Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Yeah, all good. We fell outta touch a while ago, but I don’t think he’s gonna be trouble. I’ll take it from here.”
Fell out of touch. That’s one way of putting it.
“You got it.”
Two minutes later, I’m outside the door. I pause. Fuck. Axel. Ten years. Ten long fucking years of grief and guilt. And the whole goddamned time he’s been hiding from me. From Quinn. Fuck, from everyone, as far as I can tell. I’m sure he’s got his reasons, but I’m struggling real hard to imagine what could possibly be fucking good enough.
Only one way to find out. I push the door open.
Riot spots me, but when I nod my head at the door, he takes the hint and leaves. And then it’s just me, and Axel.
“You’ve got some fucking gall showing up here.”
“I know.” He’s got his back to me. He knows that I’m here, but I’m guessing I’m not the only one that was dreading this moment. I hope he’s fucking miserable with it.
“Turn the fuck around.”
He does, and it hits me all over again. It’s him. Part of me was hoping it was just a ruse. Someone fucking with us. But that’s him, no doubt about it. Bigger, older, rougher, but I’d recognize him anywhere. Not that I doubted Quinn, but still, I was hoping. How fucked up is it that I hoped my old best friend was dead because it would be a hell of a lot less complicated that way?
“Heath.” His voice is unmistakable.
“I’m Priest now. Fuck, it really is you.”
A faint smile comes to his lips. He throws his hands out. “In the flesh.”
“Good.” I punch him in the face.
Axel stumbles backwards and falls on his ass. His nose is bleeding.
I hope I fucking broke it. “Fuck you,” I say simply.
He wipes at his nose with the back of his hand. “You’ve been working on your cross. Jesus, that hurts.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are? Coming back after ten fucking years like it was fucking nothing. Quinn never fully recovered from thinking you were dead. Fuck, I never did either.” My voice is low and seething. “I waited for you. All that fucking night. I sat there, thinking of everything that could go wrong but knowing you’d come back. I WAITED.”
Grief distorts his face. “It wasn’t my choice, I swear.”
“Cops said it was you in the body bag, and I thought I’d fucking lost you, you asshole.” Fuck I want to punch him again. “Your funeral sucked.”
He pushes at the floor like he’s gonna get up. “Did either of my parents bother coming?”
“Your mom. It woulda been hard to shake people down for sympathy and donations if she didn’t. Just a warning, if you stand up, I’m gonna knock you back down. I don’t think you really understand how fucking mad I am.”
“I’ll stay down. One of those was fucking enough.” He holds up a hand, warding me off.
“Convince me. Tell me what happened. If it’s good enough, maybe I won’t kill you for real.” I put my back up against the wall, leaning but ready to jump on him again if I have to.
“Really? No beer, or sitting down somewhere. Nothing?”
“Fuck you.”
He wipes his nose again and grimaces at the blood. “I killed someone. This was the price.”
“Gonna need more than that.”
“You remember that night. I was helping Zee with a deal. I was there as muscle. It was my first time. Things went to shit. Someone pulled a gun on Zee and we responded. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I’d always been fast. I killed a guy. Don’t even remember his name, just that he was worth a fuck ton more than me.” Axel leans back against the wall, his eyes focused on something a million miles away. “I ran.”
“Not far enough, apparently. What, you couldn’t call? Couldn’t send a fucking email?”
He lets out a sigh. “I didn’t even make it out of town that night. Boss caught up with me. He made me a deal. They’d get the heat off me if I agreed to die. They had me, a kid who was as good as dead, and a body that needed explaining away. If I cooperated, they’d cover my ass. I thought it’d be temporary.”
I look away, not knowing what I feel. Part of me wants to just jump on the fucker and pound him into the ground, while part of me wants to hug him ‘til I break his bones.
“So for ten fucking years, I’m supposed to believe that you just… stayed away? I fucking missed you man. First you, and then my step-dad a couple years later. I thought the world had it in for me. I was so fucking angry for so long. And just when I found Quinn again and felt like we could get some fucking closure, you rise from the fucking grave. You understand why I’m angry?” I push off the wall and walk over until I’m standing over him.