Page 5 of The Chaos She Brings

Kai doesn’t speak other than to tell me when I’m doing something wrong and the entire time his expression doesn’t change from calm indifference.

He’s got the body wrapped in plastic and is somehow squashing it like a contortionist into a ridiculously large duffle bag. Once that’s done, he starts rolling up my ruined rug, still not speaking.

“What do we do with the carpet?” I shift on my feet as I take in the last of the evidence. We’ve made quick work of clearing away and now that’s the only proof of my heinous act.

“I’ll strip the floor, then I’ll come back with an identical one tomorrow.”

“Oh—Okay.”

“Help me move the furniture out the way.”

I start shoving the sofa and coffee table as he pulls up my carpet with impressive strength. I get momentarily distracted by the way his muscles strain until Carina nudges me with a knowing glint in her eyes.

“How do you know him?” I hiss at her as we both lift the coffee table into the kitchen.

She shrugs at me. “He’s Nate’s best friend.”

“And you’ve been hiding him from me?”

She laughs. “You just killed Jake and you’re thinking of Kai?”

Now it’s my turn to shrug. “It’s not like things with Jake were that serious.” I glance at Kai from the corner of my eye, watching him lift up another section of carpet. I lean closer to Carina to whisper, “I want to climb him like a tree.”

She sputters. “Tess!”

“What?” I ask, my face a picture of innocence. “I’m on the market now.”

Carina shakes her head at me. “You’re incorrigible.”

I turn my attention back to my flat, and the clean-up. The wood underneath where Jake's body used to be is stained. “Should I spray that with the same stuff?”

Kai’s the one to answer. “No. Blot the stain, sprinkle baking soda, then scrub with a brush dipped in vinegar.”

“How do you know all this?”

He wipes sweat from his forehead with the back of his arm while sitting back on his knees. “Practice. Trial and error.” He shrugs like clearing up a crime scene is no big deal.

I get to work following his instructions while he starts carrying everything down to his car with Nate. He’s somehow got everything in inconspicuous bags so no one will question what he’s carrying.

Sweat coats my skin, there’s still dried blood flecks on my cheeks, and I’m ready for the world's longest nap.

“You can’t stay here,” Carina says, eyeing my destroyed living room.

“Why not?”

“Other than the fact it smells like death, bleach, and vinegar?” Kai grumbles as he walks back in, raising an eyebrow.

I wrinkle my nose, because he’s right. It smells awful. “I’ll just deal with the stench. It’s okay.”

Carina scoffs. “No way. You can stay at ours but be prepared for Cupcake to pee on your bed in the night.”

She’s not really selling it. But the more I breathe the worse it smells in here. I’m not sure I have much choice.

I open my mouth to accept when she speaks again.

“Unless,” her eyes flick mischievously between Kai and me, “you could stay with Kai.”

“Why would she stay with me?” Kai asks, glowering at my best friend.