Eesh… This is gonna be a tough sell, man.
Jonathan is standing in front, leading the pack, as he does, arms folded over his chest, gaze narrowed. I can’t tell if he actually believes me—about not having authorized the killing of his mother. I wouldn’t blame him one bit for being doubtful. But Idohave evidence I can give him, should he require it.
Lashes fluttering, I peer among the others, everyone from Byron and Trevel, to Lemuel and his filthy little Carver, to the resurrected Luthor and Ren, Dascha and Kellan, and even Alex Carson from the control room with hisseriouslyenraged beau, Officer Peters.
Gang’s all here.
Noting the assault rifles they’re all clutching, I mutter, “So that’s where all the AK’s went… I thought I was going crazy for a—”
“I’ll fucking kill you!” Kellan Kemper roars, lunging at me.
In an instant, pure pandemonium.
Everyone is yelling and swarming. He gets only a fistful of my shirt before the others intervene. Angel attempts to get between us, joined by Dascha and Byron. It takes Jonathan, Rook, and Josh Peters to pull Kellan off me with shouting coming from all sides.
I’m just standing frozen, because I know I deserve this… I came down here expecting it. Rage and retribution for more sins than I could count if I tried.
I’d be saying Hail Mary’s for years…
“Calm down,” Jonathan speaks to Kellan firmly, a calm and rational tone while Kellan paces back and forth, snarling like a caged animal.
“That motherfucker deserves to be torn to pieces for what he’s done!” He growls from behind the wall of his peers.
“I know, but not like this.” Jonathan peeks at me.
“Let him come,” I grunt. “Take your shot, Kellan. I’m right here.”
“Diablo! Enough,” Angel snaps.
“What?! He’s right,” I mutter stubbornly. “You all have a bone to pick with me, and I get it. But let’s not forget that you’re also all herebecauseof me.” The room goes quiet. “For better or worse, I brought you all together. Doesn’t that earn me, at the very least, the opportunity to give you the explanations you deserve…?”
Joy Jameson snorts. “Explain this, bitch…”
“Alright,” Jonathan reprimands, turning to face me. “I mean, it’ll have to be a fuckin doozy,Jefe.”
“This oughtta be good,” Simon Hancock scoffs.
“Yea, let’s hear it,” Peters barks. “No, seriously. I wanna hear how you justify being the biggest asshole who’s ever walked the earth.”
Jonathan’s lips twitch. “You go ahead andexplain, Blanco. And we’ll decide if it’s acceptable or not.”
Taking a moment to lament thebrilliantfucking decision to lie down on the damn chopping block, I glance around at their irritable faces once more, considering how to go about this, if there even are any words I could use to talk my way out of this.
Notoriously, itisone of my greatest skills. But now that they’ve won, the spell is broken, and the people in this room might be impervious to my charms.
I think they’ve built up an immunity over the years…
Gulping down a dry mouthful of apprehension, I mumble, “My bad…?”
“Dios fucking mio…” Angel rubs his eyes.
They all gape at me in silence for three baffled seconds before erupting into even more shouting and clamoring curses.
“Alright!” I holler over the noise. “What I’m trying to say is that it was just business! Nothing personal…” My eyes flit to Jonathan. “For the most part.”
Kellan Kemper stomps forward, as close as Jonathan will allow him to get, anyway. “How is drugging someone and using them to take advantage of someone’s mental illness justbusiness?”
I cringe, becauseyea… that one doesn’t look good.
