Page 72 of Sinister Red

But that’s what happens when you’re soulmates, isn’t it?

Heaven or Hell, death and destruction. Nothing can keep two halves of the same soul apart forever. And despite how long it took us to find each other again, I’ll never regret one second of knowing Sofie Berk.

EPILOGUE

SOFIE

Almost four months ago.

My gaze flicksto my phone on the nightstand as I chew the side of my thumb, the time changing from 10:36 to 10:37 p.m.. A message pops up just as I’m about to pull the electronic from the stand, and when I see who it’s from, I sit up and snatch it.

SAMMY:Be there in five, Cookie. Do you need me to stop for anything?

Despite feelinglike I’m going to explode out of my skin at any second from the amount of anxiety swirling in my gut, I smile.

He’s so good to me.

ME:No, just be careful. The wind is supposed to pick up and it’s still raining really hard.

SAMMY: Might be more like ten or fifteen then. Don’t want you thinking I’m racing against the storm just to get home to eat your pussy.

ME: She isn’t going anywhere, so no rush.

Then a thought occurs to me.

ME:Wait, aren’t you supposed to follow Marbles because of something going on with his bike?

SAMMY: Fuck.

SAMMY: I totally forgot about that.

SAMMY: Goddamn crazy son of a bitch always making my life hell.

I crackup at my Red’s serious overreaction to helping his best friend, my anxiety taking a backseat for another few minutes while I pretend everything is normal. And while it is for the most part, one very big, potentiallyabnormalthing has been weighing on me and I don’t mind postponing the inevitable a little longer.

ME:Oh stop. Follow him home, help him if he needs it, and then kiss him goodbye before you come home to me.

SAMMY: Yeah, yeah. I swear I have no idea why the hell I keep him around.

ME: You would be lost without Marbles, just like you’d be lost without any one of those grunty men you’re most likely sitting around finishing your beer with.

SAMMY: You got a secret camera set up somewhere in the make-shift clubhouse, Cookie? Spying on us during our church meetings?

ME: No, but after a collective of nearly fifteen years with you gorillas, I know what happens while you’re there and I highly doubt any of it has changed since last week.

SAMMY: Have I told you today how much I love you?

ME: Yes. Just as many times as I’ve told you that I love you back. Now finish your beer, help your best friend, be safe, and text me if anything changes.

SAMMY: Yes ma’am.

ME: I love you, Red.

SAMMY: I love you too, Cookie.

I putmy phone back on the stand with a sigh, then open the drawer and look down into it, the little 5x7 envelope practically taunting me from where it sits.

Taunting meprobably isn’t quite the right phrasing.

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