“I love you, Dex.” I cut him off. “You've been so fucking good to me. Better than I deserve.”
“The fuck is going on, Cal?” He demands.
In the background, I hear Katrina's voice, her confusion as he grabs his keys.
“This is the last thing I'll ask you for. I promise.”
“Don't fucking hang up on me!” Dex snaps, as I hear his door shut and heavy footfalls on his steps.
Time is running out.
“Did you kill—”
“Her brother is who you're going to pick up. I found him last night, and he traveled for this. I just need you to bring him to my place.”
“I don't understand; what's going on?” Dex huffs.
I turn my attention to the blade on the counter, mixed in with all the other things I bought to try and stave off my disease... the toys I got to try and carve my sickness out of me. I never would have expected that what would keep himat bay was simply a girl with sharp eyes and sorrow in her soul. She tamed my beast; he's been nowhere to be seen these last few days.
“You will.” I tell him. “Just bring him here, okay? And make him come down here first. You shouldn't have to deal with this…”
“Fucking hell, Cal. Just stop, okay? Take a breath and sit down. Don't do anything rash.”
“It's too late for that.” I laugh, turning my eyes toward my angel.
She's so fucking beautiful.
So fucking broken.
God, my chest fucking hurts, and it's hard to breathe. Pain tracks up my arm, zaps me with every inhale.
Am I having a heart attack?
“It's okay.” His voice becomes distant as I pull the phone away from my ear and lay back on the table beside her, placing the phone behind my head so that I can be sure he still hears my next instructions. “Whatever you did, Cal, we can fix it. I'm on my way.”
“Not to me.” I say, loudly enough that I know he has to hear me. “Don't come to me first. You go get Parker, and then you come here. Promise me, Dex? Please?”
“Fuck!” Dex growls, and I hear the horn blare as he punches his steering wheel. “Why?”
“Promise.” My tone brokers no room for argument. I won't explain, and he knows it. He can keep asking, but it won't do anything.
“I promise.” He agrees, finally. “Okay? I promise. I'm headed there now. But don't you fucking do anything, okay?”
“You're going to lose respect for me, brother.” I tell him, trying not to choke on the sob in my throat. “So just remember me the way I used to be, okay? Before all this…”
“Cal, I—”
I cut him off, unable to hear anything else he has to say. “Please hurry.”
“Cal—”
I hear the engine rev as he floors it, and I know he's hurrying.
I know he's doing exactly what I asked him to, because that's the kind of man Dex is. The kind of man I can never be.
“I did this for her.” I sob.
And I fucking hate myself for sobbing. I hate my weakness, my fear.
