Rule 49 - Domino
Don’t tell the killers things if you don’t want them to act on them.
Icrouched on the pile of ashes and ran my hand through the black dust. I’d just been let out of the hospital and brought back to the park. Something caught against my skin. I dug it out and found a single photograph. I stood and brought it up to the sun.
Tears stung my eyes as I took it all in. It was just a picture, but it was more than that. This single photo, charred at the edges, was a symbol of everything I'd lost. I blinked my emotions back, stuffed the photo in my hoodie pocket, and went back to kicking and digging through the remains of my cabin. Something shone in the sun, and I picked it up. It was thick plastic. I had to brush the ash off before reading it, and once I did, I gagged. It was one of Swayze's gross condoms, still in its wrapper. The foil hadn't melted. I turned away and tossed it on the ground in disgust.
Boots stepped into my vision and I looked up to see Swayze, of all people. I rolled my eyes and shook my head.
"I can't believe I ever liked you."
"Can't believe you liked me or that you let me inside you?" He snickered.
"Both. I was perfectly fine going about my life solo without you or Koi. I don't know what I was thinking." I turned away, but he snatched my shoulder and spun me back to him. He pulled me to his chest and squeezed my ass.
"You liked it. In fact, I have picture proof of you enjoying all the things we did together."
I furrowed my brow, but then it flashed in my memory. That night on the Ferris wheel. He'd taken my photo. My eyes drifted up to his face, and the grin on his face confirmed it.
"Where's my camera?" I demanded.
"Why would I give it to you after you accused me and Koi of being murderers?" He let me go, and I stumbled back. "You're not going to find much in the rubble. I found the best thing last night." His hand slid down and unhooked the handcuffs from his belt, waving them in the air. "You never know when these could come in handy."
Fear traveled down my chest, settling in my stomach. I licked my lips and stepped back slowly.
"Why did you do it?" I blurted.
He cocked his head. I studied his intensely handsome face. Those brooding eyes, his chiseled jaw, the dark hair I tugged in moments of pure passion, all of it, a farce. A beautiful mask.
"Did what?" he asked.
"Try to kill me. And the others. I know you did it. Why did you kill them?"
"I didn't try to kill you." He brushed past the other accusations, focusing on the first.
"But you did kill the others?" I raised an eyebrow. I didn't want it to be true. I pleaded for him to tell me no, that it wasn't true. My gut was wrong, but he didn't. instead he repeated himself.
"I didn't try to killyou."
I bit down on my lower lip until I tasted blood."You're a bastard." I spat, blood dripping from my mouth. I wiped it away with my sleeve. Any trace of amusement fell from his face and was replaced with anger.
"A bastard who loves you. Those people wanted you dead. If they hadn't been stopped, then they would have. Do you not remember Ruth? You were supposed to be in her place. Or Blane, he had plans to snap your neck the first chance he could catch you alone. Or Chitra, she was going to sell you out for money."
"Chitra?" My hands went to my mouth.
He sighed and rolled his eyes to the sky. "No one told you. They found her the night of the fire."
My chin trembled, and I took another step back. I looked around, trying to figure out an exit plan. It didn't matter which direction I ran; Swayze was faster. I couldn't run.
"Domino…" Swayze hurried over, cupping my face as tears streamed down my cheeks. "My perfect little doll. Don't do this. I love you, even after what you said."
"You're a killer," I whispered, again, pleading for him to tell me otherwise.
"I'm going to do whatever I need to do to keep you safe. I'm not the monster."
I shoved him away. "Maybe you don't see it that way, but I do. Why don't you go tell your followers all about it? I'm sure they'll love seeing your murderous tendencies way more than I do."
I turned, despite knowing how dangerous it was to have my back to him, and started walking away, not sure where I was going as the place I'd been living in was burned to the ground.
