“You have no fucking idea. Driving away from my old man’s burning vehicle, the clouds parted, the sun shined, and it was like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders. You all saw how I was. I was almost as bad as Zed. Now look at me,” he points both fingers to his face, “I’m fucking smiling. Who’da thought?”
Marni joins us, wrapping both arms around Talon and resting her head on his chest. “I like to think that I have something to do with that smile.”
“It’s all you, babe. All you.” He perks up. “Speaking of, has anyone heard from Anderson again?”
Looking around from face to face, we all shake our heads. It won’t be long until Anderson is making an appearance again. He said forty-eight hours, and it’s been forty-six. “I’ll give him a call. Let him know we have this all under control,” I tell them.
I’m not really sure that we do, but we’re about to find out.
Lying on the bed with my boots still on, I realize I’ve stretched the hole in my black T-shirt to triple its size. My thoughts keep going back to today, when Willa ran into the bathroom and cried. Sure, I wanted to oust Madison and piss her off, but Willa deserves that part. Madison is like a fucking leech that refuses to go away.
Tommy pokes his head in the door. “He’s here.”
Looking down at my shirt, I notice that I practically shredded it. Tearing it off, I drop it to the floor and snag another solid black tee off the dresser.
Here we go.
With no hurry behind my steps, because I’m not anxious at all to see this shithead again, I walk down the stairs as I pull my shirt on and stretch my arms through the sleeves. Trailing my hand over the banister, I listen intently to the conversation that’s already being had.
“But what does Willa Mack have to do with any of this?” Tommy says.
I stop. Frozen in place.
Zed begins speaking, “She’s my Marni. Talon used her. I’ll use Willa.”
Talon laughs. “And you think you and Willa will just fall in love like Marni and I did? Never gonna happen.”
Like a stampede of buffalo in my chest, my heart hammers inside. My fingers clench tightly around the banister as my short nails dig into the wood. Splinters embedding beneath my nail beds.
“This isn’t about love. This is about revenge. My revenge. No questions asked. You don’t need to know who I’m after and you don’t need to know why. All you have to do is what I say. When it’s done, you’ll get the body and I’ll disappear.”
“And my dad?” Marni asks.
“He’ll never be a suspect. None of us will. I have a plan. Are you in or are you out?”
Still on the steps and out of sight, I continue to listen.
“Looks like you’ve left us no choice. Where do we start?” Talon says.
“I’ve already started. Almost three months ago. We take down the girl to get to the main target.”
“Just fucking say it, man. We all know that you’re after her dad. Why won’t you just say it out loud?” Tommy huffs.
Zed’s feet hit the ground and I can see his shadow as he springs from the couch. “Why the fuck would you say that? He directs his attention to Talon and shouts,” What the hell did you tell him?”
Talon throws his hands up. “I didn’t say a damn thing. It’s obvious, though. I mean, who else does Willa have in her life that you’d want revenge on? Surely, it’s not her mom.”
Moving down, one step at a time, I zero in on Zed. “What did you mean your plan started three months ago?” My fists ball at my sides, and I can feel blood trickle from one of my splintered fingers.
“Ah, there he is. It’s been awhile, Lars. How ya been?”
“Shut the fuck up. I just saw your dumbass last night and if I had my way, I’d never look at your ugly face again. Now tell me, what the hell did you mean?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “The video of course. I mean, did you think it was just for fun? I have a plan, unlike you. How’s your sister doing, anyways?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about?” I play dumb.
Talon shakes his head in guilt. “I told him.”
“You what?” I spit out. “You fucking told him?”
I don’t even know how I’m friends with these guys. Oftentimes I have to remind myself that I’ve known them since grade school, because you’d think I just picked em’ off the side of the road with how much they surprise me. “Why the hell would you do that?”
“The pact, man. We stick together.”
“He killed the pact. We all know it.” I point at Marni. “It died when he raped your girlfriend and blackmailed me into holding her at gunpoint.” Marni’s face flushes at being called out. And I feel bad, but damn, are they all forgetting what he did?
Talon walks at an amble pace to my side. “Come with me.” He gestures toward the kitchen. “What the fuck, man? We talked about this.”
Weaving my fingers through my hair, my jaw ticks. “I can’t fucking do it. I can’t pretend.” I look him in the eye. “And I’m telling you right fucking now, if anyone touches Willa—if that psycho goes anywhere near her—I’ll gut him, and this time, I’ll hide the fucking body.”
“It’s all temporary. This is the only way. Can we count on you?”
“I’m not making any promises. I need to know what his plan is because I’m dead serious. Willa is out.”
“What the hell is your deal with that girl, anyways? First the performance and now this. You got a thing for her?”
“Hell no.” I huff, with an airy chuckle. “A thing for Willa? Not a chance.”
“Ok then. What’s the big deal?”
“Yeah,
