by WL Knightly
“Did they clean you out?” Her eyes widened like she knew nothing about it. “I didn’t know they’d do that.”
“After all I’ve done for you, this is how you decide to do me? Well, you’re never going to get shit from me again. You need to leave right now and forget you ever met me.” He stayed back from her, knowing all it would take is one squeeze of her tiny neck to snap it, and he wasn’t going to be responsible for another girl getting hurt. He wasn’t that man.
She shook her head and gave him a pleading look. “I’m serious, Justin. I would never hurt you. We’ve been through so much.” She wiped her eyes, even though Justin hadn’t seen any tears. “I don’t even know why you’re saying all of this.”
Justin knew he had to make her see the level of his anger. He walked over and grabbed her by the hair, and even though she squeaked out a scream, he didn’t stop until he had her face down just inches from the bacon, which still sizzled in the hot grease. “Get. The. Fuck. Out. Or I’m going to fuck you up.”
She managed some real tears after that as she began to sob and beg for mercy. “Please don’t, Justin. Please. I’ll go away, and I won’t come back.” She trembled with fear. He’d only caused that much fear from a person one other time in his life, and it didn’t end well for her.
I’m not my father.
He picked her up and pushed her away. “Go!” He pointed to the door as she scrambled to the bar and got her shit.
She didn’t say anything until she got to the door. “Fuck you! This is why you’re going to die alone. Why no one will ever love you, you freak!”
“Get out!” He took a step around the counter, and she screamed and hurried out the door. He walked to the porch and watched her jump into her car and drive away, throwing up dust as she went.
“Jesus Christ.” He hadn’t been that angry in so long, but she had broken in and taken his shit, and even if she only knew about it, she hadn’t told him or been there for him. He was done with her kind. The spoiled bitches who were so shallow they didn’t care about anything or anyone but themselves.
He walked back inside and shut the door. He felt something warm on his side and looked down to see he was bleeding. “Son of a bitch.” He had been so angry he hadn’t realized he’d busted a stitch. He tore off the soaked patch and then heard a car in the drive. It was Brandy.
He went to let her in as she got out of Corey’s car. “Is everything okay? I saw that bitch hauling ass down the road. She nearly hit me when she flew by.” She called from across the yard.
“What are you doing here? I thought you went to work?”
Brandy shrugged as she approached the steps. “It’s a slow day. The place is like a ghost town, so I thought I’d take an early lunch and check on things.”
Justin pointed a finger in her face as she made it to the door. “The next time my home is being invaded by a bacon-frying bimbo, would you please wake me up?” He couldn’t help but be a little angry at her. She could have at least told him before she headed in to work.
Brandy held up her hands defensively. “Hey, she’s your woman, and I’m just the guest. That’s what she told me anyway. I wasn’t getting into it with her, and I was running late.” As she pushed past him into the house, she looked down at his hand, and her eyes widened. “Did that bitch do this?”
“No, I think I did. It probably happened when I held her face over the hot bacon grease.”
“Holy shit, really? Damn, I should have stayed home.” She shook her head. “Remind me not to piss you off.” She took the bloody bandage from his hand and walked over to toss it in the trash.
He walked over and took her by the hand. “I’d never fucking hurt you.” His eyes bored into hers, and he hoped she understood. He wanted her to know the level of love he had for her. The love he’d always had, even though he was too much of a pussy to act on it.
“I know.” She gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
“I have a feeling I haven’t heard the last of her or Jim and Lolly. I think they sent her for a way back in.” He looked past her out the window and felt her tug on his hand.
“Let’s get you patched up. No more rough action, okay?” She gave him a wink and led him through the house toward his room. “Would you have really fried her face?”
“What do you think?” He wondered sometimes what she must think of him, considering he had disposed of a body for her.
“No, I don’t think you’re a violent person,” she said.
He wondered sometimes just what he was capable of. If he had enough of his old man in him to do a woman harm, but then he thought of his mother’s death and knew better. He couldn’t get that mad. He had only done what he did to scare the life out of Beth, not take it.
“I would have liked to see you hold her over that pan. I’ve always hated her and Lolly.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” They always seemed to get along okay.
“Right. Like I’d tell my boss and friend that I hate the two women he was head over heels for.” She laughed and got the supplies out of the medicine cabinet. Then she wet a rag, wiped the excess blood, and dampened a cotton ball with alcohol.
He winced at the sting when it touched his skin.
“You big baby.” They exchanged a smile in the mirror.
“You’re the only person brave enough to talk to me that way.”
“I’m not afraid of you.” She gave him a nudge, then prepared the fresh bandage and taped it in place. “There you go. Try not to pop another stitch.”
He turned and leaned down closer. “Thank you.” He took her hand and kissed it.
She smiled, and suddenly, he was so close he could kiss her, and she didn’t back away. He moved the few more inches, bringing his mouth against hers gently.
She brought her arms up around his neck and deepened the kiss, but then she put her hand on his chest and backed away until she hit the counter. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s my fault,” he said, raking his hand through his hair and turning away. “I didn’t mean to take advantage, Brandy.”
