CHAPTER 075 : Its War Now JadefrownsasthoughImbeinganinconvenience.Sloane- No.YoudontgettodumpallthisonmeasifitsmyfaultsheleftmewhenIwasfive.YouvejustsucceededinmakingmefeelworsethanIvefeltinmyentirelife.
Good,hesays.Maybeyoullcometoyour senses.
Iglare.Youregoodatmakingassumptions,right?Thenheresathought.Maybemymommarriedyouayoungmantoprovetoherselfshecoulddoitright thistime.Thinkaboutthat,motherfucker.
ThenIturnandwalk,notbeforeseeinghisfaceturntostone.
Hestartedawar.Hehasnoidea.
Ipassatrashcannearthelotandliftthe bouquet.
ImabouttotossitwhenIspottheenvelopetuckedbeneaththeribbon.
Iopenit.Twopapers.
Oneisasmall note:DoyouhaveanyideahowrestlessIam,Bunny?PleasetakemycallsbeforeIhavetoresorttostalking.
Theother? Acheck.
Twohundredandtwentythousanddollars.Thismustbemywinningsfromtheundergroundfight.
Itosstheflowersandthenoteintothebin.Butthecheck?Imkeepingthat.
MaybeitstimeIgotmyselfanew car.
Threenightslater,Imstandingoutsidemyapartment,exhaustedfromanotherlongdayofpretendingtocareaboutwork.Iswipemykeycardacrossthelock,thelightturninggreenwithasoftbeep.Istepinside,kickoffmyshoes,andreachforthelights,onlytoseesomeonesittingonmycouch.
Ijump.
Myhandslamsagainsttheswitch,floodingtheroominwarmyellowlight.Thefigureonthecouchdoesntmove.Buthisglareisenoughto makemy heartbeatfaster.
Knox.
Whatthehell?Ibreathe.Youscaredme.
Ihadtocutmybusinesstripshort,hesaysflatly,toflybackhomeandfigureoutwhymygirlfriendwonttalktome.
Mychesttightens.Yourgirlfriendisdonewith yourbullshit.
Hestands.WhatdidIdo? Youhaveawife.Idontsleepwithmarriedmen.
Thatsit?Thatswhatthisisabout? Whatelsewoulditbeabout? Finethen.Hereachesintothefolderbesidehimandtossesapaperontothe coffeetable.Thosearedivorcepapers.Draftedbyalawyer.Willyoutalk tomenow? Iglanceatthepaper,tryingtohidehowgoodthosewordsfelt.
Icouldtry,Isay.

Youdontalwayshavetogopsychoabouteverything,youknow?Youcanjustaskme,anditsdone.
Idontknowhowtodo allthatspeakingaboutmyfeelingsshit.
Iwalktowardthebedroom,myfeetachingfrombeinginheelsallday.Idontlookback,butI canfeelhispresenceashefollowsmewiththosesilentfeetofhis.
ThedoortomyroomcreaksasIpushitopen.Istep inandletmypurse slipfrommyshoulder.Itlandsonthebedwithamutedthud,followedbymyblazer,whichIpeeoffslowly,mymovementstightandunhurried.Nextaretheshoes.
Idontsayaword.Neitherdoeshe.
Successfullyunlocked! Myfingersmovetothebuttonsofmyblouse.I undothemonebyone,reallyslowly,notoutofseductionbutbecausemyhandsaretired.Whentheclothesareoff,Iwalktowardtheclosetandpulloutanold,worntshirtandsoftcottonshorts.
Heswatchingme,eyesfollowingeverymovement.
1/5 CHAPTER075:ItsWarNow 1 Imissedyou,hefinallysays.
pause.Gethertosignthedivorcepapers,andmaybeIllmissyoutoo.
Ichangeintomyhouseoutfit,thenwalkpasthimintothekitchen.ThefridgehumsasIopenitandpulloutacontainerof leftoverpasta.Ipeelthelidandshoveitintothemicrowave,pressingafewbuttons withmechanicalprecision.
Youhungry?Iask.
Just exhausted,hereplies.Beenhavingweird dreamslately.
Aboutservice? About you.Iguessyounottalkingtomehasbecomemy biggestfear.
Myhandstillsonthemicrowavedoor.Really,Knox,thatisoneofthesweetestthingsyouveeversaidtome,Imurmur,pullingoutthecontainerandgrabbingafork.
Knoxjoinsmeatthetable,dragginghischairbackandsinkingintoit,arms restingonthesurfaceashewatchesmeeat.Hiseyesare toofocused,tooquiet.Iscoopa biteofpastawithmy fork,liftittomymouth,andchewlikeImauditioningforatoothpastecommercialtoocareful,tooselfaware.
So,Isay,didyoufindoutwhoframedyourwife? Hessilentforashortwhilebeforereplying.
Actually,yes.ItwasFinn.
Inearlychoke.What? Hadtopullafewstringstofigure outhewenttothestorethesamedaySorayadidatthesametimetoo.Idontknowhowhewasabletoputthatbraceletinherbag withoutthecamerascapturingit,buthedid.Ipulled morestringstogetthechargesdropped.
Finnframedher? Yeah.
Why? Knoxshrugs,likeitsthemostobviousthingintheworld.WhydoesFinndoanything?Becauseofyou.Hewantsmetoknowhecangettometoo.Thefacthedbringan innocentpartyintoitiswhatpissesmeoffthemost.Thats…twisted.Ithinkmaybeyoushouldbothsortthis thingoutbetweenyourselves.Talkorfightitout.
Sohe cangetwhathewants?Meinprisonformurder,keepingmeawayfromyou? Maybeitstimetoinvolvesomeoneelsethen.Someonehelllistento.Yourparents,maybe.
Knoxdoesntrespond.Hisgazedropstomymouthandlingersthereabeattoolong.
What?Isay.
Youvegota…bitofsauce,hesays,pointingtohisownchin.

