“I’ll think about it.” I have zero control over my life. Getting a tattoo or piercing would give me some semblance of power. “What are you getting?”
“Garter belt on my right thigh. Wanna see?”
“Sure.” Meela passes me her cell phone. “Whoa, that is hot,” I gush, zooming in on the picture.
“Damn, girl, you still alive?” Snake chuckles, plopping down in the chair next to me. “I thought you were dead for sure.”
Fuck. Where the hell did he come from?
He throws an arm around my shoulders. “Sandman fucked you up something good. You were screaming your goddamn head off.”
“Leave me alone,” I hiss, moving to the chair furthest from him.
“Watch this one,” he says to Meela. “She’ll stab you in the back when you least expect it.”
Oh no, he’s going to tell her what I did.
“Zilphia already told me everything, so go shit on someone else’s day,” she quips, crossing her arms.
Meela lied for me.She doesn’t even know the whole story but still came to my defense.
“You have the worst taste in friends,” Snake tsks, shaking his head before looking back at me. “You know Leah’s brother is a rapist and murderer, right?”
I want to blurt out, “So is your brother,” but I think better of it.
“Stop spreading your lies,” Meela snaps at him.
“Leah’s brother and my sister were friends,” Snake continues, ignoring her. “He wanted more, but she didn’t. One day he snapped, raped her, and stabbed her sixty-seven times.”
My heart breaks for his sister and breaks for him too. I can’t imagine losing a beloved family member or friend under such horrific circumstances. That’s got to change a person. Snake’s hatred makes perfect sense now, though it’s misplaced. Leah shouldn’t suffer for her brother’s alleged crime, guilty or not.
“That’s not true!” Meela shouts.
“Then where the fuck is he, huh?” Snake shouts back at her, bounding to his feet. “Why did he run?”
“He didn’t run.” Meela is standing now too, and suddenly they’re nose-to-nose. “He’s dead, you moron. Whoever killed your sister killed him too.”
Some avidly watch the heated argument unfold, while othersgo about their day, but no one steps forward to intervene. I’m afraid they’re going to start swinging on each other any moment now.
“Then where’s his fucking body? Why would the killer leave my sister’s body but take his?” Snake questions. “His father is hiding him, and Leah knows where.”
“To throw the cops off their trail, duh. Corey would’ve never hurt your sister,” Meela argues passionately. “He loved her.”
“Don’t you fucking say that!” he rages, shaking her violently. “That sick fuck didn’t love my sister. He was obsessed with her.”
“I know what this is really about.” Meela smirks, propping her hands on her curvy hips. “You’re the one who’sobsessed.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Snake growls.
“Leah,” she responds, one eyebrow arching with practiced flair. “I see the way you look at her. You want her bad.”
Shit, I didn’t see that revelation coming.
Snake shoves her hard, and she crashes to the floor. “Shut your fucking mouth!”
“Asshole!” Meela yells, scrambling to her feet.
I rush between them. “Enough.”
