A Righteous Kill by Byrne Kerrigan

Author:Byrne, Kerrigan [Byrne, Kerrigan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Suspense, Contemporary, Romance, Mystery
ISBN: 9780615910666
Amazon: 0615910661
Barnesnoble: 0615910661
Goodreads: 18652879
Publisher: Ardent Publishing
Published: 2013-01-01T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

“It is as sure as you are Roderigo…

But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve

For daws to peck at. I am not what I am.”

~William Shakespeare, Othello

Portland’s posh and vintage neighborhood of Laurelhurst was known for its narrow streets and large gardens. Eoghan and Izolda Katrova-Connor’s home was no exception. As homage to their city, a well-kept thicket of roses lined both sides of their walk. In the December chill, they were severely pruned into neat hedges. The Victorian-era home looked much smaller from the outside than it was on the inside. It stretched deep, rather than wide, and boasted five bedrooms, a parlor, entertainment room, gigantic kitchen, and a dining room that could comfortably seat fifteen adults. Apparently, Izolda was an optimist.

Luca remembered his first visit to the home. It’d been like he’d stepped into a catalog peddling domestic bliss. Mrs. Katrova-Connor, the strikingly beautiful, golden-aged matron, had greeted him with an apron tied over a waist too small to have contained her six dynamic children. He’d stepped from a large covered porch that smelled like the heather and fuchsias spilling out of the window boxes, into a home that smelled like baked goods and happiness.

That day in October, he’d sat on their comfortable leather couch and proceeded to explain to them that their youngest child had, indeed, become the latest victim of a serial killer. Hero had still been recovering from surgery in the hospital at that point. They’d taken it like people used to such tragedy. Instead of falling to pieces, casting blame, or making accusations, they’d asked pertinent, solution-based questions. Tears had run down Eoghan’s leathery cheeks, but his voice had been strong and his fury well-contained.

Luca liked and respected them instantly. And later, the genial curiosity with which Hero’s father and mother accepted the idea of their relationship made this whole deception a lot easier. Though, he still had to fight a bad case of very real nerves at actually spending an evening with his pretend girlfriend’s family.

Taking Vince’s advice, he pasted on his best I’m-not-sleeping-with-your-daughter smile and trailed after Hero to the door. Serial killers, drug lords, and terrorists he could handle. Parents? That scared the bejezus right out of him. Maybe it was because he’d kissed her again. Goddammit. Couldn’t fathers smell that kind of thing? On top of that, he’d promised to—well it was better he not think about that just now.

One. Two. Three. Four…

The heavy arched door wrenched open, but the Katrova-Connor wearing the frilly apron was the last one he’d expected.

Hero’s compact body was enveloped by six foot two, two hundred five pounds of laughing Light-heavyweight. “You guys made it!”

“Knox, you remember Luca, my boyfriend.” Hero gestured in Luca’s direction.

He gave his only little sister a sloppy kiss on the forehead before reaching over her to offer his fist to Luca. “Of course.” Knox’s smile widened. “It’s good to see you man, under much better circumstances.”

“Likewise.” Luca reached out and fist-bumped what had to be the most valuable knuckles in the country.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.