Page 69 of Edge

Byte smiled softly. “You’re family. It’s what we do.”

“Yeah, yeah. You love me. I love you,” she said and wrinkled her nose. “Emotions. Yuck.”

Irene went to the office to catch up on paperwork while the rest of us got started on opening the diner. I was in the middle of rolling silverware when a strange feeling washed over me. I looked up and froze when my eyes landed on Snarl staring at me through the front window.

I stood frozen for several beats before my brain came back online. “Edge!” I shouted without taking my eyes off Snarl. He glared at me, mouthed something, and disappeared.

Edge was at my side seconds later. “What’s wrong?”

“Snarl’s outside. I just saw him looking through the window.”

He pulled his gun from his holster and started toward the front door.

“You can’t go out there!” I shouted.

“Go to the office with Irene,” he said calmly.

Instead of following his instructions, I went to the kitchen to get Byte and Ranger. I had just told them what was going on when Snarl burst through the back door with a gun in each hand. Before anyone could react, he opened fire.

I tried to run but didn’t make it very far before a burning pain ripped through my torso and stole the air from my lungs. Clutching my chest, I fell to the floor as gunfire and shouts of pain continued around me.

20

DICE

Iwas still half asleep when I walked into the diner, which is why I didn’t think anything of the back door being open. I assumed Ink had gotten there before me and left it open, but I immediately realized that wasn’t the case when I slipped and almost busted my ass.

“Son of a bitch,” I cursed and looked down to see what made me slip. Blood. I slipped in someone’s blood. Quickly scanning the kitchen, I saw Ranger and Byte lying on the floor with puddles of blood surrounding them. “Oh, fuck no,” I whispered.

I don’t remember reaching for my gun, but it was in my hand when I rounded the corner and found Snarl standing over Evie. She was holding her chest and gasping for breath.

“Why is this happening?” he asked in a way that made me think he was taunting her. “What’s the matter, big sister? Bullet got your tongue?”

She wheezed and coughed in response.

“All you had to do was keep your mouth shut, but no, not perfect little Evie. You thought you were so fucking smart. Trying to frame us for murder. But you’re the murderer, aren’t you?”

When she didn’t answer, he kicked her in the stomach. She curled in on herself but barely made a sound. “Admit it!” he demanded. “You killed Randall!”

He lifted his foot to kick her again but stopped when she nodded.

“Say it!”

“I did it,” she wheezed as tears streamed down her face.

“And that’s why I did all of this,” he said.

I didn’t give him a chance to say or do anything else. I fired once, striking him in the head and dropping him where he stood.

As I ran to Evie, I noticed Edge’s body crumpled by the front door. For a brief moment, I didn’t know who to go to first—but she was moving, and he wasn’t. I tried not to think about that too much as I dropped to my knees beside her.

“Help them,” she gritted out as a tear slid down the side of her face. “I’m sorry.”

I watched in horror as she closed her eyes and her body went limp.

“No!” I yelled and rolled her onto her back. “Stay with me!”

After checking for a pulse and not finding one, I started CPR. I knew I needed to call for help, but I couldn’t stop what I was doing. “Help!” I shouted between breaths. “Somebody fucking help me!”