Page 79 of Cruel Revenge

My heart pounds as I turn.

Joshua.

Where the hell did he come from?

I shrug, tucking my hands in my pockets. “Taking care of a problem.”

“Not good enough.”

“Going to have to be.” I stand inches from him, looking up at his icy glare and feeling like I’m on top of the world. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll forget that you ever saw me here.”

His eyes widen, and for the first time since I met him all those years ago, he actually looks scared. Of me or what I’m capable of, I don’t know. I doubt he does either.

He hasn’t seen the carnage inside.

He doesn’t know anything.

Maybe one of these days, he’ll find out, but today certainly isn’t going to be the day.

I pat his chest. “Some things are better left in the dark, Joshua. You should remember that when you decide to follow me again.”

Aiden handsme a lit joint as we sit out back beside the pool. “I didn’t think this was going to be a problem here.”

I glance at the bag of bloodied clothes before taking a drag, holding in the smoke for a moment before blowing it out. “You knew it was going to be a problem anywhere you dragged me to.”

“Are you losing control?”

“Nope.” I twist the joint to the side, looking at the glowing end before bringing it to my lips again. “I got stressed out, and I needed someone to take it out on. At least this time, it was productive.”

“I’m not sure if that’s true.” He looks down at the ripples in the water that form when he drags his feet through it.

For a moment, it feels like we’re young again and staying up late at night, talking about how the two of us are possibly going to be able to keep our siblings in line.

We’re no longer two siblings who are constantly at each other’s throats and vying for power.

“Joshua saw me coming out, though.”

Aiden stiffens. “Is that going to be something else to worry about?”

“Doubt it. I don’t think he knows what he saw, and even if he did, there’s not much he can do about it.”

“What did he see?” Aiden reaches for the joint.

He brings it to his lips, blowing out a large cloud of smoke a few seconds later, glancing over at me.

“Only that I came out of the house with blood on me. I think.” I lean back and look up at the two lonely stars in the sky. “I don’t think he’s going to say anything more about it, though.”

“If he does, are you prepared to take care of it?”

No.

“Yes.”

Aiden just nods, his lips pressed together before his heavy sigh fills the air. “So, want to tell me what this was about?”

“Zoe. She came to visit me at the laundromat the other week. Same day you were there. Told me that she had no interest in negotiating.”

“And you’re just now telling me this?” His words are biting and sharp. “What the fuck, Skyla.”

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