The gates open, and I hop back inside the car.
He glares at me like I don’t know exactly what I’m doing. “What do you want to do? Bury him in the trash?”
“How do you think our family got rid of all the bodies piling up after each fight?” I retort as I drive inside and park the car.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“You wanted to help, so help.” I slam the door shut.
He hops out, hiding from the rain using his robe, and follows me to the trunk.
“If you think I’m going to dig through garbage with these precious hands, you’re sorely mistaken.”
“Then don’t,” I growl back, rain droplets rolling down my cheeks. “I didn’t ask for help. You offered.” I drag the body out, and it flops onto the pavement. “And if you’re not willing to do the dirty work, then why are you here?”
He winces at the sight of all the blood pouring out onto the wet ground.
“Fine, but I’m only doing this because she’d want me to help you,” he grumbles and finally decides to bend over and grab the guy by the legs. “You do the front. I can’t stomach looking at those ghastly wounds.”
We pick him up and carry him toward the back, past all the broken-down metal and scrap heaps.
“Where do you want him?” he asks, shivering from the cold rain pouring down on us.
“The big oven.”
His eyes widen. “Youwhat? You want toburnhim?”
“How else do you think we’d get rid of a dead body? Stop complaining and keep walking.”
When we’re finally there, we nod at each other, and I count to three before we throw the body onto the conveyor belt.
The machine turns on automatically, and Orion lets out a little shriek. “What was that?”
“The operator.” I turn around and signal the man inside the little hut, who my parents employ to be here 24/7 in case of emergency disposal. No questions asked.
“He’s implicated now,” Orion hisses.
“We pay them well to shut up,” I hiss back. “Should I pay you too just for the bonus of silence?”
“Maybe it would be wise not to anger the only person trying to help you out, my friend.”
“I amnotyour friend.”
We’re so close now, we’re nearly bumping foreheads over the body. I’m fuming, yet my eyes still wander off to those maddening lips of his as they get thinner the more upset he gets, and it pisses me off.
I lean sideways and press the button while we’re still head-to-head.
“You just say that because you don’t know how to share and feel threatened by my presence. Which I can understand. It’s a lot to take in.”
The fucking arrogance of this guy.
“I don’t fucking care about your presence, Oreo.”
The body slowly rolls toward its doom.
“Oreo?” he scowls. “Did you just compare me to a cookie?”
“Yeah, you’re just as gooey.”
