His implication is as clear as a cloudless blue sky. One way or another he’ll have her by any means necessary. Naomi bolts out the door without a backward glance.
“Run away, little rabbit,” he growls. “I’ll trap you soon enough.”
I swing the beer bottle to my lips and down the bitter contents in a few gulps.
“Want another one?” Zeus asks.
“Nah, I’m good.” I rub my gritty eyes. “I’m going to head upstairs and crash.”
I’m too damn tired to drive home.
“Stop exaggerating!” Snake shouts, elbowing Smokey in the stomach. “I didn’t fall. I dove on the floor so I wouldn’t get my ass shot off.”
“You fell harder than that new chick in the cafeteria yesterday.” Smokey laughs, blocking Snake’s elbow from digging into his midsection again. “What’s her name? It’s some weird shit.” He snaps his fingers. “Oh yeah, Zilphia.”
I leap to my feet, toppling my chair to the floor. Just hearing that name is like a kick to the gut. The chances of Zilphia being in Oregon are slim, but I need to put my mind at ease. “What’s her last name?”
Zeus locks eyes with me, fully knowing the pain she caused me.
Smokey shrugs. “I don’t know, man.”
“What does she look like?” I bite out, vengeful thoughts twitching my cock.
“I didn’t draw her picture.” He chuckles and takes a long swig of his beer. “Shit, man, I don’t even remember what I ate for breakfast this morning.”
Cricket walks over to me and rests a hand on my shoulder. “Relax, you don’t know if it’s her.”
“Don’t know if she’s who? Am I missing something?” Snake’s eyes dart between Cricket and me.
I pounce on Smokey, hauling him off the barstool. “Answer the fucking question!”
“Um, she’s Black. Pretty,” he rushes out, his eyes wide with fear. “Slender, about five five.”
It’s her. Has to be.
The girl who turned my heart black. I want to cut her open and bathe in her blood. It’s a sick fantasy for a sick motherfucker.
“Who is she to you?” Snake asks.
I release the shirt clutched in my hands and leave the bar on autopilot. Three phrases ring through my mind on repeat.
Make her hurt.
Make her bleed.
Make her suffer.
“Where are you going?” Cricket calls after me.
I straddle my bike and start the engine, my hands shaking with the need to hurt her.
Cricket grips the stainless-steel handlebars. “Leave with your head all fucked up and you’re going to end up roadkill.”
“Back off.”
“Don’t do anything stupid,” he pleads, worry evident in his voice. “Even if it is her… so fucking what. Keep that bitch in your rearview.”
“You know what she did.”
