MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter Forty-Nine: The Side Hustle
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The morning after Lyra came home, the house was loud.
Percy was in the kitchen, making breakfast, his voice echoing through the halls. He was telling a story about the warehouse, about the fight, about the moment he had taken down three men with his bare hands. The story changed every time he told it. It was longer now. Wilder. More impossible.
Aries was beside him, their hand in his, their face soft. Yuri was in his corner, his arms crossed, his face cold. But his eyes were on Percy. They were always on Percy.
Ci N was on the sofa, his phone in his hand, reviewing the footage from the warehouse. Felix was beside him, his head on Ci N's shoulder. "You missed the part where Percy fell," Felix said.
Ci N looked at him. "Percy fell?"
"Off the roof. He landed in a crate. Yuri had to pull him out."
Ci N's face split into a grin. "I missed that?"
"I have it on my phone."
Ci N grabbed Felix's phone. He watched the video. Percy falling. Yuri pulling him out. Percy laughing. Yuri's face cold. His hands steady.
"This is gold," Ci N said. "Pure gold."
---
The screen in the living room flickered.
Everyone looked up. The screen was black. Then a face appeared. A woman's face. Dark hair. Sharp eyes. A smile that was not a smile.
Honey.
Jay walked to the center of the room. Keifer was beside her. "Honey. You're back."
Honey's voice was tinny through the speakers. "I'm always watching."
Percy walked into the living room. His hands were full of plates. His face was bright. "Honey! We missed you! Where have you been? What have you been doing? Did you see the fight? Did you see me? I took down three men. With my bare hands. It was—"
Honey's eyes moved to Percy. Her face didn't change. "I saw."
Percy set down the plates. He walked to the screen. His face was close. "Was I amazing? Was I—"
"Percy," Honey said.
He stopped. His mouth was open. His hands were empty.
"If you say one more word," Honey said, "I will kill you."
The room went quiet.
Percy's mouth closed. His face was pale. "What?"
Honey's voice was calm. "I have been watching you for months. You talk. You never stop talking. You talk in the morning. You talk at night. You talk when you eat. You talk when you sleep. You talk when no one is listening."
Percy's face was red. "I don't talk when I sleep."
"You talk in your sleep. You talk about Aries. You talk about Yuri. You talk about—"
"Okay," Percy said. "Okay. I get it."
Honey's eyes were sharp. "I have been tracking Jason for weeks. I have been tracking his men. I have been tracking his money. I have been working while you were talking."
Percy stepped back. His hands were up. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'll stop talking. I'll—"
"No you won't," Honey said. "But if you interrupt me again, I will fly to Manila. I will find you. I will make you regret every word you have ever spoken."
The room was silent. Percy's face was white. Aries was trying not to laugh. Yuri was not trying.
Jay stepped forward. "Honey. What did you find?"
Honey's eyes moved to Jay. Her face softened. Just a little.
"Jason wasn't working alone. He had a partner. Someone who's been hiding longer than any of us knew. Someone who's been waiting."
Jay's hand tightened on Keifer's. "Who?"
Honey's face was grim. "His name is Victor. He was your father's closest friend. He was the one who introduced your uncle to the man in Singapore. He was the one who planned the attack on your wedding. He was the one who paid your bodyguard to kill you."
Jay went still. Her face was blank. Her hands were steady.
"He's been hiding in the shadows for years," Honey said. "Waiting. Watching. Planning. And now that Jason is gone, he's ready to move."
Percy stepped forward. His face was serious. "Where is he?"
Honey looked at him. Her eyes were sharp. "He's here. In Manila. He's been here for weeks. He's been watching you. He's been watching all of you."
Percy's face went pale. "Watching us?"
"He knows about the house. He knows about the garden. He knows about the steps where you sit. He knows about the corner where Lyra stands. He knows about the kitchen where you burn breakfast."
Percy's hands were fists. "What does he want?"
Honey's voice was quiet. "He wants to finish what your father started. He wants to destroy everything your family built. He wants to watch you burn."
The room was silent. Percy was standing in the center, his face pale, his hands steady. Aries was beside him, their hand in his. Yuri was behind them, his arms crossed, his face cold.
Jay walked to the map. It was still on the wall, the pins and strings and photographs, the face of the man in Singapore at the center. She put her hand on it. She looked at the room.
