Page 107 of Hate Wrecked

Once on the other side of the hole, I crouch low, waiting.

When the man comes into view, I grind my teeth.

He looks around, and when his eyes land on me, I stand, making sure he sees the machete in my hand.

“Hey, princess, what do you have there? Rusted as hell, I imagine. There’s lots of that around here. You forget we’ve been here before?” He reaches into his pocket, pulling out a knife that gleams in the growing light. “Gerald’s shit ain’t rusted, should have looked there, huh?”

I take a step back, my fear both practiced and real. “What did you do to them?” I ask, stalling, luring him closer.

“Who?”

“Who?” I mock. “The people who were here.”

He cocks his head. “How many did you find? Butch thought you might know something. Guess you do.”

I take another step back. He steps forward.

“We found peace here,” I say. “You’re fucking that up.”

He chuckles. “I’m going to fuck something up. That’s for sure.”

He rushes me, and I step back. In two steps, he is falling through the foliage, down into a dark hole of mud, rainwater, and waste.

I don’t run. I step toward the edge, watching as he rolls over, flinging dirt and grime. “You fucking cunt.”

“Guess you didn’t remember everything about this place?” I say. “Or did you just take your shits in the ocean?”

He crawls to his knees, eyeing me. “I was going to be gentle with you, but not anymore.” He walks toward the dirt wall, reaching up. Two hands on the dirt ledge.

I step forward as he looks down, getting his footing.

And then I bring the blade down on his right hand.

SNEAKY LITTLE BITCH

ROWAN

“So,how long have you had that boat?” I ask Butch, keeping my tone casual even as my heart pounds. Every second I stall, every second he talks, is another second for Riley.

He glances toward the water. “Year or so.”

“Anyone question you about it? I mean, it’s obvious you can’y afford a boat like that.”

“Is it?” he scratches his jaw. “Not where I come from. Where I come from, we know who deserves what. I paid the price for it.”

“What were you looking for out here, anyway?”

He lifts his chin, eyes gleaming. “Peace. Isolation. Good place to plant new seeds and watch ’em grow.”

I nod slowly. “You were worried someone would try to take it from you.”

He smirks. “We were minding our own on Mirage Isle. But the wife? She was fucking around on her husband. Got him killed. A sneaky little bitch. We gave her the burial she deserved. The kind liars deserve. Now, are you a liar, Rowan Finn?” He looks at his gun, then into my eyes.

“Butch…” I say carefully. “You know the world’s looking, right?”

He laughs, low. “World’s always looking. They don’t see shit unless you show them.”

“And what about Captain Daniels?” I press. “Someone’s got to be looking for him, right?”

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