffic's bad around that construction site."
Mama clicked her tongue.
"Two seasons in this city—winter and construction."
Then she looked at the flowers in my hand.
"Oh, June. They're beautiful!" Her smile faltered."But I can't accept these. Not when today is—"
"I brought them all roses," I said quietly.
She nodded, her mouth tightening.
"You must be exhausted, Junebug. Did the press bother you?"
"Not as much. The case gets colder every year."I dropped my gaze to the table, hiding the pain behind my eyes.
She stepped closer, resting a hand on my shoulder.
"Can't dwell on the past, June. All we can do is move forward.Think of how many people you've helped."
To my surprise, a tear slipped down my cheek. I caught it with a fingertip and let it run down my hand.Because of me, monsters were punished.Sometimes forever.
"Did it get easier?" I asked her.
She didn't answer right away. The kitchen filled with silence.
"Oh, my little Junebug…"
She turned away to serve dinner. Plate after plate of steaming food.And for just a second, maybe a trick of the light—I thought I saw tears in her eyes too.