Page 131 of Heavy

I mumble, but don’t actually say anything intelligible. I want the gag removed before I even try to talk.

By the look on her face, the one that justdoesn’tcare, I doubt it will come off anytime soon. The sound of the garage door opening draws me to look behind my shoulder, seeing the night greet me. How long was I out?

As we pull out of the driveway, I spot three cars—one van and two standard black sedans. Unlike ours, none of them have tinted windows. I quickly scan the vehicles, counting seven people, maybe eight, though I’m not entirely sure. Then there’s our driver, and Samantha.

She taps the tip of the gun against my temple, and I wince.

“Was it?” I stare at her from the corner of my eyelids. “His dick. It’s good, isn’t it?”

My chest heaves as I begin to breathe erratically. I want to tear her fucking eyes out, shove that gun up her pussy, and destroy the two things that have seen and felt Ronan. I know her hands haven’t, he would never let this bitch touch him.

“I’d say I’m jealous, but I’m not. This has always been about his death, and nothing more than that.” She’s such a fucking liar. Her scrunched, forced smile is all telling of it to be so. Maybe his death was what brought all of this about, but my defiance to killing him has sparked something different.

She sighs and leans against her arm. Her dark hair falls over her shoulders, and her makeup is flawlessly done, with her nails freshly manicured. She just looks too casual for what’s happening right now.

“We are heading back to your little sanctuary,Calista.” She enunciates my name, mocking me with every chance she gets. “You’ll finish what you started, or your little BFF will die. Super simple.”

My toes curl in my sneakers and I begin to lean forward, trying to make myself smaller.

“Oh please, you’ve known him for only a couple of months. Cry me a fucking river and build me a god damn bridge.”

When I scream, my entire body shakes with rapture. I hate this bitch, and I have no idea what I’m going to do about it.

“I’ve even made it humane. A quick jab of a needle and he’ll die in seconds. Fuck it up and I’ll send my men in to finish itpainfullyfor you.” She sighs and smacks me a few times across the forehead with the pistol. “Shooting him is just so messy. It takes more effort for it to be covered up, and even with the fire—” I may actually pass out. “—I’ll have to pay the police extra to cover that up. Poisoning is easy to dismiss, and with him having no family that cares about him… no one will fight it.”

I turn to her slowly, and her eyes are piercing right through me.

“And you’ll keep that fucking mouth shut,” she hisses. “You think you know pain, you don’t. I promise you have no idea what I’m truly capable of.”

No, she’s wrong—so fucking wrong. I know pain, because the thought of losing him is tearing me to shreds. My entire body is going through a vibration and I’m on the verge of vomiting.

Howare we going to get out of this? How… how do I save him?

My cheeks soak with my tears as I throw my shoulder against the door roughly and begin pulling hard on my wrists.

I’m so fucking sorry… What do I do? Think, Cal… Think or else you’ll lose him…

42

Ronan

Ihearthesoundof tires rolling up the driveway several hours after hanging up the phone with Ken.

My heart aches, and I fear what’s coming. I wonder if I’ve been using my trauma as a justification for all the wrong I’ve done. Maybe I deserve everything that’s happened, and everything that’s about to. I just wish it hadn’t come from someone who helped me lower my walls, someone who made me feel worthy of a life different from the one I was dealt.

The fucked-up part is I still love her.

She probably thought she had no choice, but she couldn’t have been more wrong. Why couldn’t she just trust I would’ve taken care of it—taken care ofher.

The sound of her rushing feet coming to the door has me slowly leaning from the counter. I had kept the house unlocked, so when she wiggles the doorknob, she’s capable of coming right through it.

Her eyes are bloodshot, dried tears streaked down her cheeks.

I narrow my gaze, and say in a low tone, “You ignored me.”

“We need to go.” She quickly tries to rush past me toward the hallway, but I don’t allow for it, and grab onto her upper arm. Dragging her back in front of me, she stares up at me. “Please… we have to go. I can explain everything—”

“Don’t you think it’s a bit too late for that, Cal?” My stomach churns with the look she gives me, and I’m angered more at my heart for wanting to comfort her.