Infuriating - Onley James Page 0,83

idea of me being with others. I’ll admit I’m flattered by your jealousy. But they weren’t like you, I promise. Let me show you how much I care for you.”

When he went to turn towards the laptop, Day panicked, jerking towards him, stopping short when Carl pointed the gun at him. Day held up both hands. “I-I just…” He took a deep breath. “I just thought, maybe, you know, the first time could be just us. Just the two of us. Without my entire subscriber list watching.” Carl lowered the gun slightly but tilted his head, like he was considering it.

Day had to think of a way to tell Jackson where he was. Something more obvious than his convoluted text message.

“You know, I thought about you a lot over the years. I tell people all the time how you saved me, helped me figure out how to work around my disability, gave me a place to stay. Who knows where I might have ended up without you? I always wished I’d done more to thank you,” Day said, running his top teeth along his bottom lip before dampening it with his tongue. “I thought I’d wasted my chance. I know it seems like I’m stalling, but it’s just because I’m nervous. I’ve never done this before, and you’re so much more experienced.” Day’s stomach churned at the way Carl’s pupils dilated and he leaned in, hanging on Day’s every word. “Maybe this is fate. You and me, here, in this motel. Serendipity. Did you know that’s what serendipity means? Like fate. Here we are at the Serendipity Motor Lodge.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Day knew he’d gone too far. He couldn’t stop himself from gazing over at the laptop, and Carl’s gaze followed like a shadow, his face contorting as he realized they were live. Day’s face exploded as the butt of Carl’s gun clipped the side of his face, sending him sprawling backwards until he hung half off the bed. His mouth filled with blood, and he had this faint notion that maybe his eyeball was missing. He laughed at the thought as his head swam.

Fabric ripped as Carl yanked him back on the bed, but Day was no longer scared. He knew he was going to die there in the same disgusting piece of shit motel room where Sarah had caught the infection that killed her. There was some sort of kismet to that. Fate. Like Day had told Carl.

When Day laughed again, Carl hit him again, this time, definitely knocking out one or more of his teeth. He didn’t feel the pain. That was probably a good thing and a bad thing. They say your body shuts down the pain when things are just too horrific to stomach. Maybe that was true.

“You were never going to be my first, you fucking demented piece of shit. Jackson was my first. He loved me. I loved him. It was perfect. He’s perfect. You’re just a sick fucking pedophile and a murderer, and now, everybody fucking knows it. I might be dead but you’ll go to jail,” Day promised, blood splattering Carl’s furious face. “They love pedophiles like you in prison.”

Carl screeched like some kind of feral animal, and Day’s head exploded, making a sound like a piece of wood splintering into a thousand pieces. Then there were voices filling his head. Strangers’ voices. Carl’s weight disappeared, and he gazed up at new faces through a haze of red. Two men stared down at him. He recognized one of them. Linc.

“Let me see him. I need to see him. Day!”

Jackson. He tried to say his name but it sounded mushy. He tried again. Then Jackson was staring down at him.

“Oh, Jesus, baby. Why did you do that? Why did you taunt him like that? I was coming for you.”

“How?” Day managed. “How d’you fin me? My wor’s feel funny,” he said, lids fluttering closed briefly.

“Your text.”

“I shent it? I didn’t think I shent it. I hoped. Jackshun, is my eyeball still there?” he asked, heart floating at the idea of Jackson solving his ridiculous clue.

“Please, stop talking, baby. Yes, your eye is still there, but you’re a mess. I need you to let these men help you, okay? I’m going to be right behind you, but right now, you need to stop talking.”

“‘Kay, but one more thing,” he said, forcing the words out slowly despite the growing pain starting at his temples and spreading lower, like lava flowing