GUY: A Graveyard Girl Spin-off Novel

by Ann, Bry

  He stares at me for a moment, face blank, before cursing and stepping close to me and away from his bike in one smooth motion. His fingers lightly trace over the skin on my cheek, making my body tremble all over. He doesn’t say anything. His face is soft and his fingers are light as he traces over my skin. Then, in one quick motion, he pulls away and stomps over to his bike.

  “Guy!” I call, running forward a couple steps.

  He glances back at me. His leather jacket makes him look so incredibly sexy, but his eyes. Goddamn, his eyes. He saved me and I’ve done nothing but make him look more broken.

  “Are you okay?” I mouth. I need to hear that our kiss wasn’t a mistake, but Guy doesn’t respond. Not one word. His jaw clenches, he hops back on the motorcycle and drives away.

  He never responded, but frankly, he really didn’t have to. I know he’s not.

  With a heavy sigh, I trudge back into the house, mind spinning. That was the best date of my life. The best kiss of my life. The most honest, real talk (and scream) of my life.

  And he hated it. I can’t help but wonder what it is about the island that makes Guy so carefree and charming, and what it is about here that makes his eyes fill with pain. What happened to him?

  “How was your date?” I jump at the sound of my father’s voice. Yep, he’s still here. Does he really think staying a month with me to help me heal would change anything?

  I hope not. If he does, he’s fucking insane.

  “Fine.”

  My father barks out a deep laugh. “That bad, huh?”

  “No, it was amazing.”

  “Oh, um…” His eyebrows scrunch. “So, are you planning on seeing him again before he leaves?”

  My dad does not approve of Guy, don’t get it twisted, but when he found out Guy was going back home, not that I told him where that was, he relaxed a bit. Now he’s just worried about me getting attached.

  Which… is fair.

  “I hope so.”

  I go to the fridge and grab an apple.

  “Did he not feed you?”

  “He told me beforehand he had a different idea.”

  “Still, he should have not been a cheap ass and brought you food.”

  I slam the fridge closed and glare at him. “Maybe you shouldn’t have been a greedy ass and left your daughter. Seems we all have our vices.”

  “Katrina!” my father bellows as I storm from the kitchen. “Katrina!”

  “Go away. You’re at my house, Dad.”

  I slam the door in his face and drag my sore body to the bed.

  “Katrina, let me in.”

  “It’s Kiki,” I mumble loudly enough for him to hear.

  I hear him groan. “Kiki, I apologize. Please me in.”

  “What do you want?”

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  I glance down at my phone and just about scream when I see who it is. Rosana, aka my mother.

  Ugh!

  If I don’t pick up, she’ll just keep calling. I'm tired. I'm tired and I'm sad and I don’t want to talk to my dad or my mom.

  I want to be alone.

  It doesn’t help that, as much as I love her, Rain keeps texting me and Ajax keeps asking about me.

  Even though, five minutes ago, I questioned it, now I see why Guy misses his island. I would love to go there right now while I heal.

  “Kiki, let me in. Come on, pumpkin.”

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  Kiki, you’re my wife! You’ll do as I say. Now clean the kitchen like I asked you in the first damn place.

  I scream into my pillow.

  “Kiki,” my dad mutters, quietly.

  I snatch my phone, hit ignore, and run to the bathroom, sinking to the floor.

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  My mom calls back. I slide down so I'm lying on my side on the tile and grab my phone with shaking fingers. I quickly click on my phone’s emergency contact.

  “Hello, Rain speaking.”

  “Rain,” I choke. “I-I need help.”

  * * *

  “With all due respect, Mr. Wilson, if you don’t let me pass right now, I’ll kick you in the no-go zone for my friend. This is her place, so if you’ll excuse me.”

  I wish I could have enjoyed that moment, but it feels like I'm having a heart attack and I can only focus on trying to get air in and out of my lungs. I can’t breathe.

  “Kiki, open the door. It’s Rain.”

  I crawl to my bedroom door, halfway lift myself—enough to unlock the door—and tug the handle down. Then I fall back to the floor.

