you feel it?”
“No, Nigel. I—”
He smashes his lips against mine, and I rear back, but he clutches onto me. I’m not able to pull away. I do the only thing I can do.
I take the knife I always keep for backup in my cut pocket, flick it open, and slide it into his heart effortlessly. It’s like butter as it enters, and he gasps, his hot breath against my lips. He looks down, then lifts his head to look up at me.
“I hate you,” I sneer, slowly pushing the blade further into his chest, watching the blood drip from the wound. “She’s my everything. She’s mine. My love belongs to her. It has never, it will never, belong to you. You made a mistake going after her when you could have just talked to me.”
He coughs clutching onto my shirt as he lies down against the sand, the frozen puffs of his breath are getting fewer and further between. His teeth are red, and he has the nerve to look betrayed by me.
“No one threatens her. No matter who it is—” my fingers press against his chest around the handle of the knife until it’s flat against his chest, “—I will kill them. Always.”
“Amos,” he gasps.
“I really did love you, Nigel. I loved you like a brother,” I admit to him as he struggles to breathe. “Now I hate you like the enemy.” I yank the knife out, then slice it across his throat, watching waterfalls of blood cascade down his shirt.
He takes his last breath, a rush of air escaping him, and I’m left staring at the body of someone who used to be my best friend. I trusted him more than I’ve ever trusted anyone. I told him everything. Granted, the last few years we haven’t talked as much due to what has been going on in my life, but that didn’t make us distant.
We were the kind of friends that didn’t have to talk every day. Life happened. Life got in the way. I never thought our friendship would come to an end like this. It’s Nigel.
My best friend.
Who loved me.
Who was with me through thick and thin. Who helped me stand up to my dad. Who always knew how to make me laugh. How to cheer me up.
My brother.
I stand up and wipe the knife on my jeans before closing it and putting it in my pocket. Everyone’s eyes are on me, but the only person I can look at is Violet. She’s freezing as she holds onto Pulse.
She needs to be hanging onto me.
With a heavy heart, I drag my feet through the sand.
“What do you want me to do with him, Kansas?” Prez asks me as I stand in front of them.
“I got her,” I say, not answering him just yet, and Pulse transfers her into my arms. She’s freezing, and her teeth are clanking together like a broken engine. “You’re okay. I’m never leaving your side again,” I tell Violet, holding her so close, I know the pressure hurts. She doesn’t complain. “And Prez?” I turn around before heading to my room. “I don’t care what you do with his body. My care died when he tried to kill Violet. Feed him to the sharks.”
“You got it, Kansas. Take a few days. You and Violet need to recuperate “
“Thanks, Prez. Let O’Crowely know that he’s dead. The threat has been taken care of.”
“You got it, Kansas,” he nods.
I take five steps before he calls out my name again.
“Kansas?”
“Yeah?” I don’t stop walking. Violet’s cold, and the last thing I want to do is look back. Violet strokes my chest with her hand, trying to calm me. It isn’t working. I feel like I’m about to burst out of my skin if I don’t get inside and check her injuries.
“I’m sorry this happened. I know he was your friend.”
“All friendships come to an end at some point, don’t they?”
“No, not the good ones,” he says.
“I’ll come by later to check-in, but I don’t think she’ll be needing me. Her wounds are superficial,” Pulse adds before I open my bedroom door.
Carson is standing there with his hands over his mouth. “Dude, I’m sorry. I had no idea. I got a text that told me you got a new number and didn’t need me to watch her; I thought it was you. It won’t happen again. I’m so fucking sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, but I do need to be alone with Violet. We will talk later,