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Her voice trelistened with tears, and her lips quivered, soly vulnerable, and that lass of water I'd brought her earlier and took another sip of it, her hand shaking just a bit, just enough to be noticeable

A sick, guilty look filled Owen's eyes, and Salina clearly decided to take advantage of it

"All I can think about is, what if Phillip co about it I've even hired bodyguards to protect"

Well, that was a clever way to explain her poaching giants froures Total bullshit, but clever Salina needed protecting about as much as I did

"Phillip won't come after you," Owen said "I'll make sure of that "

Salina reached over and grabbed his hand, s it away from mine "Promise me, Owen Promise me you'll handle Phillip The way you should have back then "

Wow And I thought I was good with knives Salina had just pulled a verbal dagger from out of nowhere and buried it in Owen's chest, then twisted it in for good measure I could see what Roslyn had meant when she'd called Salina cruel, because that was just what she'd been to my lover, and he didn't even seeuilt filled his face, and I kneas thinking he should have killed Kincaid back then

I thought about what Bria had said this erous in a way I'd never expected her to be She was a skilled actress who instinctively seemed to knohat buttons to push to manipulate the people around her But the truly re was that she projected such absolute, utter sincerity as she spun her web of lies, like everyone she'd hurt had done her soht, no matter how horrible and deadly her own actions were If I hadn't known better, Ishe was

Owen opened hisher He pulled his phone out of his suit jacket and glanced at the screen

"Excuse me," he said "I have to take this "

He scooted out of the booth, got to his feet, and walked back toward the bathrooms and away from the noise of the storefront Salina watched hiry look in her eyes

"Bravo," I said, clapping ether politely "That was quite the performance "

Salina kept staring at Owen "I have no idea what you're talking about "

"Please," I scoffed "Phillip Kincaid never tried to rape you, and we both know it "

The water elened to look at ain "Why would you say that?"