Page 27 of Pure Silence

“Something I can help you with?” Goldie asked with all the courage he could muster. He refused to appear weak. “Need to find the stairs again?”

“Ha, that’s real fuckin’ cute,” Michael sneered. “You stupid bitch. You got me arrested and fucked up the biggest deal of my life! You’re fucking dead!” He aimed the gun at Goldie. “When I’m done here with you, I’m gonna go get that lying bitch next door.”

“Don’t you fucking dare! Don’t you touch her!” Goldie leapt up, the cuffs catching him and cutting into his wrists. He thrashed as hard as he could, and the headboard rattled against the wall. “Fuck you, you fuckin’ cowardly motherfuckin’ piece of shit!”

Michael flinched, watching Goldie warily as if he was afraid the handcuffs might break. When they didn’t, he laughed. “Wow. Nasty mouth you got, Princess. How about you just—”

A shadow appeared behind Michael.

It was Day!

He had the liner from the shower curtain, and he wrapped it over Michael’s face from behind. His elbow firmly locked around Michael’s neck, and he did not let go. His other hand shot out like a striking snake and snatched the gun away in a blink. His eyes were dark and hazy as if he was off on another planet, and he was terrifyingly calm.

Michael flailed like a wild animal, trying to reach back and claw at Day.

Day ducked his head out of the way, and he refused to loosen his grip for a second. He raised the gun and slammed it repeatedly into the side of Michael’s head.

Michael only fought harder, gurgling and wheezing as he tried to break free.

Goldie could see Michael’s desperate gasps and panting fogging up the clear vinyl, and he was too stunned to speak. Everything was happening so fast, and he’d sworn he was about to die a few seconds ago, his entire body trembling in the wake of an adrenaline surge.

When Michael got particularly frantic, Day brought his other hand up to the side of Michael’s head.

Twist.

Pop.

Michael fell to the ground in a noisy heap of crinkling vinyl and heavy limbs.

“Holy fuck,” Goldie gasped.

Michael was dead.

The faraway expression in Day’s eyes was gone now, and he blinked quickly as if waking up. He looked around with a frown, and he sighed loudly when he saw the dead body at his feet. He appeared annoyed.

“What the actual fuck?” Goldie stared. “You… you killed him. I mean, okay, I appreciate not being shot, but…” His blood froze over as he recalled how calm Day was throughout the entire ordeal. “You’ve done this before. Haven’t you?”

Day frowned.

“Well?”

Day clasped his hands together and closed his eyes. “Dear God, I really need my angel to understand that sometimes maybe my mission involves killing people.”

“Oh,fuck.”

6

DAY

I?'?m? ?g?o?n?n?a? ?k?i?l?l? ?t?h?a?t? ?b?i?t?c?h? ?a?n?d? ?h?e?r? ?k?i?d?s?.? ?

F?u?c?k? ?t?h?a?t? ?s?t?u?p?i?d? ?c?u?n?t?.? ?F?u?c?k? ?t?h?i?s? ?s?t?u?p?i?d?-f?r?e?a?k?.?

?I?'?l?l? ?k?i?l?l? ?a?g?a?i?n? ?a?n?d? ?a?g?a?i?n? ?a?n?d? ?a?g?a?i?n? ?a?n?d? ?a?g?a?i?n?.?

Day could still hear the man’s filth echoing in his head when he saw the body at his feet. He’d done it again, but this time he could vividly remember what the man had said. That was new. He wondered if it had to do with his angel being here with him that was giving him some sort of new clarity.

That made him smile, although right now his angel didn’t seem very happy with him.