  “Oh, Kiki. Come here.”

  Rain drops down on the floor in front of me and lightly moves the hair from my face.

  “Breathe, Kiki. Shhh. Breathe. You’re having a panic attack. You’re okay. Aw, ragazza dolce.” (sweet girl)

  Rain runs her fingers through my hair.

  “Ev-everybody is all o-over me and-and Anthony isn’t here. I don’t know h-how to cope wi-without him. What’s wrong with me? Guy—”

  “Wait, didn’t you guys go out tonight?” A small smile graces her lips, but it dies quickly. “What happened?”

  “It was amazing.” I take deep breaths, still somewhat hyperventilating, but now it’s dying down. It’s fading quickly into exhaustion. “But then… he kissed me.”

  “Was it too soon?” Rain whispers, twisting a strand of my hair between her fingers.

  “No, it was the best kiss I’ve ever had.”

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  “He—I don’t know if I should tell you.”

  “I would never tell him or judge him,” she adds.

  I nod. “He apologized and left abruptly, looking, I don’t know how to describe it, disturbed or—or haunted. He looked upset. After the apology, he never said another word.”

  Rain’s eyebrows scrunch. “He gave you the best kiss of your life and said sorry? This is a weird question, but were you, like, receptive to it? Did you let him know you liked it?”

  “Yes! I was into it!”

  “Hmm, I mean, I know you like him, but clearly the man has issues. I'm not judging,” she adds quickly, “fuck, I'm the last person to judge. You know my issues. But Kiki, the man lives on a deserted island. Clearly, there are things about him you don’t understand. The kiss probably ties into it somehow. It isn’t you. Now, what else is wrong?”

  “I can’t take my parents. They’re all over me. Everyone’s all over me. I don’t want to be alone, but I don’t want to deal with them. They’re everywhere! They weren’t there when I needed them. They can fuck off now!”

  “Okay, what else?” Rain asks patiently.

  It’s then that I realize she’s in a designer dress and heels, sitting on my probably dirty bedroom floor.

  “I love you, Rain,” I whisper.

  “Ti amo, Kiki.”

  She stands gracefully on her heels and helps me to my feet. She grabs some stuff on my counter and leads me to the bed, where we both take a seat.

  “Now, you tell me what else is bothering you while I paint your nails.”

  “Rain, my nails are—”

  “Eh, I'm doing your nails. Speak your feelings.”

  I couldn’t give two shits about my nails, but that’s Rain’s way of providing comfort and showing love, so I accept the nail painting graciously.

  “So, get to it. At the core of everything else, let’s talk about the elephant in the room,” Rain sighs heavily, like just bringing Anthony up weighs on her.

  “Anthony,” I whisper.

  “Yeah,” she murmurs back as she files my nails meticulously.

  “I don’t know how to live without him,” I confess. “I'm scared, Rain. As desperately as I wanted to escape him, he controlled everything. I think the only thing scarier than his fists is change. I don’t know how to do things on my own anymore… without him.”

  “You listen to me, Kiki Wilson! You are the strongest woman I know. I mean, hell, five days ago, you were pushed through a glass table and you
r abusive ex was murdered and yet you still went out today and tried to live. Sure, it wasn’t a huge success, but it’s these continuous efforts that get you the life you want. So many people have your back as you take your life back, Kiki. None of us will let you fall. You’re not alone.”

  Rain squeezes my hand in hers, a gesture she hates but I love.

  “How do you feel about his… death?”

  “I feel bad that I don’t feel very bad. But Guy kinda helped that.”

  “Good.”

  I raise my eyebrows. Rain sighs and goes back to painting my nails, but I know she’s waiting to speak, so I give her a moment to gather her thoughts.

  “I'm glad he’s dead. I can’t forgive what he did to you. He never would have left you alone.” She pauses a second and then, under her breath, mutters, “And he did try to kill Ajax, so…”

  “Ajax tried to help me. He finally fought back.”

  Rain freezes. “Ajax is weak for not fighting back sooner.”

