“You’re being weird.” Nix pulls her trapped hair from the choker and plops down next to me. “If this is about Marshal… I really think we’re in the clear.”
I snort. Not a chance. That’s another shoe I’m waiting to drop. There are shoes everywhere. It’s raining shoes. Shoes. Shoes. Shoes.
I swallow the bile in my mouth.
I never should have gotten in the car with Jax. As if I didn’t have enough trouble, he brought more right to my doorstep.
Arnold.
I shudder just thinking his name. Apparently, that’s what Jax wanted to talk to me about—about the psychotic fucking mercenary who would be snooping around. But I think he should have led with that instead of fucking kissing me.
Groaning, I sink further into the couch, and Nix huddles in next to me.
“I’m just going to stay home,” she says.
“No.” I immediately try to sit up.
She’s been cooped up with me for the last two days, trying to make me feel better for something she doesn’t even know about. And while part of me worries that she’s not unraveling like I am—shedidkill Marshal, even if inadvertently—another part of me is relieved. If she can move past it, I want her to.
“Go. I’m fine.” I push at her.
“You aren’t, though.” She tilts her head, pity in her eyes.
“I am,” I insist. “I’m just trying to rest. I did have a heart attack, you know.”
I rub my chest to convince her, taking a dramatic breath. But it’s not all a show. My chestdoeshurt. It’s tight and stabby. Probably not a good sign, but I have bigger problems.
“All the more reason for me to stay,” she says.
“You already did your makeup,” I tell her. “Go get some use out of it. Who are you going with, anyway?”
She bites her lip and looks away.
“Ugh.” I fall back with a scowl, knowing exactly who she’s seeing. “Just stay away from his brother.”
Caleb seems like a good kid… all things considered. I don’t know what the fuck happened to Jax. How did he fall in with the wrong people? I mean, his father is a lawyer, for crying out loud.
“I doubt Jax is going to want to see a movie with us,” Nix says, getting up.
“Yeah,” I grumble. “He’s probably too busy killing people.”
Nix sighs.
“What?” I snap. “That’s what he does.”
“Kira,Ikilled someone.” She slaps her hands at her side. “Are you going to hate me too?”
“No! What you did was an accident. You didn’t have a choice.”
I throw the blanket away. How could she think that? She did what she had to do to protect herself. If anything, Marshal got himself killed.
“Maybe Jax doesn’t have a choice.” She raises her chin.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I rear back. “Of course he has a choice.”
Nix squeezes her eyes shut, taking a deep breath like I’m just too dense for her, and shakes her head. But what could she possibly be thinking? This isn’t the same at all.
“Am I missing something? Jesus, Nix. You saw him light Marshal on fire.”
