“I see it,” he says, inhaling one last pull before dropping the cherry bud to the ground, stomping on its burning embers.
“What do you see?”
“Her chains.”
The way he says the wordchainssends rivulets of shivers down my spine. It’s almost like I can feel the cold, sharp metal digging into my joints as the lock snaps in place.
“They aren’t fucking hers. Don’t say stupid shit like that!” I snap, gripping the metal wrench in my fist until my fingers begin to cramp painfully.
Ash mumbles his apologies before trying again. “I see the chains she was crying about. They’re right there… still attached to the bed.”
Dropping the tool to my side, I drag my hands down my face, smearing oil across my skin. “There had to have been more.”
I didn’t want to express that thought to Amira, knowing she’s struggling enough with this as it is, but now that I’m outside with only Ash by my side, I want to free those thoughts before dragging them back inside.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean,” I start, sitting up on my mat as I look over both shoulders, “based on what I know… what I’ve seen… and what she’s told me, I know there has to have been more shit they found. I don’t understand why it’s been so hush-hush, but this could fucking change everything.”
Ash stares at me in understanding, the gleam in his gaze burning brighter as he nods his head. “You think they’ll connect the cop too, and that’ll take some of the heat off you?”
“Not just that. I think whatever police found in those two fucking houses will destroy that fucking town.”
“And Amira along with it,” Ash says, nudging his head toward the house as he studies me.
“You think it’ll hurt her?” I ask, folding my arms over my knees as I lean against the grille of my car.
“You said it yourself, Rome. You haven’t been able to get her out of the room, and she won't say a word. If it’s devastating her now with only thethoughtthat people may know what happened to her, what do you think will happen once that becomes a reality?”
I can hear the wisdom of his words, but I dismiss it with a wave of my hand. “She’s just in shock… but this is a good thing! It’s no longer a dirty fucking secret she’s been forced to choke down! Society will blame the town and its people for letting her suffer!”
Ash makes a hissing sound between his teeth, eyes pinching in skepticism as he considers my explanation.
“I mean… sure. I guess, but I just… I don’t know, man. Not everyone is like you.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask, lowering my tone when a couple of joggers run past me on the street.
Once they turn the corner, Ash begins to speak.
“I mean, watching Gabriel die was enough for you. After that, everything seemed to be fucking perfect. You had your freedom. You had your girl… life was exactly how you wanted it. But I don’t think Amira is like that.”
It irritates the shit out of me when Ash thinks he knows Amira better than I do, but I bite my tongue, preventing the verbal lashing that wants to slip out and let him finish instead.
“She fucking bottles shit up, man, and I don’t know if you’re too fucking blinded by this bubble of love you’ve blown around yourself, but I can fucking see it, dude.”
“See what?” I growl, trying to rein in my fucking temper before it blows up on him.
“Amira is strong. Fuck, you know that. I know that… you have to be, in order to survive all the shit she did, but… she isn’t that strong, Roman. And she was crumbling long before this article came out.”
I’m not about to expose the weaknesses of my girl. So, I opt to keep my mouth shut.
“I know I’m passed out fucking drunk most nights, but I hear her, Rome, in the bathroom, crying, begging something to stop and go away.”
I know.
I hear her too, but I’m powerless against her nightmares.
“She’s not okay, and I know you want to believe that this will be a good thing and it’ll help her move on, but, truthfully, this,” he says, holding up the phone, “has the potential to make everything so much fucking worse.”
