Flix tried not to feel bothered by that, but couldn’t help but ask, “Then why?”
“Because,” Aneski moved closer, until they were practically chest to chest, “you owe me. You owe me for all the time and energy I wasted crying over you and my asshole brother.”
“If you’re pissed off at Russ, find him and collect.”
“Oh, I am pissed. Enough to hate him,” he stated. “But this, right here, is between you and me. You’ve got two choices, be’tessi. Kill me or claim me. Those areyouronly options.”
“Or, what?” he scoffed. “You only have the video, Ani. There’s nothing else you’ve got that you can use against me.”
Aneski nodded, but it was in a way that made Flix feel nervous, even as he backed off, slowly retreating toward the building once more. “I know what the Brumal say about Shepards. That we’re weak. We’re cowards. That we’ll never have half the skills that you guys have.”
Where was he going with this? Flix couldn’t figure it out.
“Take you for example. You can read people better than most. That’s why you’re the one Baikal sends sneaking around spying for him. You figured out who I was right away, didn’t you. Back at the hideout?”
“Is that what you call it?” Flix didn’t move to stop him when Ani lowered and picked up the knife he’d dropped earlier, though his confusion did grow. “Yeah. I figured it out pretty early on.”
“Because you’re perceptive.” Aneski straightened, knife in hand. “The funny thing about perception is if you believe in your own too strongly, it becomes very easy to fall into the lie.”
It was eerily similar to the thought Flix had had in the past, and he was so caught up in the similarities of it, he didn’t realize what was actually happening until it was too late.
“I told you I didn’t come here to die, and I didn’t,” Ani added. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not willing. You think I don’t have anything to hold over you? Think again.”
Quick as a whip, Ani spun the blade in his hand, aimed it at the spot at the upper left of his own navel…
And stabbed the knife straight down to the hilt.
Chapter 14:
He really didn’t have a death wish, he swore, and admittedly, this was a serious gamble, one that might cost him everything, but…
Aneski had come prepared to give it his all.
Even if his all ended up including his life.
No more unanswered questions.
No more uncertainty.
Ani wanted the truth.
And he was going to get it.
Taking a knife, too, was sort of extreme, but Flix wasn’t budging, and they’d reached an obvious stalemate, so it’d been the only option left to him.
It was a gamble, but then, couldn’t that be said about everything? No pain no gain, right? Aneski had read each of those letters left by Russ over a dozen times these past couple of days, and each time, he got angrier and angrier. Not because Russ had manipulated and deserted him. But because his actions had resulted in Ani losing the one thing that had actually mattered to him at all.
Flix Fulmini had always been Aneski’s end game, even when he’d been too stubborn and childish to know it. The letters had taught Ani a lot about his brother, but they’d also painteda possible picture for the Brumal member. Now that Flix had confirmed he’d done all of that for Ani’s sake, there was really only one more truth to pry out of him.
Did he still care for Ani, even a little?
He’d grown a bit uncertain with all that talk about Flix killing him, and they way he’d said it without flinching, but he’d simplified things now. Either Flix saved him and admitted to them both he had feelings, or he left him there to die.
Which would suck, but at least he’d have his closure. Three torturous years were enough to push him to a point where that seemed worth it.
Still…
The pain was astronomically worse than he’d imagined. So much so that he was ninety percent certain he would have bitched out if he’d known about it beforehand. Since it was too late, all he could do was clutch his side and sway on his feet.
