Page 114 of Malice
“Because you don’t look like someone who wants to die. It’s Raine, right?”
I looked at him but kept my hand clenched tight around the gun barrel.
“I’m Roach. Snake and I met in prison. Kai never stopped talking about you. He always loved you. He tried to convince me that he hated you, but no hate burns that bright.”
“Shut up, man. You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kai said, but there was no conviction in his tone, and I hated that my chest clenched a little tighter for a man I should want to forget forever.
“Really? So you want to kill her? Then I’m with her. Do it. Get it over with. Otherwise, this is a lot of drama for nothing.”
Kai turned his head and looked at Roach as he crossed his arms over his chest, possibly bored, I didn’t know.
“Don’t look at me like that. Do you want her dead or not?”
“No, of course, I fucking don’t. Them, on the other hand…” Kai growled. “I’d happily see them bleeding all over the floor.”
“For what?” I yelled, and my hand shook violently.
“Whoa, Tink, don’t be doing that,” Kai said like he was trying to soothe me, his eyes wide as he stared at the shaking barrel of the gun.
“Or what? It might go off. Let it. Avro and Jace are the first people to make me feel human and myself again in years. You want to come in here and destroy that, rip away the slice of happiness I’ve carved for myself? Fuck you, Snake.” I pressed harder into the metal until it hurt. “I won’t let you tear me down anymore, and I won’t let you hurt them.”
“Let go of the gun, Snake,” Roach ordered, and Kai immediately let go.
My lower lip trembled as the last remaining bits of the girl I’d once been crumbled to dust around me. Flipping the gun around, I quickly popped the magazine, and it fell to the floor with a thud. I uncocked it, and the loaded bullet dropped to the floor. I tossed the gun at Kai, and he caught it. I’d never liked guns, but I’d gone to the range and learned how to use one. Fear makes you do things you never thought you would.
“Get out. I never want to see you again. If you ever loved me at all, leave me alone,” I said, my heart breaking with each word.
“Tink….” I could see the remorse in his eyes now that he’d calmed down, but it didn’t matter. The damage was done. In one single act of jealousy, he’d destroyed my life all over again.
“Don’t call me that, and get out,” I said, my chin held high.
“Come on. Let’s go,” Roach coaxed.
The way Kai hesitated, I wasn’t sure if he would go. He looked at me, then glanced at Avro and Jace before letting Roach herd him out the door. I stood and watched from the window as the two of them got into a truck and drove away, and still, I didn’t move.
As soon as I did, I knew what would happen. Encasing my heart in the walls it needed, I turned to face Jace and Avro. Jace was, of course, the first to speak.
He dabbed at his nose with the hoodie he was wearing. “Let me guess, that’s your friend, and you still don’t want me to call the fucking cops.” I didn’t say anything, and he shook his head. “Fuck me,” he snarled and stomped off.
“I’ll talk to him,” Avro said, and I held up my hand.
“No, let him cool off.” I lifted a shoulder. “He has every right to be angry, and so do you. I need to go home and spend the night there to clear my head.” I took in the destroyed room. “I’m so sorry,” I said. “I’ll help with cleanup, but I just can’t right now.”
“Let me drive you home.” He stepped toward me, and I held up my hand to stop him. I couldn’t let him touch me, or I’d lose all the courage I needed for what was next.
I shook my head and grabbed my purse and hoodie. “I could use the fresh air. I’ll be fine.”
“But Snake could be waiting. I really should drive you.”
I shook my head. “No, he won’t stick around. He knows this was a huge fuck up. Trust me. I know that look in his eyes. He won’t be back.”
Avro’s eyes held the same sad and hooded expression as my heart did. I stepped up to the front door and gave him a small smile as I tried to alleviate the worry I saw on his face.
“I’m so sorry for all of this. I really am. Can you tell Jace I’m sorry too?”
“You can tell him tomorrow. It will be better coming from you,” he said, and I nodded. “You’ll be at work tomorrow, won’t you? Do you want me to pick you up? Jace flies out the following morning, so we can talk after work,” Avro blurted out. He would make a terrible poker player. He was worried that this would drive a wedge between us, and he was right, which was why I couldn’t let that happen.
“Yeah, that works. Pick me up at the normal time.”
