She sobs and closes her eyes, seconds before I pull the trigger.
Her blood splashes across my face, and on instinct, I run my tongue over my bottom lip, tasting the familiar, iron-sweet flavor of it.
A monster.
A sadistic, uncaringmonster.
Fuck yeah, I am.
Nicole’s body loosens against my grip, so I let go of her neck, and watch as she falls in a heap at my feet. I then walk back to my crew and hand Varsha back her gun before saying, “Eddie will deal with this mess. Let’s get the fuck outta here, come on.”
She’s so disoriented as she nods that it makes me burn with rage. If I could bring Gavin back to life and kill him myself, I would, because that asshole broke a piece of my sister today, and I know for a fact that it’s one she’ll never get back. It sucks, and I’m helpless against it, and that’s the kind of situation I don’t like falling into.
The urge to turn around and look at Gavin’s dead ass one more time is strong, but I keep my eyes forward and follow the crew out ofRadicalInk. It is, after all, the only logical thing for me to do.
48.
I’m flipping through yet another page of the latestVanityFairissue, when I see movement in my peripheral. I look up, just in time to see Dorran climbing up my balcony. His arms flex as he grabs the marble railing and lifts himself up and over it, and when I look at the time on my nightstand clock, I can’t help but smile.
12:00a.m.
I’d texted and called him a couple of times during the day, but he hadn’t responded to any of them. I’d had half a mind to visitFinessein order to make sure he was okay, but I also didn’t wanna be one of those people who crowd their partner’s space at all times, so I hadn’t acted on my instincts.
Dorran enters the room, and I turn to gaze up at him. My smile fades almost immediately when I see the expression on his face, and the way he seems weighed-down while standing before me.
I drop the magazine on my bed and rush to him. Up close, I can see the darkened stains of blood on his yellow vest, the circles around his eyes, the sweat and grease on his face, and the way his brows have knitted together, as if he’s got something on his mind that’s straining him on the outside.
“Dorran…” I cup his jaw. “Hey, what’s wrong?” I wipe the grey smudges off his chin and nose, then frown when he doesn’t answer me.
“You’re scaring me,” I confess, and run the back of my fingers over his cheek.
He leans into the touch, then lets go of a weak breath and closes his eyes. “I’m…tired, I guess.”
I feel an ache in my gut as I watch him. I haven’t seen him like this since I’ve known him, and whatever has caused this, has to be huge, or at least something that hit home for him somehow. I wanna know what it is, and I wanna fucking fix it for him.
“Dor–”
“I’m sorry I didn’t answer your calls and texts yesterday,” he says in a voice that’s soft, yet broken. “Me and the boys were with Varsha for most of the day.”
I blink, and my frown deepens. “What hap–” I lose my train of thought when Dorran opens his eyes and grabs my hand – the one I have on his cheek – and brings it to his lips before pressing a kiss on the inside of my wrist. Goosebumps prick my entire body, and when he touches his nose to the spot he just kissed, I feel a blanket of warmth wrap itself around me.
“Will you go for a ride with me?” he asks. “Right now.”
I nod without hesitation. “Yes,” I say. “Of course, yes.”
He sighs as if he’s relieved to hear my answer. “Okay.”
I step closer to him, then rise on my tiptoes before giving him a kiss on his lips. The lingering smell of cigarettes on his breath is familiar, and also soothing in an innate sort of way.
“Okay,” I tell him, then smile and give him another kiss.
49.
The wind whips by me as Dorran speeds his Harley through the dim streets of Riverside. The solid hum of the engine beneath me, paired with the distinct smell of smoke in the air, puts me at ease. I close my eyes and breathe it in, then place the side of my face on Dorran’s back.
My white shorts and lavender hoodie are failing exceptionally against the cold, but I’m also enjoying the brittle weather tonight, so I can’t exactly complain.
Dorran takes a left, and we enter yet another quiet neighborhood. I tighten my grip on his waist, then place a kiss on the back of his neck as I inhale his scent.
