Page 23 of Fatally Yours

“We can take my car,” the woman beamed as she stumbled over the curb, letting out a small cry. August caught her before she hit the pavement, making my fists curl. He chuckled as he pulled her to her feet. But I knew it only was a fake expression of joy—the laugh he used when trying to fool people.

“Maybe I should drive, sweetheart,” he said as we approached a black car. She nodded, shoved her keys to his chest, and then found her way into the passenger seat. Seizing my chance to be out of earshot, I grabbed his wrist and turned him towards me.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I growled. At least I was sober enough to realize how much of a dreadful idea this was. All I got in return was a boozy grin, his signature mischievous smile that normally made my heart skip—if I didn’t feel so nervous.

“Just trust me, okay? You can be mad at me all you want later.” My face fell as he gave me a quick kiss on my forehead.

“ Hate me all you want later.” With that, he popped open the driver’s side door and sat down.

I took his cue and did the same. When I glanced up front, the woman’s head was leaned back in the seat, and her eyes were watching August all while nibbling her lip. Her hungry expression made me seethe.

He started up the car, and the engine roared to life.

He turned around to back up, and when he did, he gave me a nod.

Soon after, we rolled out of the parking lot, heading back in the direction we came.

Once again, my stomach flipped, and I knew it wasn’t just the alcohol.

We were heading back to the grave—the dumping grounds.

“I didn’t catch your name, baby.” His eyes were glued to the road, paying little attention to the woman’s flirtatious expressions.

My fists curled hearing him call her baby , but I dared not speak, not wanting to screw up whatever plan he was enacting.

Maybe this was revenge for my relationship with Devin.

Was killing me not enough?

“Kelsey,” the woman purred. “And you?”

“Names aren’t important,” August said, his eyes flicking to my reflection in the side mirror.

“A name doesn’t mean anything. When you leave, most people don’t remember.

When you die, you fade off into nothing.

” My brow knitted as I listened to him speak while a menagerie of emotions bombarded my mind.

“Sometimes you find someone who doesn’t forget, though, and you need to hold on to them, even if it drives you crazy enough to do something really, really terrible. ”

“Feisty and mysterious? You really are something else, crazy eyes.” The woman laughed drunkenly, then glanced back at me, poking her thumb in my direction. “What about your bitch back there? Pimping her out, or do you just like keeping her on a leash?”

“Something like that.” His eyes returned to the road as the headlights ripped through the night.

My jaw dropped out of his vision, though I was sure he knew fully well how offended I would be at that comment.

Though, I was more pissed with this woman—Kelsey—for invading our relationship.

August wouldn’t have said something so rotten if he didn’t have a reason.

I placed my head against the window, wishing we could return to normal.

Not living normal, but just us two against the world.

“I’m sorry I was so mean to you earlier, Kelsey. You kinda caught me off-guard.”

“That’s okay. I don’t mind.” She rested her hand on his leg, making my molars press together until I thought my jaw would pop.

Even through death, I thought I could feel the pressure of my bones cracking beneath my fury.

“Especially when you’re so damn handsome.

” Once more, she giggled under the effects of alcohol.

August returned the gesture robotically, then took her hand in his before sliding it off his leg—much to my relief.

She hummed as we pulled into the opening of the gravesite, giving him a mischievous expression. He kept his eyes out the window, focused on the overgrown path in front of us. Above our heads, the trees were poking out and covering the pinprick stars until we got to the clearing.

“No one will find us back here,” August said with a blank expression. His words seemed ominous as I felt the weight of them settle in my stomach. Doubt was brewing that he would not kill an innocent person. Sure, she was grinding on my nerves by flirting with him, but murder would be too far.

Wouldn’t it?

He put the car in park as the roar died down.

Without another word, he climbed out of the vehicle, and Kelsey followed, albeit unevenly.

Through the windshield, he gave me a look that I wasn’t entirely sure how to interpret, then flicked his hand, forcing my grasp to the handle.

My eyes narrowed as I glared at him, finally leaving only by his command.

We trudged through the thick forest while August hooked his arm around Kelsey to keep her from falling.

