“I didn’t have a choice at the time,” I spit through gritted teeth.
He shakes his head and sneers at me. “We all have choices, man. You made yours.”
I ignore the truthful words I spew all the time. “Are you willing to die for her?”
“Are you?” He retorts. “Because I’ve been here,with her, waiting for that sick fuck to show his face again.” He runs his hands over his head and takes a deep breath. “I agreed to this because I want her safe. I know you guys were a thing—”
“Are.” He stops talking and really focuses on me. “We are much more than athing. I hope you can respect that. Look, I didn’t ask you that to start a fight. I asked you because if she’s not worth to you what she is to me, this isn’t going to work. I need to know that I’m putting my trust in the right person’s hands. Can you shut off your emotions and get in there without them knowing how close the two of you have become? Can you help me save her and my best friend before we run out of time?”
Bobby contemplates what I’m really saying. “Yes. I can,” he states matter-of-factly.
“That means that no matter what you see, no matter what he does to Hazel and Joseph, you have to go along with it. Can you do that without going lone ranger on his ass?”
I know the internal battle he is fighting. I fought the same fight and lost miserably, interjecting myself into Hazel’s life and putting myself on Phil’s radar. If I had to do it all over again, I would. I would do it every single time, because I’m a selfish bastard and I want her. Only difference, I would fucking kill Phil sooner before he could ever hurt her the way he did.
“Yes.”
His broken reply is the saddest lullaby to my ears. I hope he doesn’t have to witness any horrific acts during this. Those are just as hard to come back from as having them done to you. Hazel once told me that Bobby had a hard life. Depending on what he’s been through, he may or may not have the strength to make it out of this without cracking more than he already has. I couldn’t imagine having to go against someone who is like a brother to me to do it either.
“Dustin—”
“I know.” His jaw visibly tightens, and he closes his eyes. “I’ll get it worked out.”
We drink our coffee in silence, staring down at the table as we process the conversation. The waitress brings us the check, and I hand hermore than enough to cover it. She needs it more than I do. Not that that will make up for all the wrongs I’ve done in my life, or the shit I’m planning to do in the future. Nothing could wash away my sins. Too many people’s blood stain my hands. It has since I was a small boy.
The only time I feel vindicated is with Hazel. The way I feel with her is all-consuming. She makes me want to forgive myself for the things I’ve done, and the things I didn’t do. Her desire to accept me for what I am, and finding that part of me that I believed to be long dead, has awakened my heart. Hazel knows what has to be done. She didn’t shy away from it, and she trusts that I will do it. I’m doing it all for her. Because of that, in the end, she won’t only be mine, I will own her completely. What a fucked up, twisted game this has become.
My phone vibrates, and I pull it out of my pocket to see Dale’s name on the screen. Bobby intently focuses on me as I answer the phone.
“Yeah.”
“I found the fucker,” he says. “What do you want me to do with him?”
All the anger building inside is about to find its release. I stare at Bobby, a smirk pulling at my mouth. His brow raises in question as he listens.
“Bring him to me. He’s about to find out what happens to those who fuck with what’s mine.”
CHAPTER 12
PHIL
THEmarker squeaks on the dry erase board as Joseph reworks the formula. He said there were several ways to make Snap addictive, but the question was how addictive did I want it to be. His nervous rambling about certain drug mixtures and fatalities had my head hurting. I don’t fucking care if people die. If they are stupid enough to get hooked on a drug, they get what’s coming to them. All I care about is that their money meets my hand first.
“Obviously, you don’t understand this entire business.” He stops writing and watches me cautiously as I approach him. “The whole point of selling drugs is repeat customers. Snag them, hook them, and reap the benefits. Look at Big Pharma. Those bastards know what they’re doing.”
“I understand it just fine,” he grates, turning back to the board. “Snap was created to pull in non-druggie clientele. There was no competing with others, so no drug wars would erupt. I put a lot of thought into it when we started this. People wasting away and dying was not one of them.”
“Well, then. Guess you better make sure this version is the least detrimental if you want to save people.”
The disgust on his face makes me laugh, which only angers him more. This skittish little twat doesn’t have what it takes to stand up against me. He’s fucking intelligent, I’ll give him that. But that’s all he has to offer. I’m going to enjoy putting him down when all of this is said and done.
“Are you done rearranging the equipment to your liking?” I pick a test tube up out of the holder and examine the watery liquid inside.
“For now,” he says. Reaching over, he plucks it from my fingers and gently sets it back down. “Don’t touch anything.”
As he pulls his hand back, I grab his finger and bend it backward. He grunts and attempts to jerk out of my hold, but I pull it tighter making him still. Joseph focuses on me, his chest rising and falling in a mix of fear and animosity. He should fear me. He should be terrified. I could fucking break him one body part at a time, and he could still complete his task.
“I’ll touch what I want, when I want, and that includes you. There’s not a damn thing you can do about it. Understand?”
