Page 31 of Dread’s Beloved

“Don’t bother. You’re all the same.”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I just have always had a thing for you, and I walk into my room and here you were, ready and waiting. I went for it.”

“You never mentioned a girlfriend.”

“You didn’t ask.”

He’s got me there. “You should have said something. I never would’ve.”

“I know. It's fucked and selfish of me. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t think it's me you should be apologizing to. You don’t owe me anything, but whoever she was…” I shake my head. “She deserves better.”

I grab my bag and trudge down the hallway to the bathroom, feeling like an absolute piece of shit. I know how that woman feels, and it's not nice. It’s a soul crushing sick to your stomach disgusting type of deal.

How did everything get fucked so upside down?

I put my backpack on the sink. Zane is dead and I’m on the run, living out of a fucking backpack. I can’t call anyone, and I just helped my best friend’s brother cheat on his girlfriend. Oh, and Dread has an ex-wife who is fucking gorgeous, and he yelled at me. I burst into tears and drop to the floor, feeling sorry for myself. Because what the fuck? “What in the actual fuck is my life?” I ask aloud, but the bathroom doesn’t have any answers for me.

Chapter Thirteen

Dread

After my blowup with Kitty, I go down to the bar for a drink. Cass took off, and good riddance. I shouldn’t have given into her bullshit. She’s still the same old Cass. I wasn’t mad at Kitty. I was mad at myself because I knew I’d just blown any chance at ever having a shot at her down the road.

Pushed straight into Knives’ bed, I’m sure. Maybe it's for the best. He’s closer to her age, and she was smiling the whole time she was hanging out with him.

“Still got her hooks deep in you,” Nightshade mutters.

“I’m in no mood, man.”

“Too fucking bad. You’re in my house. Two of you are like water and oil.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“When she left you, she was pregnant.”

“What the fuck?”

He nods and lights up a smoke and offers me one. I don’t normally smoke unless I’m drunk, but I take one. Night I’ve had I could smoke a whole fuckin’ pack. “Wasn’t sure who the father was, but then she had a miscarriage and it fucked with her. Not making excuses. Cass has always been wild. Born that way and won’t ever change.”

“Why are you telling me this shit?”

“Because I should have said something back then, but hell, I thought maybe you’d work it out. You didn’t.” He shrugs.

“Asshole.” Some red-headed woman comes tearing down the stairs, Knives on her heels. He’s got a blanket wrapped around his waist and the stupid fuck trips and falls down the last of the stairs. Everyone starts laughing at the sight of his lily-white ass.

The woman he’s chasing flies past us and out the door. Knives gives up the chase and goes back upstairs.

“Just another regular night around here.” Nightshade laughs.

“Shit.”

“Shit, what?”

“Kitty.” I put out my cigarette and push off the stool.

I find her in the fetal position on the bathroom floor crying.