Page 43 of Blood Ties

Kai

R iley’s words keep playing in my head. All night, keeping me from sleeping. I’ve never wanted to hurt myself so badly, but I know I need to keep my anger this time. Especially if Knox ends up getting in my way.

I can’t believe I almost thought he was on my side.

Rage simmers beneath my skin as I drag myself out of bed the next morning, as I feed the chickens and gather the eggs like usual. When Knox comes up behind me as I’m making breakfast, the anger rises to a boil. My eyes dart to the cast-iron pan as I imagine swinging it into the side of his skull.

Knox slings an arm around my shoulders. “Mornin’,” he says. “About what I was saying last night—”

I shove him off before I can think better of it. I can’t stand him acting all buddy-buddy like this after what he did.

He stumbles back a step, confusion flickering across his face. “Whoa, what’s with you?”

“Nothing. Just leave me alone.” I turn my back to him, minding the pan of eggs.

He scoffs. “It’s obviously not nothin’. We were fine last night. What happened?” He shifts to my side when I ignore him, tilting his head to look me in the face. His gaze narrows. “What’d that bitch say?”

I set my jaw, refusing to rise to the bait. I can’t fight him now, not when Dad will be here for breakfast any minute. It’d be better for me to play this off, but unlike him, I’ve never been much of a liar.

“Listen, I like the fire this girl brought out in you,” Knox says, his voice quiet but dangerous. “I thought it was good. I thought it was helping. But if you’re gonna let her get in your head, let her get between us—”

“There is no us, Knox.” I don’t look up from the pan. “There’s just me and her.”

Knox laughs, a harsh bark of a sound. “Holy fuck,” he says. “Is that what she says to you? And you believe it?” He grabs me by the shirt, shoves me back against the wall. “You are fucking delusional ,” he says. “That girl doesn’t care a lick about you. She hates you just as much as she hates me.”

I shove him back, but his grip on my shirt tightens, holding me close.

“I know you took the key,” he whispers. “I kept waiting for you to tell me what you planned to do with it. ‘Cause surely, I thought, Kai’s not thinking about leaving without me. Surely he wouldn’t be that selfish.

But you are, aren’t you? All these years I’ve been looking out for you, stuck around here for your sake.

That money you found, I’ve been saving it for us , just waiting till I knew you were strong enough to fight.

” He pauses. “But you were gonna leave me here. Just like—” He grimaces, works his jaw.

There’s an odd shine in his eyes. “I would never do that to you. Never .” He studies me.

“And you never would’ve done it to me, before that girl got into your head. ”

Before I can respond, he shoves me away, hard enough to send me stumbling halfway across the kitchen.

“Fuck this,” he says, and heads for the basement door.

“You stay away from her!”

I rush to stop him, but he wheels around and swings, fist catching me straight in the jaw. I grab for him, and he hits me again, sending me crashing down to the floor.

“I’m taking care of this,” he shouts at me. “Just like I take care of fucking everything for you!”

He storms down the steps as I scramble to my feet. I almost follow, but then I pause, and dart into the kitchen instead. Smoke is starting to curl from the pan on the stove, but I ignore it.

Blood roars in my ears. Red edges my vision. I grab a knife from the butcher’s block, and follow my brother into the basement.

There’s no time to shut the door behind me; Knox is approaching Riley on the mattress. She looks at me over his shoulder, and her eyes widen as she sees the blade in my hands.

Knox turns to face me, too, but there’s no shock on his face. Just a bitter sort of amusement.

“What do you plan on doing with that, kiddo?” he asks, staring me down.

I point the tip at him. “Get out of the way, Knox.”

He plants his feet, tilts his head. “Or?”

I rush at him. He steps sideways, cursing as the knife catches his shoulder and slashes a red line through his shirt. Then he twists, grabbing my arm, and we grapple with the weapon. Riley screams my name, pressed back against the wall, but I’m focused on my brother.

“Put that thing down before you hurt yourself,” he says, still grinning like this is all a joke.

I spit in his face. He swears, elbows me in the stomach, and we both go crashing to the basement floor in a tangle of limbs. I’m still gripping the knife, but Knox holds my wrist, preventing me from doing anything with it. He straddles my torso, pinning me down.

“Calm the fuck down,” he says.

I jerk upward and sink my teeth into his arm. He lets out a startled yelp, recoiling, and I slam my forehead into his nose.

Then I’m the one on top, holding him down. Knife held at his throat.

I have the key in my pocket. I guess I’m doing this now, but I have to be fast, finish Knox before my dad and uncle get here.

He breathes hard, blood trickling from one nostril. Finally not smirking at me anymore. “Kai...”

I raise the knife.

Hesitate.

Lower it.

“Fuck.” I can’t do it.

Then comes a deafening bang. I jerk, tightening my grip on the knife again.

Uncle Frank disarms me with a twist of my wrist and holds me back as I struggle. Knox slowly gets to his feet, breathing hard, blood streaming from his nose. And we all turn to see Dad coming down the steps with his shotgun in his hands and his eyes full of fire.