Page 86 of With Spite

“You can stuff those cuts of steaks in the bags I have sitting out there. Then when you’re done with that, we’ll send ’em through the vacuum sealer and label them.”

Creed watched his sister get started while I continued to cut the steaks from the elk carcass.

“Y’all look like a well-oiled machine,” he mused. “How many times have you done this before?”

“Once, during that snowstorm,” Bernice answered. “Why?”

Creed leaned on the counter beside his box. “I don’t know. Looks awfully cozy.”

“We haven’t been seeing each other long.” Bernice read his mind. “Two days.”

I liked that she wasn’t denying what we had.

I also liked that she was being straight with her brother.

I didn’t like the whole hidden relationship thing.

It was fine if you were in the movies, but the logistics in real life were hard to pull off. Let alone why would you want to?

Above all, I liked that she knew there was an “us” despite not having a conversation about it.

There hadn’t been much time for conversations yesterday or the day before.

“Guess that’s why there was no answer at your house yesterday,” Creed mused. “I think I’m okay with this. Not to mention, it’ll be nice not to have to worry about you home alone twenty-four-seven. Having another pair of eyes and ears on you would make me feel a whole lot better.”

Bernice sighed. “You’re overreacting.”

“If anything,” Creed grumbled, “I’m under-reacting. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this the moment you knew that I was okay.”

“I was overcome with elation that you were alive, Creed,” she said. “Plus, you had your own shit to deal with at the time. Don’t blame me that you didn’t know what was going on with my life. You could’ve known had you not shut me out that last year.”

Creed snapped his mouth shut.

I sliced off another steak and kept my mouth shut.

What were the odds that I’d find her half the world away, and I’d fall in deep with her before I even really knew her. Then, as fate would have it, her brother would get dropped off practically on my doorstep where she’d then find her way here?

If that didn’t scream “fate” I didn’t know what did.

What I did know was that I’d be keeping her.

I’d tangle her in my web so deep that she’d never want to be let go.

And I’d protect her from the psycho that set his targets on her or die trying.

“Anyway,” Bernice said. “Mom’s dead. Her face was plastered on the front page of the online newspaper for her area. She was found outside a hospital.”

“Good riddance,” Creed muttered. “Let’s forget she ever existed.”

Bernice’s lips quirked. “I was thinking the same dang thing.”

Twenty

I’ll eat a bowl of water with a fork before I give a fuck about your opinion of me.

—Bernice’s secret thoughts

Bernice