Chapter 149: I’m going to kill him.

After the ordeal with the bimbo at the hospital, all I want is to crawl into my covers and sleep the day off.

No talking, no thinking and certainly no more women appearing out of nowhere to tell me what to do with my own husband while waving a gun around like they’re in some cheap action movie.

I make sure Isabella gets home safely before asking Hakeem to drive me back to the house. She tries to convince me to come inside for a while, but I tell her I’m exhausted and promise I’ll call her later.

The truth is, I don’t want to spend another minute outside.

As Hakeem drives, I lean my head against the window and watch the streets slide past. My fingers ache where the glass cut them earlier, and the memory of that gun keeps replaying in my head.

I make a mental note to ask Lysander for a gun when he comes back. One I can keep in my bag and carry around with me, in case shit like this happens again.

I probably shouldn’t have sent Hakeem to get me ice cream earlier. Maybe if he’d been around, he would’ve handled her before she had the chance to point a gun at me. Then again, I don’t know what he could’ve done without making the situation worse.

I sigh.

I’m too tired to think about it.

When we arrive home, Hakeem gets out and opens the car door for me. I thank him, then head toward the house with my shoulders slumped and my feet dragging.

All I want is a shower, my bed, and several hours of uninterrupted sleep.

I step inside and start toward the stairs when a somewhat familiar voice catches my attention.

"Good afternoon, ma’am."

I turn.

Is it Lucy...?

The woman standing near the entrance gives me a small, polite smile. She’s holding a big bouquet of flowers, so large that the colorful blooms nearly cover half her face.

Then I remember.

Lucia. Her name is Lucia.

"Ah, yes. Lucia." I glance at the flowers, then back at her. "How have you been? I haven’t seen you in a while."

She looks almost embarrassed as her fingers shift around the stems.

"Yes. The boss heard about my encounter with you that day, so he switched my duties. I’m in charge of the laundry now."

"Ohhh." That explains it.

I’d asked Linda about her, but she hadn’t exactly been forthcoming with information. I’d assumed Lucia had been fired or sent somewhere else. Apparently, Lysander had simply moved her away from me.

He’s awfully sweet sometimes.

"Right," I say. "That’s why."

Lucia lowers her gaze for a moment. "I just wanted to apologize for that day. I shouldn’t have said what I did. I’m sorry."

I wave a hand. "It’s okay. It’s in the past now."

She looks relieved. A sweet smile appears on her face, and she holds out the bouquet.

"These came in for you."

I reach for them. The flowers are beautiful, but there are so many that the bouquet feels like it weighs a ton. My arms dip under the weight, and I have to adjust my grip before I can keep hold of it.

"Thank you," I say.

Lucia gives a small curtsy, then turns and leaves.

I watch her go for a second before looking down at the flowers. It’s a ridiculous arrangement of roses and other blooms, tied together with a ribbon.

I turn toward the dining room, struggling to carry the bouquet without crushing the flowers or dropping them all over the floor. Once I reach the table, I lower it carefully onto the polished surface and roll my shoulders.

My arms are tired....:Everything about today has been exhausting.

I turn the bouquet around, searching for a card. It takes a moment to find the little envelope tucked between the stems. I pull it free and open it.

***Little riot.

Next time you feel like smashing my car, let me know so I can arrange for a private session. Seeing you do that today gave me a hard on.

P.S. The flowers are to soothe your pretty hands. I know you hurt them in the process.

I read it once then again. My fingers tightening around the note.

I squeeze it until the paper crumples beneath my grip and the edges begin to dig into my palm. My hands already hurt from the cuts, but apparently, I haven’t suffered enough today.

I stare at the flowers, at the note, then back at the flowers.

Yeah.

It’s official.

I’m going to kill him. I’m going to fucking kill him.

——————

Lysander’s POV.

I’m going over some reports with Jeremiah when my office door suddenly swings open.

My sister storms inside, looking like she’s ready to murder someone.

I sigh, leaning back in my chair.

"You can’t enter my office without knocking, Isabella. We’ve been over this."

She shuts the door behind her.

"I don’t give a damn what you want, Lysander."

She marches toward my desk, her eyes blazing.

"Did you fucking cheat on Nerissa?"

My fingers immediately find my hair. I drag them through it, tugging at the roots.

Across from me, Jeremiah swivels in his chair.

"Did you?" he asks, looking between us.

I ignore him and focus on my sister.

"What did she say?"

"She didn’t have to say anything." Isabella throws her hands up. "The fucking bitch you cheated with attacked us at the hospital."

My expression hardens.

"What?"

She rolls up her sleeves and extends her wrist across my desk.

There are faint handprints on her skin. The marks are already beginning to fade, but they’re still visible enough to tell me someone had grabbed her hard.

I look at her.

"Who did this?"

"Some woman, blonde, breast spilling out of her corset and shit...does that paint a familiar picture?," she answers sharply. "We were leaving Victoria’s ward when she approached us. She started telling Nerissa to stay away from you, and when we tried to leave, she grabbed me."

My jaw tightens.

"She grabbed you?"

"Yes! And when Nerissa pulled her away, the bitch pulled a gun on us."

I feel something inside me turn cold.

Beside me, Jeremiah pushes his chair back and rises to his feet. His expression has changed completely.

He looks at Isabella’s wrist, then at me.

"Yeah," he says, his voice dangerously calm. "That bitch is dead."