Page 89 of Vicious Deception
“Oh?” I bite into my sandwich, hoping this is going where I want it to.
“We can’t let him stay alive.” Rhett’s eyes are hard, his expression set. “Not only to protect Benny, but because of what we’ve learned about him over the past month or so. I thought he neglected me and Sam because he was mourning, but he was off living a second life. He’s at fault for her death just as much as Holloway is.”
“All right. How do we do it?”
Grimacing, Oliver stands. “Either of you want coffee?”
“Sure,” Wren says, and I nod.
“I want to do it alone.” Rhett stares at the table, his fists clenched. He knows we won’t agree to this. “He’s not a threat. I can handle him by myself.”
“Are you going to confront him?” I ask.
He nods.
“And if you freeze?” Crossing my arms, I stare him down from across the table. Not that it does any good, considering he’s still not looking at any of us.
“Already asked him that,” Oliver says as he pours coffee into two mugs.
“And what was your answer?”
“I won’t freeze.”
Tipping my head back, I release a slow, even breath. I want to believe him—I really do. But there’s a part of Rhett that still believes all the things his father told him. It doesn’t matter how strong or intimidating or powerful Rhett is. Deep down, he’s always been afraid of Richard. I’ve never judged him for it—never blamed him, either. It’s just the truth.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” I say.
“Well, I do.”
Oliver sets the mugs down in front of me and Wren. He squeezes my shoulder and kisses Wren’s temple before speaking up. “You think it’s a good idea to put us throughmorestress?Moreanxiety? We’ve all been through hell, and we barely made it out alive.”
Thankfully, Rhett doesn’t seem to have a protest to that. He sighs, finally raising his eyes to meet mine. “I just don’t want him to hurt any of you.”
Wren tilts her head. “But you said he’s not a threat.”
“Not physically, no. But he has this way of twisting your thoughts around until you’re all backward. I . . . I don’t want you to experience that, sweetheart. And Ell and O have been through enough of it.”
“So have you,” I grit out.
“That’s different!”
“Exactly,”Oliver says, sitting down next to Wren and sliding his hand over her thigh. “No offense, Rhett, but you’re the most likely to fall prey to his manipulations. Not me, not Ell, not Wren. If you were only going to kill him, then that’s one thing. I don’t blame you for wanting closure—for wanting to say everything you’ve been holding back all this time. But you shouldn’t be alone.”
Rhett shakes his head, but when he opens his mouth to speak, he’s cut off.
“No!” Wren’s voice is steeped in more pain that she should ever have to bear. “I don’t wantyouto get hurt again.”
“But—”
“I get that you’re trying to protect us.” Her voice softens, and she reaches across the table and covers one of his fists with her hand. “But this isn’t something you have to do alone. Please, Rhett. I can’t handle any more anxiety right now, and you need support. We’re stronger together.”
I almost add that if Rhett decides to kill Richard alone, I’ll simply follow him, but maybe it’s best he doesn’t know that.
Rhett’s gaze travels from Wren to me to Oliver before he dips his head. “Fine,” he says softly. “I texted Finn last night. He’s working on learning Richard and Corinne’s schedules so we can get him at the right time. I’m thinking a staged suicide makes the most sense.”
“And what about Andrew and Benny?” Oliver asks. “They’re still missing according to the authorities.”
“That I haven’t figured out yet,” Rhett says. “I’m trying to give the boys time to decide if Benny is okay going back to Corinne after Richard is dead.”