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“I came to apologize.”

“Why? You finally figure out your little girlfriend killed that horse?” She leaned against the doorframe smirking.

“It wasn’t her, either. It was Storie,” I admitted.

“Storie? What?”

“Yeah.”

“Did your girlfriend tell you that? Because she’ll say anything to get that child out of your house. To get closer to you. I loved you and wanted to mother them,” she said.

I ignored that shit about her loving me. There was nothing there for her.

“Storie told me herself. She admitted to killing Midnite the other night.” I hated having to admit it. Hated that I was wrong, but living with integrity was important to me.

For a few seconds, Kira didn’t say anything. She looked past me at the truck, then stepped away from the door.

“Come inside. I don’t need my neighbors hearing this shit.”

I followed her into the front room. There were boxes stacked against one wall, and I recognized the Marceline’s logo on a pile of menus sitting on top of them.

Kira folded her arms and stayed standing.

“Say it again.”

“She confessed, Kira. I know you didn’t do it,” I replied.

“You knew me before any of this happened. You knew how much I loved those girls. I told you I didn’t hurt that horse, and you treated me like I was nothing.”

“I should’ve listened. Melody tried to warn me.”

“Who is Melody?”

“Skye.” I forgot she didn’t know all that went down, but I wasn’t about to divulge the story.

“Her real name is Melody?” she asked.

“Let’s stay on topic. It was definitely Storie, and I’m getting her psychiatric help right now,” I replied.

“That little girl hugged me. She called me whenever she wanted something. I went out of my way for her. I loved her,” Kira spoke. I could see the rage waging war inside of her.

“I know you did.”

“Then how the fuck could you believe I would do that to Dream? You know me?!” she barked.

I could’ve brought up the earring or seeing her behind the house. I had already used both to justify what I did. Standing there repeating them would only prove I still wanted her to agree that destroying her business had made sense. And then she was acting a little crazy over me during that time. Like she wouldn’t accept no for an answer. To be honest, I thought I had a bunny boiler situation on my hands.

“I was wrong,” I told her. “About the horse and about what I did afterward.”

“You destroyed my life, Justice. My grandmother’s name is a fucking joke now. People who never ate at Marceline’s got something to say about how dirty we are.”

Her voice rose, but I stayed where I was. She had earned the right to cuss me out.

“You know what Kyle put into Alexandria? You know how hard he worked to have something legitimate after he got out? Now look at us.”

“I’m sorry, Kira.”

“My legacy is gone. What the fuck am I supposed to do with sorry?”