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Iswipe.Isitgone? Notquite.Higher.
Iswipeagain.Now? Heleansforwardoverthetableuntilhiselbowsarerestingbesidemyplateandhisfaceisinchesfrommine.Theworldnarrows.Mybreathstuttersinmythroatashisscentreachesme,amemory IvemissedmorethanIwanttoadmit.
Ourbreathsmingle.Oneinhale,one exhale,shared.
Hisfingersrisegently,brushingthecurveofmyjaw,thenuptomychin.Thetouchissoft,lingering,notawipe,buta caress.
Rightthere,hemurmurs.Nowitsgone.
Buthedoesntpullaway.
NeitherdoI.
Wehover.Suspended.Imdrowninginhisgaze.Ifeelhisbreathonmylips,warmandtempting.
Myheartisthundering.Mylipspart.Iforgetaboutthefood,thefight,the divorcepapers,everything.
Outofnowhere,adeafeningsoundexplodesbehindus.
Glass.
Glassshatters.
Itrainsdownacrossthelivingroom.
2/5 CHAPTER075:ItsWarNow Igaspandjerkback,mychairscrapingagainstthefloor.
Knoxisalready onhisfeet.Hisbodygoesrigid,protective,allmuscleandfight.
Whatthefuck?Ibreathe,heartinmythroat.
Wespintowardthesource,towardthe windownowfracturedandgaping.Adarkvoidwithjaggededgesstayswheretheglassusedtobe.
Knoxmovesfirst,crossingtheroominquickstridesandlookingoutthewindowtothestreetbelow.
Hisvoicedropstoadangeroustone.
Thatlittleshit,hegrowls.IguessIam willingtogotoprisonafterall.
Irushtohisside.Below,standingonthecurb,isFinncastononearm,the otherrestingonhiship,eyesfullofrage.Whatthefuckiswrongwithyou,Finn?Ishout.
Knoxstartsto move.Letmehandlethis.Amanwithtwobrokenarmscannotthrowstones.
Iplantmyselfinhispath,handsreachingouttorestonhischest,stoppinghimcold.
Hesalltenseandfurious.Ihavetotiltmyheadbacktomeethiseyes,thoseeyesthat areburningwiththepromiseofviolence.

Hetriestosteparoundme.
Ishiftwithhim,blockinghimagain.
No,Isay.No,Knox.Youre notdoingthis.
Hisjawticks.His fistscurlathissides.Icanfeeltheenergyvibratingoffhim,restless,vengeful,readytoerupt.ButIkeepmyhandsonhischest,groundinghim.
Idontwantanytrouble,Iadd,softer now.Just…please.Lethimgo.
Hiseyesmovetothewindow,thenbacktome.
Hejustthrewarock,orwhatever thatwas,throughyourwindow,hesays.Whatifyouwerestandingthereandithityou?Letme justfindoutwhat hewants.
Knoxlookslikehehasamillionthingstosay,buthenodsanyway.
Igotothewindow andleanout.Finnisstillstanding,eyesfixedonmyroom.Whothehellvandalizesapropertyandstaysrightthere? Youthink youresomekindofRomeo?Throwingshitaround?Isay.Imsendingyouaninvoice.Yourepayingforthis.Youhave tensecondstoleavebeforeIcallthecops.
You tellthatsonofabitch,Finnyellsback,hescrossedaline.Itswarnow.
Whatsonofabitch? Theonerighttherewithyou!Hellpayforthewindow.HellpayforalotmorebythetimeImdone withhim.
Finn,youshouldreallyletmego.Iknowyoumissme,butthisis nothealthy.
Youthinkthisisaboutyou?Noteverythingsaboutyou,betrayer.Icaredforyoufortenyears.Wheneveryoneelsethoughtyouwereweird,Iwasthere.Andyourepaidmebyscrewingmybrotherandabandoningme.This,rightnow,isntaboutyou.Sostepaside.
Ifthisisntaboutme,whyareyouatmyhouse,ruiningmy BecauseIknowhesthere.
window? Imlosingallmypatience.Justletmeendthis,Knoxsays.Hespracticallybeggingforabeating.
Iignorehim.Finn,leavenow,orImcallingthepolice.
Goahead,hesneers.
Thenhereachesintohispocketandpullsoutahammer.
Myheartdrops.Whatdoyouplan todowiththat? Watch.
Andwiththat,hestormstowardKnoxscar,raisesthehammer,andbringsitdownhardonthewindshield.
Once.Twice.
Glassspiderwebsundertheforce.Athirdstrikecavesitin.
OhmyGod,Iwhisper.Whathaveyoudone,Finn? Knoxisgoingtokillhimforsurenow.