Page 14 of Sloth

“Everyonewants her.”

“She’suntouchable.”

“Notby Arlo.”

Arloand I looked at each other. I didn’t know who these guys were, but theyobviously knew us. They could have been anybody who obviously worked for Danteand his people. His family butted heads with mine for years. His dad was alsojealous that he didn’t have a daughter. It made my father more powerful. Moredangerous. It didn’t make sense to me but since I was the only girl forgenerations of boys that were born into this world, I was extra special in away.

Arlohad a target on his back because he was in love with me.

“Weneed to get this over with so I can take you home,” Arlo muttered from behindme.

“I amhome,” I argued.

“I’mnot leaving you again.”

“That’sfine. You can stay here.”

“No.We are not staying here. You will always have a target on your back because ofwho you are. Because of who your father was. Because you’re the only girl. So,we will travel. We’ll go to another country if we have to but you are no longerstaying here and I don’t give a shit how much you fight me.”

“So,we’re going to run and hide?” What he was saying made sense but at the sametime, I couldn’t just up and leave.

“No.We’re going to be safe. I will keep you safe. I promised your father I wouldwatch over you and protect you.”

“Idon’t need you to protect me. I’m the one who saved you a moment ago remember?”

“Justbecause I was distracted, it’s not an excuse.” He placed his hand on myshoulder, leaning down my ear. “We will fight. Even if it takes the rest of ourlives. We. Will. Fight.”

“Myfather would say the same thing. Dante would have said the same thing. Everyguy in this world would say the same thing. A naked woman is no excuse to bedistracted. You know that.”

“You’renot just any naked woman, Bunny,” Arlo bit out through clenched teeth.

Ihuffed, cocking my gun and stepping out into the hall.

“Ginny,what the hell are you doing?” Arlo followed me, not letting me take these guyson by myself.

I wassick of this. It wasn’t my fault that I was the only female in this world. Ididn’t ask to be born. I didn’t ask to be raised in this lifestyle. I didn’task to play with guns instead of Barbies.

WhenI walked down the hall, the guys that were talking a moment ago were around thecorner. They looked my way as soon as they saw me approach.

“Hello,boys. It’s been a while.” I recognized them and had seen them over the years,but I didn’t know their names. I knew of this Jack person they were talkingabout though. He was a homeless guy who lived in the shadows of the city. Hemoved around often and was a drug addict. He also liked his alcohol. You couldpay him off to get whatever information you wanted. He was good that way butalso unreliable at times.

“Youkilled our boss,” one man said, raising his arm and pointing his gun at me.

“Dantetried to rape me. He also raped other women and girls. I was surprised that hewent after me though, seeing as I’m a little too old for him but he must havebeen desperate.” I shrugged, wishing this night would end already.

“Weall have a vice,” the younger guy pointed out.

“Yeah,but underage girls earns you death. Although, I should have tortured him a bit.It probably would have made me feel better.” I could feel Arlo coming up behindme. It was two of us against all of them. There were only three guys standingin front of us but I knew there were more in the house. Arlo said that help wason the way. If they were here already, they didn’t let themselves be known. Maybethey were waiting for something to happen before they took over.

“Youshould have been killed the moment you were born,” one of the men said.

Ilaughed, pulled the trigger, and watched him fall.

Arlo cursed.

The twomen looked at the bundled heap on the ground before looking back at me. Icontinued pulling the trigger, not caring in the least if they did the same butnone of them had a chance.

Arlocursed again, probably wondering if the woman he was in love with was becomingunhinged.

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