His steps were miles less uneven than hers, but I could still tell he was not entirely sober.

They were muttering some indistinct conversation, but I couldn’t make it out with how far behind I was.

I think not knowing made my rage worse. He manufactured a laugh every so often, but not as frequently as he glanced back at me, making sure I was following along with his unhinged plan—whatever that may be.

Finally, we made it to the clearing that was previously my resting place, and that was now Devin’s grave.

The shovel was still on the ground, and an approximately six-foot patch of dirt was clearly disturbed.

It was evident that something body-sized was buried beneath the large rock mimicking a headstone.

“How the hell did you find—” Kelsey’s voice was cut off as August stepped in front of her, manifesting a knife in his hand.

Her flushed cheeks paled in a breath. “W-where did you get that?” He smirked and looked at me while I watched wide-eyed with my hands clasped in front of my chest. There was a sick mix of discomforting emotions coursing through my head—curiosity, worry, hate.

“You called my woman a bitch,” he said darkly, his eyes flicking to her.

“That’s not very nice of you, Kelsey.” She blubbered but stayed silent as her eyes filled with pathetic tears.

Something in me wanted to say it served her right for approaching a man who was clearly taken, but I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the wicked, death-induced thoughts.

“The last person who did that ended up in that grave.” With his free hand, August pointed to the disturbed dirt. There was no mistaking what that was, even if she was drunk.

That’s an easy way to sober up.

If my face could blush, it would be. Why was I thinking like that?

This was essentially an innocent person, someone who did no wrong, at least not enough to warrant August’s unending wrath against those who wronged us.

But that was the thing. She wronged me , and now she could die for it.

Suffer for it. I hoped it was just the drink or two I had enhancing the sway of death.

If I were changing like August was, that would spell bad news for everyone.

“I-I didn’t mean it—” She began to speak, but her words were cut off when he stepped forward.

He stumbled slightly, but caught himself before he fell.

My buzz was still there, but was masked by whatever the hell was going on in my head.

She raised her hands, trying and failing to shield herself from him.

Ultimately, she was unsuccessful, and her legs buckled, sending her to her knees. “I’m sorry!”

“You should be,” he said, glaring at her. “Because if you put me in a bad mood and don’t cooperate, I’ll make you really sorry.” The woman’s face twisted with confusion.

“C-cooperate? I was already going to let you fuck me,” she cried. My eyes narrowed, thinking about how stupid she was for thinking anything was going to happen between them. And right on cue, August rolled his eyes.

“Why would I do that? I’ve already found the woman I’m going to spend the rest of my life with.

I don’t need you,” he said, pointing to the makeshift grave.

“You could go lie with that corpse over there if that’s what you want.

” I thought about my torturous experiences in the ground, and for as much as I loathed this woman, I didn’t want anyone to go through that, even if I couldn’t get the image of her resting her hand on him out of my head.

I stepped up, hoping to put a stop to this madness.

“Um, baby—” He cocked his head to the side, his eyes boring into me like a predator as his gaze snapped towards me.

“Would you like to contribute anything, my love? Because I believe I have this all under control.” My throat tightened as I retreated.

“Just don’t kill her, please,” I croaked. Hearing the word kill , Kelsey began to sob, pressing her palms to her cherry-colored face.

“That’s not up to you, baby. We have things to do, people to see, and goals to accomplish.

Let me handle this, and you’ll be just fine.

” His eyes connected with mine. “I promise.” After that, he stepped up to Kelsey as she removed her hands, looking up at him with tears streaming down her face.

The blade made an indent in her cheek as he pressed it against her flesh, making her eyes widen.

“Right, Kelsey? You’ll be fine, too, as long as you listen.

And you’re good at that, right?” August asked.

Kelsey nodded through her whimpers. “Right. Even when I told you I’d make you see the devil.

You’d do that for me, wouldn’t you?” There was an odd sensuality to his words, potentially causing my heart to skip.

I wondered if he would maintain the same control over me if it came down to it, and if I would enjoy it.

Would I enjoy it ?