* * *
“Don’t touch anything else.”
* * *
He walked over and looked at the gun. Looked back at the living room. “Fucking hell.” He stared down at the gun, and I tried to figure out what he was thinking. I stepped closer and he held up his hand.
* * *
“Don’t come near me.”
* * *
I swallowed, panic welling at the curt tone and the way he moved, just a fraction of a step, away from me.
* * *
“This looks bad. This looks fucking bad.”
* * *
I couldn’t stop my head from turning, from looking at her shoe. Only now, in my new position, I saw more—her body, half-curled on its side. I closed my eyes and wondered if I would ever forget that image.
* * *
Is love worth a death? Is our love… this affair… I forced myself to look back at her, to understand the loss of life that I—we—caused.
* * *
Then, a second thought occurred to me. One I should have figured out the minute I saw her shoe. In ‘my’ suite. Her dark mess of bloody brunette hair.
* * *
“Did she… was I…” I couldn't find the words, form the thought, complete the question. Was that supposed to be me, slumped on the floor, one leg awkwardly bent?
* * *
Am I supposed to be dead right now instead of her?
* * *
Dario ignored me. He pulled out his cell phone, dialed a number and lifted the phone to his ear.
* * *
“This is Dario Capece.” He spoke firmly, a man in control, a voice that gave me hope.
* * *
“I need an officer to Suite 908 of The Majestic. I’ll have security meet you at the front desk and escort you up. There’s been a murder.”
* * *
His eyes met mine.
* * *
“The victim was Bell Hartley.”
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About the Author
Alessandra Torre is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of seventeen novels. Torre has been featured in such publications as Elle and Elle UK, as well as guest blogged for the Huffington Post and RT Book Reviews. She is also the Bedroom Blogger for Cosmopolitan.com. In addition to writing, Alessandra is the creator of Alessandra Torre Ink, a website, community, and online school for aspiring authors.
* * *
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