She shook her head. “I know. It’s just so soon.”
Justin felt like an asshole. “I suck at relationships. Beth was right about that.”
“Fuck that bitch and whatever she has to say. Don’t be so hard on yourself.” She reached out and touched his arm. “I’m not opposed to you kissing me as much as I’m opposed to the timing. I just need to finish things with Corey. He’s not even home yet.” The ashes were taking longer to arrive than they expected.
“It’s not just this and Beth, but if I tell you something, will promise not to laugh?”
“If it’s making you feel bad, I don’t think I’d find it funny at all.”
He glanced over her head in the bathroom mirror. “The numbers matched. The person I thought was the love of my life is the asshole who has been going after my friends. She was a total fake. Just like you always said.”
Brandy’s eyes widened. “You mean, that’s who Corey was hiding from? Betty?”
“He didn’t know it, and I’m not sure the person’s real name is Betty now or not, but yeah. Apparently so. The person used me for information is all I can guess.”
“Damn, Justin. I’m sorry I was right about her being fake. I know how deep you were into her.” He was ashamed of how deep. He looked away from her.
“That’s what I do, I guess; fall head over heels for the wrong person. Love the wrong women, women who don’t really want or love me back. You’re my only regret, and I can’t even get the timing right when it comes to you.”
“Let’s get through this, Justin. I’m not going anywhere.”
“You’re going to Phoenix eventually. Nothing stopping you from staying gone.”
“Do you think I’d do that?” Her tone let him know she was offended. “I care about you, and I’m not about to abandon you. I can’t promise you anything but that, though. Not right now.”
“I get it. I can be a very patient man.
” He was going to have to be with her, and that was just fine with him as long as she stayed.
“I’m not sure going to Phoenix is right. I mean, I can access his accounts from here, hire a company to go into his house and move his things.”
“It could be the closure you need. If you do come back, maybe then we’ll have a fresh start?”
She nodded. “Maybe.” She stepped into his arms and held him tightly around the waist, managing to miss his wounds as she laid her head on his chest. “I think there’s a good chance of that.”
In the silence, he thought about what happened with Beth and wondered if he was right to guess she’d be back. “I need to get things on lockdown.”
“I have to get back to work, but let’s have a late breakfast first.”
He smiled. “Bacon is ready.”
Chapter 20
Bay
Things had finally calmed down at home with Lila gone, and though things were strained with him and Mia, she had doted on him like a little mother hen, or perhaps a guilt-stricken lover.
Bay sat in his home office, glad he had another easy day away from the courthouse, and Mia sauntered into the room right on schedule.
“I’m just going to run into town, grab some lunch, and maybe do a little shopping.” The maybe depended on him giving up his credit card, but that wasn’t going to happen again anytime soon. The unlimited spending part of their affair was over, and cash was the only way to control that.
She stood across from his desk and shifted nervously on her feet. “I wanted to try and find some new dress pumps and replace my evening handbag. Mine was ruined on the trip.”
“What’s the matter, Mia? Does my blood not make a bold enough statement? You could start a new trend; a new fashion line called The Blood of my Lovers.” He’d like to help her launch her casual collection.
She didn’t know whether to laugh or not, and her uncertainty amused him, as well as the tense look on her face. “I guess I don’t really need to replace them. I have lots of shoes. I’ll just go grab a bite and come back.”
Bay smiled and went for his wallet. Mia nearly broke her neck to see what he was after. “Here, you take this.” He offered her a crisp hundred.
She took it, and he could tell she was trying very hard to control her expressions. “Cash?”
He met her eyes. “Yeah, the card is wearing out. I’ll have to call the bank for a new one.”
“I could take care of that.” She walked a little closer. “I don’t mind.”
“You should get a jump on the lunch rush, Mia. And don’t worry about bringing me anything back today. I’ll find something here or order out.”
That lightened her mood a little, but he could still see the confusion in her eyes. She turned and left, and when the door was closed, he shook his head and picked up the phone. “Tell me where she goes.”
“You got it,” Lou said, his excitement clear in his tone. He loved a mission, and Bay kept him in service.
No more words were exchanged, and when Bay hung up the phone, he turned on the TV that was mounted on the wall across the room and caught the end of the local news. Apparently, the DA was seeking answers in Ken Sin’s connection to the Zodiac murders. He caught enough to know that something big had changed.
He dialed Darek’s number, and the detective answered on the first ring. “Yeah, Bay, what’s happening?”
“I just saw the news. Is that line of yours still getting thinner or not?” He had hoped that the cops would be off of the case and on to something else. He needed the peace of mind knowing nothing from Emily Johnson’s murder would blow back on him and the group. He had enough on his plate with the shooting and Justin’s revelation about his ex-online-lover.
Darek grumbled. “Ken Sin pissed off a few people in jail and got his ass kicked, and then one of his girls showed up at the station with a video file where he explains his plans. The asshole thought he’d play the system, cause a big sensation, and be the next media Manson. I thought he was crazy, but turns out, he’s just a dumbass.”
“What people will do to be adored. Another stupid person for the world to make famous. So, you’ve got a little more time walking the line?” Bay knew it had to be tough for the guy, but he had a better him than me attitude.
