“That girl is not my friend.”
He started the Jeep and pulled off, driving around a stick in the middle of the lane that had the goat head staked on top of it.
It wasn’t until I heard the screams five minutes in that I understood what he meant. Simon was riding in the back. Romero was dragging him behind the Jeep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
He pushed the speedometer to seventy and kept his dark gaze trained straight ahead.
I could partially see Simon in the rearview mirror trying to keep his head up, being brutalized by the asphalt.
“Who is he?” he asked me, speaking just loud enough I could hear him over Simon’s screams.
“I don’t know, but you’re going to make a mess,” I replied flippantly, twirling a strand of hair around my finger.
“You fuck him?”
“What?” I started to laugh. “Are you for real?”
“You think this is funny?”
“You’re jealous because I may or may not have fucked that guy, but I’ve fucked lots of guys. I’ve fucked my dad, my uncles, and I was kinda-sorta fucked by my baby brother. I’m a real bonafide whore.”
“Cali,” Arlen choked from behind me.
“Don’t feel pity for me. I’ve had as many cocks between my legs as I’ve had in my mouth. Oh, and a few women got the VIP treatment too, so no one was left out.” I forced another laugh and looked down at my lap, clasping my hands together.
Romero sharply swerved after a minute, sending Simon’s body to the far right. The chain around his ankles snagged as his head hit a culvert and detached from his body.
Quietness settled over the jeep.
Ihad no desire to see what was left of Simon’s body. As soon as we were back at the warehouse, I was out of the Jeep and darting inside.
“Don’t ever fuckin call yourself a whore again.”
I paused on my way to the kitchenette.
“And here I was, thinking I was your special whore now.” With a sigh, I resumed walking, adding a little skip.
He came up behind me and spun me around. “What the fuck did I just say?”
“I think I forgot already. Will you repeat it?”
Slipping out from between him and the counter, I put space between us by circling to the opposite end of the table.
He looked at me for a minute before scrubbing a hand over his face.
“I’m waiting.” He crossed his arms and gave me a leveled stare.
“Why did you kill that little boy? He was just a kid, Rome.”
“So she does have some morality left in there.” He sneered at me. “That wasn’t a kid; that was an animal. He would’ve eaten your fuckin face off in your sleep. I’ve seen dozens of kids just like em.”
“You’re an animal, too! You’re a…”
“Savage. I know. I make no excuses, and I have no regrets. This is who I choose to be and I don’t care if you don’t like it. You’re either with me or against me.”
“And what if I’m against?” I asked quietly.
