Chapter 76: Murder Reveal

*Surely he did. Right? I told him. He knows I don’t want that. Right? Fuck. Right??*

I told myself that I was overthinking things. Just getting in my own head again like I did when I was feeling unsure of things; important things that I need to eventually make a decision on.

*Naw, I’m just nasty. That’s all. That’s my juices. That’s all. I just need to shower. That’s all.*

Leaving Julian’s bedroom with messy hair and a body smelling like sex didn’t exactly sound like a smart idea so I decided to just take one in his bathroom. It was still stupidly ironic that our bathrooms were practically as identical as those goddamn twins. But I couldn’t blame him for it, it was probably just how the mansion was designed.

Like usual, I soaked in lava-temperature water that –like most women– had a fucking immunity to as if we were built like lizards always getting cold for no reason at all. Fuck.

I didn’t have much of a choice but I knew I was still going to smell like sex if I didn’t wash my body with soap. The only problem now is whether or not anybody will recognize it as the type of soap that Julian uses butttttt I fucking had no choice! With his body soap, I at least washed everything below my waist and used just enough shampoo to get the scent of sweat out of my hair. As risky as it was, I can’t lie, his shit smelt really good.

My body craved to be in the sizzling water for just a little bit longer but I didn’t want to spend any more time in Julian’s room than I had to. The last thing I needed was Mom catching me strolling out of there. Again.

After promptly drying myself off and putting my clothes back on, I barely creaked the door open and looked both ways down the hallway. Empty.

*Oh, thank fuck…*

I quietly but quickly closed his door behind me before nonchalantly strolling down the hallway as if nothing had happened. I thought I got a good getaway clean but I stopped short when I heard maids on the other side of the corner talking amongst themselves. Starting rumors probably. Unfortunately, they had the wrong person overhearing them.

“Poor Elena…” I heard one whisper with sorrow in her voice. Some of them were still grieving.

*I gotta keep these softies away from Mom or they’ll get her depressed again too.*

“Do you think they’ll find the culprit?”

*Huh? My brows furrowed in confusion. Culprit? I thought it was a deer. Well, they assumed it on the news… I don’t watch much TV. Each time I look I usually see a picture of my face.*

“To think somebody cut the wire to her breaks. Who would do such an awful thing? She’s never done anything to anyone!”

“The news hasn’t said anything else about it. I keep calling but there’s no updates on if they found the criminal.”

“I hope they get a death sentence.”

My jaw dropped in shock. Elena’s crash wasn’t an accident. It was murder.

*Holy shit…!*

It had been a long time since I’ve come across a situation like this. Back in the west-side, I tried to steer clear of situations like these because this was dangerous. Mason and Alex taught me well when there’s death involved, you steer clear at all costs. Murder isn’t like robbing a gas station. It’s the real deal. And karma is a bitch.

“I bet it was that thug Master Gabriel let into the mansion.”

“She’s completely untrustworthy. To think that she’s related to Isabella! That woman is such an amazing lady. How could she give birth to someone like that??”

“I bet she keeps drugs stashed under her bed and in her closet. I have half the mind of looking and presenting it to Master Gabriel, maybe he’ll kick her out for good this time.”

“Yeah, if you’ve got a death wish. You do know that barbarian keeps a knife on her at all times, right?”

My teeth grit as I fumed. These motherfuckers think I murdered a fucking maid!? My rage disorder triggers more fiercely than it has in a long while. As soon as I stepped around the corner, the three of them shrieked, jolted, and stared at me wide-eyed. There was a deadly silence between the four of us as I used every ounce of my humanity to keep myself from taking each one by their pretty hair and cutting it off.

*Don’t do it, Suki. Come on, you wanna be better for your mom. You HAVE to be better for her.*

I was clearly still seething like a firecracker getting ready to pop as I spoke my growled voice through clutched teeth. “...You little pieces of shit better keep the holes in your faces shut on that topic around my mom. Actually, no, don’t even talk about Elena and her shit while under this goddamn roof.” I knew my words likely made me sound more suspicious but I was determined to keep this out of my mother’s hearing range. She’s been nothing but smiles lately and that told me one thing; she didn’t know that Elena’s death was a murder.

“If I find out your wagging tongues have been talking about Elena again then I’ll fucking cut them out and shove them up your asses!” I couldn’t resist the threat at the end when I felt a vein in my neck pulse and took a threatening step towards them. They immediately stepped back.

“Y– yes, Madam…”

“We– we’re sorry, Madam!”

At least two of them had the nerve to speak to me meanwhile the third looked like she was about to piss herself. Or maybe she dribbled a little already. Something was going on with her face.

*This is the first time they talked to me with respect. Fucking liars.*

“Get the fuck outta my sight.” I snapped my burning venom and they picked up their baskets of laundry and hurried down the next corridor. As I watched them literally sprint off, my shoulders sagged and I slapped my palm to my forehead. “Fuuuuuck…”

Elena was murdered? There’s no fucking way in hell… her breaks? Why would somebody do that to her? I didn’t know the lady but when I did cross paths with her, she always smiled at me. It’s probably because she was friends with my mom so she showed me a little more kindness than the others but…

If Mom found out about this, it’d send her straight to that dark place again. I can’t let that happen again. Never again.

Of all things, Elena’s death sparked a different thought in my mind.

*Julian… he said he had nothing to do with it. Did he lie to me?*

I couldn’t tell. I didn’t know. My feelings for him had me all kinds of fucked up inside. All I did know was that Julian was a master at acting. *Did I overlook something? Was he acting for me too? Shit…*

I heard a cute, arrogant giggle behind me and spun around, still in shock from the news. There Grace was, the fabulous, shitty beauty queen of the century just leaning against the wall and looking at me with her arms crossed and a sly smile playing on her glossy lips.

“You look rather shaken up, sister. Is something the matter?”

I frowned sourly as I looked her up and down. She was wearing a white dress that hugged her slim frame and was cut short at the bottom. Even her straight hair was in bunched curls.

“Where’re you going? Your job at the brothel?” I purposely avoided her question and by the look in her gorgeous blue eyes, I could tell that she noticed. Hell, she probably already knew what was whirling around in my mind.

*Piece of shit shittier than those shitty maids…*

As she stepped closer to me, the clack of her high heels hit a nerve in me with each step. “I was just going to a party.” she circled me, the blue fire in her eyes that looked like Julian’s was very different from his; it was smaller and flickered more slowly. “If you want, you can come along~ You’re not doing anything, right? My brother is off with his own friends right now, I saw them leave.”

My frown deepened and I looked away from her. Mom was spending quality time with Gabriel and I didn’t want to interrupt. My last interaction with my friends was intense and I knew I should distance myself for a little bit. And I was worried that Amy would get mad at me if she found out I decided to date Julian after all.

Not to mention I’d die of boredom… Man, I am a sucker for torture.

“...Sure. Show me your shithouse.”

Grace’s smile widened as she leaned closer to my ear. “You smell good.”