“Yeah, looks like it. At least until we can pin something down. I don’t think this guy is going to walk, but he’s going to be evaluated a lot closer, and when things unravel more, it will get a lot worse again. All we need now is the killer to make another move. Give us another body.”
“As soon as they learn they don’t have Ken Sin to hide behind, they might just do that. But I have a feeling they’re biding their time, taking a break. That’s why they got us against each other.” He remembered the killer telling him they’d destroy one another. And while he had done what he could to throw a wrench in their plans, it seemed they’d done a pretty good job of accomplishing their goals. Even Corey could be chalked up as one of their casualties. If they hadn’t called the meeting, the shooting never would have happened. Or at least, not to them. “Have you heard any more about the shooting?”
“I was about to call NOLA PD when my phone rang. If I could get anyone to call me back, it would make things a lot easier.”
“I know you want to find out who got your girl. How’s she doing?”
“Ran for the hills. It’s probably for the best.”
“You can move back in on your partner. Guess it’s a good thing she’s going to be around a bit longer.” He waited for Darek to make a comment, but he went quiet. “Don’t tell me you fell in love with Taunt’s most loyal patron.”
“It’s hard to explain.”
“I get it. She fucked you good, showed you things you didn’t know about yourself. Hell, she probably challenged you in ways you couldn’t imagine before she came along. I bet she was a welcome change after the stress of fucking around with Lizzy McNamara.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Darek asked with a defensive tone.
“Please, you’re co-workers. You share the same lifestyle. There are no surprises. You spend so much time together you’ll probably start finishing each other’s sentences like an old married couple before too long. You needed Raven to break up the monotony of your marriage. You got rid of one wife and traded her for another, when what you really needed was a mistress like your black-haired beauty.”
“Maybe.” Darek’s lack of argument told him that he was making sense to the man. “They are definitely two different people.”
“Decisions, decisions. We’ve all got to make them. At least you have options, right?”
“No option. You shouldn’t see Raven around Taunt for a while. She didn’t just run; she left the state.”
Bay hated to hear it. He had always liked the girl, and his customers had enjoyed her too. “It’s a shame. I’ll have to alert the men at the club. Their favorite little bird flew the coop.” He loved to torment, and he waited to see if Darek would take the bait and get angry.
“Is that all you wanted?” he asked with a blank tone.
“Yeah, just keep me in the loop. I don’t like hearing about shit on the local news.”
Darek laughed. “Then stop watching it.”
“Good luck with your line-walking. I’ll hit up you later.” Bay hung up and wondered if Mia had gotten to where she was going. He had women problems of his own and decisions to make that would change things in his life as much as Darek.
Bay checked to see if he had a message. Then he left his office and walked down the hall and across the front room to the stairs. Then, after contemplating his next moves, he went upstairs to Mia’s room and then to her closet.
Everything he could see he had paid for, and yet it wasn’t enough to keep her loyal. He didn’t really feel anything about it. No heartbreak, no outrage, just disappointment and disinterest for the toy that was now dirty and broken.
He wasn’t sure what to do about her, and decisions about his life had always
come sure and fast. Would he let her go, give up on her easily, or have his fun? He thought back to his youth. His cousin Belinda knew he liked to burn things, so she’d given him an old box of broken dolls.
“Here, you demented little shit,” she’d said. “Mom said she’s going to send you back home early if you don’t stop putting those firecrackers in her roses. She’s having the Ladies of the Library meeting here tomorrow, and she wants it looking perfect.” She had dropped the box at his feet and walked away.
Bay had dug through the box and found a doll that Belinda had scribbled on her face and cut off all of her hair. “I’m the demented one?” he whispered to himself as she walked back into the house.
He’d taken those dolls and stripped them naked before stuffing their heads with firecrackers to blow them up. He then burned what was left of their faces and singed their limbs and hair. After he was done having his fun, he impaled the heads with sticks and laid out all the dismembered parts on display around the rose garden. They hadn’t been discovered until his aunt had her tea party, after which, he was sent home immediately. That was just what he wanted.
Mia was his broken doll. She was fun while she was pretty and clean, but now, he could either throw her away or use her for his own amusement.
His phone rang, bringing him out of deep thought, and he walked over to sit on her bed before he answered. “Where is she?”
“She’s at a motel,” said Lou. “The cop is with her. Showed up a few minutes ago. I saw her kiss him at the door.” Bay could hear the smile in Lou’s voice.
Bay let out a long, cleansing breath and closed his eyes. He had wondered if her guilt had gotten the best of her, and she’d decided to end things. Instead, she had bided her time to be with Officer Max again.
“Do you want me to take care of her when she leaves? Make it quick and painless?” Lou was always willing to make a kill, and Bay knew he got off on it.
Bay frowned. “I’m not going to kill her, Lou. She’s my wife’s sister; she’s family, for fuck’s sake.” But he couldn’t let her think she’d gotten away with it. “I want you to tell me where they are. I’d like to see her face when she walks out and sees me there. Then I’ll know what to do with her.” Her reaction would tell him everything.