  “Do you really believe that?” I whisper.

  “I'm not sure.”

  “Same.”

  “Is—is he doing okay?”

  “Yeah,” Rains says, focusing as she paints my middle finger red. I’d say she’s concentrating a little too hard. “I went by to see him. He’s okay. Struggling with Anthony’s death a bit, but physically alive.”

  “He has family issues.”

  “Big time.” Rain glances up at me with a nod.

  “Don’t we all.”

  Rain throws her head back. “Ain’t that the truth!”

  “Thanks for coming over, Rain, and fighting my dad.”

  She waves a hand. “Anytime. I’ve never been more scared than the day I saw you in that table. Whatever I can do to help, got it?”

  “I understand. I still appreciate it.”

  “You’re one tough bitch. Now, look at your nails and tell me what you think.”

  I glance down at my perfectly painted, glossy red nails.

  “I love them!”

  Rain beams. “Win! Now, what do you say we track down your man and find out what the hell happened tonight?”

  My eyes widen. Rain’s smile grows.

  “Rain, I'm not sure—”

  “I am.” She wiggles her phone in my face. “I may have crazy mafia man’s phone number in here.”

  “Oh my God, Rain!” I laugh because she’s actually insane.

  She waves the phone in closer to my face.

  “Is this fear coming from the same girl who went to an abandoned island by herself?”

  Right as she cocks her eyebrow, I snatch the phone from her hand.

  “I'm gonna regret this,” I mutter.

  She grins. Yep, definitely gonna regret this.

  Guy

  I'm such an asshole. I can’t believe I kissed her after what she’s just been through with her ex. I wasn’t thinking. She was just there looking so damn beautiful and I just did it. Now I'm left here at the edge of this rock, wondering if I'm turning out like my father. I don’t really have a lot of memories of him. I’ve blocked almost everything out over the years, but what I did to Kiki sounds like something he would have done.

  What if I'm the same kind of monster as my father and all the other low-lives on the street?

  With a growl, I kick the rock in front of me over the edge of the cliff and watch it plummet to earth, wondering what it would be like if that were me. I hate not being in control of my own life. I haven’t been since that day on the streets all those years ago.

  I throw another rock and take a step closer to the edge. Then I grab a rock the size of my head and chuck it over the edge, taking one more risky step forward. My toes are fluttering over the edge. My heart is racing. My mind is spinning with conflict when…

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  Shaking my head, I take a step backward and grab my phone.

  “Hello?” I answer somewhat breathlessly.

  “Kid, where are you?” Frances growls, sounding furious. Honestly, it’s the most furious I’ve heard him sound in years.

  “Out.”

  A roar erupts from his throat.

  “Where. Are. You.” He spits each word.

  He knows. He knows where my head’s at.

  “How do you know?” I mutter.

  “Kid, I swear to God, if you do something, I will—”

  “What?” I laugh sadly. “Kill me?”

  “Guy.” For the first time since the day I met him all those years ago, real desperation seeps into his voice.

  “Guy, don’t,” he whispers, sounding actually scared. I’d enjoy it if this moment didn’t suck so badly.

  “Frances, what’s going on?” I hear Marley say from behind him.

  “Go away, Marley,” Frances snaps.

  “Perdóneme,” Marley hisses. (excuse me)

  “Not now, Marley!” Frances says, voice cracking.

  There’s an eerie silence and then I hear Frances roar and on the line comes Marley’s voice.

  “Guy.” She knows I'm the only person other than her, Alex, and Carl who could put that pain in Frances’s voice.

  “Hey, Marley,” I say, feigning false joy.

  “Don’t bullshit me. What’s going on?”

  “Eh, just hiking.”

  “Don’t lie!”

  “It’s all good, Mar. Tell Frances I’ll see him around.”

  “Wait, Guy!” Marley screams.

  “Guy!” Frances roars.

  With a heavy, deep breath, I hang up the phone and go to the edge again. I take a seat and let my feet hang over.

  I don’t know what to do.