"Then we find him," Jay said. "We find him. We end this."
---
The planning started immediately.
Mica was at her laptop, her fingers moving, her face focused. Calix was beside her, his hand on her chair, his voice low. Honey was on the screen, her face sharp, her voice steady.
"He's been moving money for months," Honey said. "Accounts in Hong Kong. Accounts in Macau. Accounts in places you've never heard of. He's been preparing for this."
Mica looked at the screen. "Where is he now?"
Honey's eyes moved. "He's at a warehouse in Batangas. The same warehouse where your uncle stored the weapons. He's been there for weeks. Waiting."
Rakki stood up. Her face was sharp. "How many?"
"Forty. Maybe more. He's been recruiting. He's been training. He's been waiting for the right moment."
Freya walked to the map. "We hit him tonight. Before he's ready."
Erdix was beside her. "We hit him at dawn. Catch them sleeping."
Grace cracked her knuckles. "I'll take the front."
Denzel was beside her. "I'll take the front with you."
Kit stood up. "I'll take the back. Mayo, you're with me."
Mayo was beside them. "I'm with you."
Care stood up. Cole was beside her. "I'll be at the entrance. In case someone gets hurt."
Cole took her hand. "I'll be with her."
Percy walked to the map. "I'll take the roof. Aries, you're with me."
Aries was beside him. "I'm with you."
Yuri moved from his corner. His arms were still crossed. His face was still cold. "I'll go with Percy."
Percy looked at him. "You always go with me."
Yuri's face didn't change. "I always go with you."
Ci N put his phone in his pocket. "I'm going. I'm filming everything."
Felix was beside him. "I'm carrying the bags."
Lyra stood up. Her face was pale. Her hands were steady. "I'm going."
Alex was beside her. His face was white. "Lyra. You just got out of the hospital."
She looked at him. Her face was blank. Her eyes were not. "I'm going."
He took her hand. His fingers were warm. "Then I'm going with you."
She looked at him for a long moment. Then she nodded.
---
Jay stood at the window. The garden was dark. The steps were empty. Keifer came in behind her. His arms went around her waist. His face was in her hair.
"You're thinking," he said.
"I'm always thinking."
He turned her to face him. His hands were on her face. His eyes were steady.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked.
She looked at him. The enemy. The stranger. The man she had married. The man she loved.
"I'm thinking about the war," she said. "About the people we've lost. About the people we might lose."
He pulled her close. His arms were tight. His heart was steady.
"We're not going to lose anyone," he said. "We're going to end this. Together."
She held him. His chest was warm. His breath was steady.
"Together," she said.
---
Lyra was in her corner.
The garden was dark. The steps were empty. Alex was beside her. His hand was in hers.
"You're thinking," he said.
She looked at him. His face was close. His eyes were bright.
"I'm thinking about the warehouse," she said. "About the last time. About the bullet. About the coma."
He pulled her close. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair.
"This time is different," he said. "This time, you're not alone."
She held him. Her hands were steady. Her heart was full.
"I'm not alone," she said.
He kissed her forehead. "You're never alone."
---
The night came.
The house was quiet. Keiran was asleep in his room, his arms around his dinosaur, his face soft. Keigan was in his room, his light on, his door open, watching.
Percy was in the living room, his feet up, his eyes closed. Aries was beside him, their head on his shoulder. Yuri was in his corner, his arms crossed, his eyes on Percy.
Ci N was in the garden with Felix, their voices low, their laughter soft. Care was in the kitchen with Cole, making tea, her hand in his. Lyra was in her corner, Alex beside her, her head on his shoulder, his hand in hers.
Jay was in her room. Her room. Their room. Keifer was beside her. His hand was in hers.
"Tomorrow," she said.
He kissed her forehead. "Tomorrow."
She closed her eyes. She slept. She dreamed of the garden, of the steps, of the mud they had thrown at each other. She dreamed of his face, of his hands, of his heart beating beneath her ear.
He watched her sleep. Her face was soft. Her hands were still.
"I love you," he said.
She smiled. Her eyes were still closed. "I know."
He laughed. It was a real laugh, the kind that came from somewhere deep. She was laughing too.
They were together. They were ready. They would end this.
---
END OF CHAPTER FORTY-NINE