“How am I supposed to do that? I keep thinking about her. Ever since you came back into my life.”
“Alice is dead. She’s dead for a good reason.”
“What good reason could you possibly have for strangling my roommate?” Anger flared and I pushed back against him, but he wouldn’t let me go. “Why did you do it, Kaspar? Why won’t you tell me, you asshole?” I had to grip the sheet, or else it would drop and I’d be completely exposed to him. For some reason, I needed the thin cotton to act as a shield between us, since he didn’t bother to cover up. His cock was half hard, like my anger excited him.
“You won’t believe me. I keep telling you that.”
“Which only makes me think you’re a liar.”
“I intend on proving myself. Words are easy, but deeds mean more. That’s why I know you want me. I can feel it in your body every time I touch you.”
“Physical reactions to stimulus.”
“Liar.” He stared into my eyes, threatening and angelic. I knew he’d never hurt me, despite the intimidation.
“Tell me why, Kaspar.”
I saw the indecision. Hesitation rippled across his expression—he wanted to say it.
But he was afraid. He was actually afraid.
And right then I knew that he wasn’t making all this up.
He killed Alice for a reason.
Whether that was a good reason or not, I didn’t know, because he wouldn’t tell me.
I touched his cheek. I released the sheet. It slipped, revealing more of my breasts. I touched him with both hands as gently as I could, like baring myself to an enraged tiger.
“Please, Kaspar,” I whispered. “Tell me why.”
He took in a deep breath and let it out as my sheet fell away.
“Maeve sent Alice to kill you. She planned on murdering you that night and I stopped her.”
I’d never felt so naked before in my life.
My hands dropped away.
He looked like someone stabbed him in the guts.
“That can’t be true.” I shook my head, confused. “She was just a regular girl. She didn’t—she wasn’t—” I stopped, gaping at him.
It made a kind of sick sense.
Kaspar didn’t kill for no reason. I believed that now after spending all this time with him. He was a beast, but he was a smart beast. He knew how to channel his rage to higher purposes.
Strangling Alice for no reason won him nothing. It only alienated me—the person he cared for more in this world.
Maeve sent Alice to kill me.
“How do you know?” I asked him finally, crossed my arms over my chest.
He saw my discomfort and pulled away. I grabbed the sheet from the floor and wrapped it tightly. I was grateful for that small comfort as he stalked across the room, pacing back and forth.
“It took me a while to figure it out. She watched you carefully, too carefully, and I thought she might be in love with you at first. But then I noticed she had nothing personal on her side of the room. Everything was too clean, too neat and orderly. Too brand new, straight from the package. There were no dents or dings or scuffs on anything.”
“Like she’d been given a new life.” I whispered the words. I didn’t want to believe this madness.
“I caught her following us on our first date. After that, I tapped her phone. She called Maeve three times and spoke in code with her, but I knew the truth after their first contact. Maeve sent Alice to kill you. Maeve wanted to start a war with your family, back when the Servants were still weak.”
I shook my head. “This is insane.”
“It’s the truth. Did you know she saw us having sex that night? The little rat was watching from the corner, staring at us, touching herself. The sick little—” He stopped because he saw the horror on my face.
“She was watching?” Shame flooded me. “Touching herself?”
His expression softened. “Shit, Penny. I shouldn’t have said—”
“And you know? You saw her doing it and you didn’t stop me? When did you realize?”
“Penny—”
“When did you figure out she was in the room?”
“When I was fucking you from behind. I heard something when you came. When I stood up and you were on your knees, I saw her.”
“Oh my god.” My mind raced, trying to remember that night. “She was watching. What the fuck, Kaspar? You let her?”
“I didn’t let her. When I caught her, she ran.”
“You didn’t tell me?”
“What would that have done?”
“I don’t know!” I shook my head quickly and waved at the door. “I want you to leave.”
“Penny,” he said, tone warning. “You understand why I did it. I’m not sure you believe me yet, but you will.”
“How can you prove it? Alice is dead.”
“Maeve isn’t. I’m going to burn her house to the ground and make her confess before I cut her throat.”