Page 73 of Justyce
Groaning, I push my fingers into my eyes, realizing I’m absolutely fucked seven ways to Sunday no matter how I look at it.
“Why are you gauging your eyes out? Have you been listening to Slipknot again? I push the fingers into my eeeyyyyess,” Bianca sings, and I can hear the smile in her voice.
Closing my eyes I laugh and massage my temples. “I fucked up. Not to mention I’ve placed my mother in harm’s way for fleeing Justyce’s home.”
“Why do you say that?”
“The boys said as much.”
“The boys? As in hottie Acheron and Arrow?”
“Justyce and Acheron, yeah.”
“He wouldn’t hurt her, surely,” Bianca says, but I hear the hesitation in her voice. She’s aware of what the Tartarus Mafia are capable of, hence the waver in her tone.
I grapple internally, wrangle with my demons as I struggle between my heart and mind. A light shines brighter than any lighthouse when the awareness of what I’m about to do sinks the damn titanic all over again.
Opening my eyes, I lean forward to find Bianca’s greens watching warily. “I know that look,” she grumbles. “You’re going back aren’t you?”
Nodding my head, I stand up and offer her my hand. She grabs hold and pulls me into a hug then says, “I’m coming with you.”
I step back, my hands bracing her shoulders as I stare her in those green eyes. “No. I need to do this alone.”
Bianca readies herself to argue with me but I shake my head. “I’ll tell him I needed to clear my head and went for a walk along the beach, ok? Let me work this shit out,” I vacillate. “If−if you don’t hear from me, please don’t come looking for me.”
She starts objecting and I raise one of my hands off her shoulder in a stopping motion. “No, Bianca. You can’t involve yourself in this mess. Promise me.”
“Fuck sakes, Kenzi! You may as well have me sign your death certificate because you’re going in on a suicide mission!”
It isn’t the most ideal time to smirk, but I do, nonetheless. Her green eyes bug wide and I can see the reflection of the hamster spinning madly in her head.
I laugh. “I’ve got this. Plus, Justyce likes my lady bits so I think he’ll keep me around,” I say to try and lighten the heaviness that hangs in the room. “Promise me you won’t look for me, B, please.” I plea.
She stamps her foot on the shaggy carpet and growls, “Fine. But you find me or call me as soon as you get the chance. And for the record, I’m not kosher with this fucking plan of yours.”
I linger longer than I should and as we say our goodbyes I pray it’s not for the last time. A part of me worries it will be, and I’m terrified knowing Justyce is going to want to punish me when I return.
I walk down the path toward the beach and when my feet sink into the white sand, I gaze up into the sparkling sapphire water, envious. Damn ocean and all its freedom.
Breaking me out of my ruminations, the soles of my feet begin to burn from the hot sand so I dash down to the wet area. Small waves splash at my feet as I walk down the beach. My mind is a category five cyclone with all these damn emotions swirling.
I’m walking right back into the beast’s cage, willingly. What the fuck is wrong with me? I anticipate the hatred and anger toward Justyce to burst through in flames, but those emotions are nothing but flickering embers in the grand scheme of things.
I ought to loath Justyce Travino for tormenting me and my cognition all these years. Yet, somehow I can’t. The sick and crooked thing is I don’t want to.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to be his subservient little whore. If I wasn’t here paying some debt, I’d be gone. I realize after those words enter my thoughts I’m not even convincing myself at this point and kick the wet sand.
Horripilation erupts over my entire body and the small hairs stand to attention on my nape. I look around, searching for the culprit but I come up empty handed.
Rushing through the sand I can feel the unsettling and wary feeling of someone watching me. When I look over my shoulder, I find nothing. That does little to alleviate the tightness in my chest, my anxiety kicking up a notch.
Flinging my head forward, Justyce’s house comes into view and I pick up speed, running as fast as my legs can take me. Uneasiness settles in the pit of my stomach and I can’t stop the rattling of my breath.
My feet hit the cement steps that lead to his house and I almost let out a relieved breath. Before I reach the top, I’m pulled back and slammed into a hard body.
“Hello, pretty face, I’ve been looking for you.”
His gloved hand comes over my nose and I inhale, readying to scream. The sickly scent wafts up, causing my eyes to go splotchy and then darkness beckons me…, and I capitulate.