  * * *

  Kiki

  The phone starts to ring again. I look at Rain, wide eyed.

  “He’s calling me back.” I panic.

  I never expected him to call me back after I super awkwardly told him about Guy’s odd behavior and that I was worried about him.

  “Well, answer it!” Rain shouts, jerking the phone up to my ear with her palm.

  “Hell-hello,” I stammer.

  “Where the fuck did Guy take you tonight?” Frances growls, sounding furious and… something else. Worried?

  It seems almost impossible for him to feel that, but it’s unmistakable in his voice right now. I sort of thought he was a sociopath, but now I'm second guessing it.

  “Um, he—we—”

  “No time for nerves,” he cuts me off like an asshole. “I need to know this second.”

  The hair raises on the back of my neck.

  “Frances,” I say slowly, “what’s wrong?”

  “Where did he take you, Kiki?” This time, the only thing in his voice is fear.

  “Hiking,” I say, feeling like my throat is constricting. “Fr-Frances, there’s a ledge. He took me for the view.”

  “Motherfucker,” he hisses. “Where, Kiki?!”

  My throat closes. Oh my God. Guy, what are you doing?

  “Kiki!” Frances screams. “Where?”

  “I-I don’t know. It was a trail in—in Reynolds Town, I think.”

  “You think?” he growls then seems to shake off his anger. “You’re closer to that town. I'm on my way. I’ll track your phone. Head over there now. Fuck the laws; speed. Get your ass over there.”

  Creepy that he can track my phone, but now is not the time for that.

  “I'm on my way.”

  “I'm right behind you.”

  Without a word, I sprint from the room. Rain is right behind me, but I gather my senses to stop her.

  “I need to do this alone. If he’s struggling with what we think he is, he’ll feel ashamed.”

  I expect an argument, but Rain just nods.

  “I’ll distract your father. Go.”

  “I love you.”

  She laughs a little. “Ti amo. Now go.”

  I wait to hear Rain speaking to my father before running from the house. I'm coming, Guy. Don’t do something we’ll all regret, crazy boy.

  * * * />
  Guy

  I throw one rock after the other. As each one crashes, I play “eenie meenie miny moe” with my life. I'm sitting closer to the edge when the sound of a stick breaking has me spinning around. I actually gasp when I see Kiki standing there with tears in her beautiful blue eyes.

  “Kiki,” I gasp.

  “Be careful,” she cries out. “You’re—you’re so close to the edge. Please come here. Please.”

  She starts to sob and I’ve already established that I hate seeing her cry. I scoot back on my ass without a thought as to what I was about to do and go to her, wrapping her up and running my hand over her head.

  “Keeks…”

  She fists my t-shirt and looks up at me with the red-rimmed eyes I hate. She’s been through too much already.

  “You’re too special to do something like that, Guy. Do you hear me? I’ll take you back home. I’ll go back with you and stay ‘til your head’s right before coming back. You can go home, but please, please don’t do that. I know it’s crazy…” She looks down and her voice drops to a whisper. “But you’re my hero. I don’t want to lose you.”

  “Sweetness, I'm okay.”

  “Don’t lie,” she murmurs, tugging me closer. “Don’t lie to me.”

  She licks her lips.

  “And Guy,” she whispers even softer. “This kiss…”

  My throat immediately clenches and I feel myself start to shut down.

  “It was the best kiss I’ve ever had. Ever. In my life. I hate that you regret it.”

  Well, that snaps me out of my fog a bit.

  “I don’t regret it, Kiki, but I was out of line. Literally five days ago, your ex—”

  “My abuser,” Kiki corrects with a bite to her tone. “My abuser, Guy. He’s not my ex. He was my abuser.”

  My muscles tense, but Kiki just stares at me a moment, fidgeting.

  “You can kiss me again. If you want. If you won’t regret or feel bad about it.”

  I slide my fingers through her silky hair.

  “I shouldn’t.”

  “Hmm,” she hums, “no.”

  Her voice is a purr and it makes my arousal stir.

  “Yeah,” I rasp, “bad idea. Bad timing.”