Page 40 of Demon On Deck

Mistake.

My hands brace the nearest counter, holding me upright as the sob I’ve been choking back finally breaks free. The tears that have been a slow, quiet stream become a torrential downpour of pain.

I’d known this was coming.

I knew it.

If I couldn’t find a legal way out of this shit storm that Matt dumped on me, eventually Evren would find out. And being the kind, generous, wonderful demon he is, he’d try to fix it. And because this is my mess, I’d have to refuse. And he would try to convince me because he loves me.

Loves me.

And because I love him, I’d end up pushing him away.

I’d known all of it, all along.

I just hadn’t known it would hurt so much.

Like my heart actually left my body to be stabbed, ripped apart, and burned to ash.

The tears continue to fall as I fumble for my phone with shaky hands.

Mel picks up on the second ring. “Hey sis. What’s-”

“Mel,” I breathe, voice breaking. “Mel,” I croak again as the tears fall harder.

“I’m on my way.”

My knees give out. I slide down to the kitchen tile, the cold floor numbing my skin, matching the numbness spreading out from the place where Evren lives in my soul.

Time is meaningless as I let my sadness consume me.

At some point, Mel arrives. She sinks to the floor, pulling me into her arms.

“Kallie, honey. What happened?”

“He came here,” I sob.

My sister’s entire body goes rigid, bracing to unleash hell.

“Matt? That fucker showed up here?”

“N-no” I stammer. “Evren.”

She exhales, tension slipping back into the part of her that would commit murder in my name and not think twice about it.

“What did he say?” she asks gently, smoothing her hand down my arm.

Fresh sobs slam into me, my chest feeling like it’s being ripped open. It takes me several moments of deep breathing before I can answer.

“He said he loves me.” My voice cracks, dry and broken. Broken, like my body feels.

“Honey, that’s wonderful.”

“I know,” I hiccup.

“So what’s wrong?”

“I love him too,” I say, the words ashes in my mouth. Love shouldn’t hurt like this. Love shouldn’t feel like I’m dying a slow, painful death.