Facing Robby again, he continues. “Yeah, I fucked Sam. When the old lady kicked it, I knew that was my chance.” He pauses, leaning into me. “Too bad you two fucks already beat me to it.”
My stomach drops. Clearly he must have seen us that night. It confirms my earlier suspicion about being set up when the cops showed up.
I cross my arms. “So, you cut out Sam and took over Sugar’s business. What does that have to do with us?”
“Sam thought it was you.”
I give a hard smile. “And why did he think that?”
“Because I told him you did.”
When I clenched my fist, he starts to smile again. “I never said I was innocent in all this. Maybe I did have a hand in Walker’s death, but I didn’t pull the trigger.”
Robby leans into me, pulling me closer by my shirt so he can speak close to my ear. “You wanna know the real kicker? That bullet was meant for you.”
I shove him in the chest and he releases me before stumbling back a step. He runs his hands down the front of his shirt and pops his neck. My fingers itch for the gun in my back pocket. I could kill him now and then shoot Sam. Getting rid of Sam and letting him live feels like I’m doing him a favor, and he doesn’t deserve one.
“I’m done talking,” I say, reaching for the gun. Instead of pointing at Robby, I move to the rock. Sam’s eyes meet mine and I freeze again, just like the last time.
Robby must sense my unease, because I hear a snicker behind me. “Oh, I forgot. This is probably you’re first time. You must be nervous.”
Several of the other men join in and I can feel the heat creeping up my body and pulsing out through my fingers. The gun starts to shake.
“Oh, it’s that fucking easy, huh?” I growl, the gun still shaking in my hand. I lower it to my side and take forceful steps back to Robby. He puts his hands up when I get right in his face. “How many people have you ever killed?”
“Whoa! What the fuck are you doing, Michaels?”
I tuck the gun in my back pocket and poke him in the chest. “Since you like stories so much, let me tell you one.” He takes a step back, the scowl deep on his face. “I have a six inch scar where you stabbed me. The doctor said that if that knife would have went even a centimeter either way, it would have nicked a major organ and I would have bled out before I even made it to the hospital.”
“What’s your point?” he demands, crossing his arms.
I look around at the guys behind me and take a step closer. I lower my voice to a harsh whisper so only he can hear. “Because judging by the size of that blade and the extreme precision it must have took to stab me just like that—I’m guessing you knew that.”
His eyes are hard when I step back and stare at him.
“It’s easy to fucking hurt people,” I say, pulling the gun from my pocket again. “Taking someone’s life though,” I pause and study the barrel, cocking it into place. My eyes land on his again, all my anger bleeding through. “That’s a whole other thing.”
I begin to pace around in a circle, now scratching my head with the tip of the loaded gun. I’m starting to lose it. My eyes keep drifting back to the guy standing by the ledge and then to Robby. I would bet my life he’s never actually killed someone. For the first time since I met him, he looks scared.
My focus directs back to the rock again and I immediately think of Jeremy. “You know what?” I say suddenly, to no one in particular. I keep with my erratic pacing, waving the gun around in the air casually. “If my boy Jeremy were here, he would say, fuck that motherfucker, an eye for a motherfucking eye, bitch.” I stop abruptly and point the gun back at that son of bitch who killed Walker.
His mouth is still taped and that adds to the brewing frustration raging inside of me. I walk up to him suddenly and tear it off in one quick motion. He lets out an angry growl and throws his head to the side, wincing.
“Well, motherfucker. What do you have to say for yourself?” I step closer and dig the gun into his temple. “Why shouldn’t I blow your fucking brains out all over this rock?”
His expression is blank almost, unaffected by the situation. He’s older than we are—mid-forties I’d say. His lips curl into a sneer. “You’re just another punk-ass who thinks he’s hard. You want to kill me, guy? Go right ahead.”
Speaking through clenched teeth, I press the gun further into his skull. “Well you killed my fucking brother, so maybe I should.”
“Then shoot.”
My pulse is still racing too fast I can barely catch my breath. Is he lying? Trying to fake me out so I shoot Robby instead? I honestly don’t fucking know.
“I should fucking kill you,” I say with a dark laugh. My hand raises the gun back up to the middle of his forehead. “Because you see, you took someone from someone who was their everything, and now she’s destroyed. You ruined everything for her and unlucky for you…” My voice trails off and the snap of the gun cocking gets his full attention. “That girl means every-fucking-thing to me. And for that, you should die.”
His closes eyes and it pisses me off. I want my face to be the last thing he sees.
“Open your fucking eyes,” I demand.
They pop open at my words and lock with mine. The rage is still fueling me from the inside out, but I’m starting to sweat. Sam is starting to look nervous, too. I’m sure he thought I was bluffing, but now that’s he staring down the barrel of gun his cockiness is fading.
“I’m sorry…”
With an angry laugh, I cut him off. “Stop talking now,” I growl.
“Geez, Michaels. You gonna make him do the hokey pokey or what?” Robby remarks from his spot a couple feet away. A series of snickers fills the air from the guys standing around us and I grit my teeth, turning back to him.
I raise the gun to the Robby’s head. “You’re awfully fucking mouthy for someone who’s not holding a gun.”
He holds his hands up and smirks. “Well, judging by how long this is taking, I think I could have gotten away by now.”
A half-scream, half-growl bursts out of me and I fire the gun into the air. Everyone collectively ducks and I make a small circle, facing each one for a moment as I speak. “Let me fucking do this,” I say slowly, enunciating every word.
Silence comes over them when I turn to face Sam again. With a slightly steadier hand, I bring the gun back to my original target. That’s when I see it, and my hand starts to lower again. Walker’s stupid grin flashes in my mind. He used to piss me off so goddamn bad, but when he would smile at me like that, being the happy, and sometimes seriously dumb, person he was—it was almost impossible to stay mad at him.
I would die for him, too.
“What’s it gonna be, Michaels?” Robby calls from behind. “We don’t have all night.”
I wipe the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand before raising the gun again. My hand trembles while I try to aim. I bring my other hand up slowly in an attempt to keep it straight and fail miserably. I see Robby walk up out of the corner of my eye.
“Fucking shoot him,” he says into my ear. “You’ll feel better.”
I close my eyes and realize instantly what a big mistake that is. Tess. How will she ever be able to look at me again if she knows I straight up murdered someone?