He leans toward me. Too close. I feel the heat of his breath on my neck as he growls, “What did I tell you, girl? Put the shit in the bag. Without delay.”
“Yes, Monsieur.”
He does not have to remind me again. I stuff the half leg into the bag. And when the next part of the dead woman detaches, I scoop it before it has a chance to hit the floor.
35
AFTER
Nena was running late for her sister’s dinner party, where Elin was to officially introduce her latest boyfriend to the family. She didn’t hold out much hope for this one, no matter how serious Elin said they were. Elin was as promiscuous as she was shrewd. She fell in and out of love so swiftly that the rest of the Knights could claim whiplash. It had been this way ever since she and Nena were teenagers.
Their mum hoped to have grandchildren one day. There was no way Nena was popping out any kids, which left Elin to be the baby factory, and if it meant going along with this boyfriend or that to get a husband, then Delphine welcomed them. Elin swore that if she wasn’t married and pregnant by thirty-eight, she would thaw out some of those eggs she’d frozen without her parents knowing and bake a baby for them. She had six more years to go.
On the night of the great family meeting of Oliver, Elin desperately needed her sister to get there so their mother wouldn’t scare him away with talk of heirs and whatever else. She’d given Nena this same spiel three times already and was working on her fourth.
“Nena, say you’re on your way? Because Mum and Dad just arrived,” Elin said frantically over the Audi’s speakerphone. “I can’t find anything right to wear tonight. I’m on outfit number five.”
“I am,” Nena answered. “But are you sure you want to officially introduce—”
“Oliver.”
“Like, once you tell Mum and Dad this is the guy, they will be looking up venues for your wedding. Mum will prepare the aunties. Is this thing with Oliver a business deal, a love match, or just a fling?” Nena had to be the voice of reason here. “Is he old or young?”
Elin’s silence alerted Nena that she was irritated. “Are you trying to throw cold water over my parade? He’s my age or a tad older. Who cares?”
“I don’t think that’s the proper saying.”
“I don’t give a damn if it’s the proper saying,” Elin hissed. “Yeah, okay, right, I’ve dated a lot. But it was only because I was searching for a certain kind of mate.”
“You should want a relationship like Mum and Dad’s,” Nena said. “Someone who is the other half of your mind. Someone to run all of this with.”
Elin, incredulous, said, “That position’s already taken, little sis, by you. I don’t need a man for what Mum and Dad have, because you are my other half. I want a man who will let me do my work with no questions asked. He can have his own businesses, but he leaves ours alone.”
“How can you be sure he will adhere to that? His dad is a Council member now. He’ll want to run the business with you.”
“He won’t. Dad won’t let him, and neither will I. Plus, he’s too vanilla for what we do. He’s scared of clowns, for God’s sake!”
Nena paused. “Well . . . no one actually likes clowns.”
Elin sighed. “I really, really like this one, Nena. I think I can settle down with him. For real this time.”
Nena couldn’t help herself. She tried to remain serious. “I should forget about all of the other ‘the ones,’ then?”
“Oliver makes me feel like I’m wrapped in a security blanket,” Elin cooed, ignoring her.
“You know, Amazon sells massive amounts of those. Weighted ones at that. I like the one I bought.”
“Fucking comedian,” Elin grumbled. “I’m deadly serious, Nena.”
Nena was making jokes, but the way Elin sounded, hopeful and excited about this guy, made Nena think about the dinner she’d had with Cort. The whole situation with him was so complicated. At least Oliver knew about the African Tribal Council. At least Elin didn’t have to hide part of herself from him.
Before she knew what she was doing, Nena recounted her evening with Cort and Georgia. The words came so effortlessly, and she realized something new about herself. She liked talking to her sister about this kind of stuff.
“You really care for this bloke, yeah?”
Elin had asked the question so softly, so thoughtfully, that Nena was taken aback. Startled, really. Care was such a big word. She wouldn’t say care. Would she?