Page 9 of Until Death or Defeat

I know she’s right, but it’s fucking tough to accept. If I knew I was going to waste nine years of my life trying to be perfect and missing out on life just to not even accomplish my only goal, I would have done everything differently. I’m sure I’ll regret it until I find some new purpose.

“Wait,” I say suddenly, and Reina looks up as she crunches her chip in between her teeth. “Do you know what this means? I have nothing else to fight for now, he has completely bested me and he didn’t have to lift a fucking finger. And now he gets to move on with his life with the satisfaction of that.”

She rolls her eyes and sighs.

“You’re so blinded by hating him you’re missing why this is agoodthing for you. You’re obsessed. You don’t have to do it anymore Gigi; you are free from your war with him and now you can just enjoy your damn life. Thank God it ended now, before you guys actually ended up killing each other,” she retorts with a soft laugh as she dips another chip in the salsa.

Why don’t I feel relieved though?

Why do I not feel a weight lifting off my shoulders now that I no longer feel like I have to prove something to him?

Do I evenhavea meaning or purpose in my life now that it’s over?

Now that I will no longer have that douche to spur me on and motivate me to be better than him, what the hell am I supposed to do?

My phone buzzes loudly on my nightstand and I groan as it jolts me out of my peaceful sleep. Who the fuck is calling me at one in the morning from an unknown number? My thumb hovers over the decline button, but my curiosity gets the better of me and I press answer.

“Hello?”

“Finally,” a deep, exasperated voice replies at the other end. “I thought you were never going to pick up.”

“Who is this?” I sigh sleepily as I prop up on my elbow.

“Max,” he says casually, as if that fucking explains everything.

My frown deepens, “Max who?”

“Maxim Sokolov?”

I sit up straight in bed when he answers, and my heart rate quickens. “What the hell do you want? Do you know what time it is?”

“Oh, I’m well aware,” he says with a deep sigh as he continues, “Roman and I have had enough of Artem’s shit for one night, and we figured it’s your turn to come deal with him.”

Huh?

“Why in theworldwould I come deal with your brother?”

“Uh, cause he’s your fiancé, after all,” he says in a tone as if it was obvious.

Silence.

Did I just hear that right?

No, he must have misspoken.

Okay he definitely didn’t misspeak but, he must just have the wrong number then.

“Do you even know who you called?”

He sighs, obviously growing annoyed at this exchange drawing on longer than he had anticipated, when it sounds like shuffling and suddenly a different voice comes through.

“Giselle, I could probably recite enough information about you to create a Wikipedia page, so yes we know who this is. Are you going to help us deal with him or not?” I hear Roman’s voice, and his words prick me like little needles as my body stiffens.

Oh, wait, I get it! They’re fucking with me.

I burst out laughing, adjusting myself on the bed and putting a hand on my forehead. “Funny joke guys, now I’m going back to bed.”

Before I could move the phone from my ear he responds, “Why would we be joking?”