Page 81 of Slayin Villain
I swallowed hard.He was right.
I thought Rachel would always be there, waiting, holding space in her heart for me no matter how many times I broke it.
But she was stronger than I gave her credit for.
And I was too blind to see it.
“She’s really gone,” I said, like saying it out loud would make it hit less.
Kingpin nodded, folding his arms.“Sometimes we don’t get second chances, Villain.And sometimes?They walk before we’re ready to chase ‘em.”
I looked down, hands clenched into fists.
I wasn’t just chasing.
I was too late.
“Son,” he said sharply.“Don’t bring that storm inside.Not tonight.”
“She left me!”I snapped, chest heaving like I’d just gone ten rounds in the ring.“She left and didn’t even say goodbye.”
Eve stepped out from behind him, arms crossed, her face a mixture of sympathy and steel.
“She didn’t owe you a goodbye,” she said.“Not after what you did.”
“I never meant to hurt her.”
“Intent doesn’t undo pain,” she replied, voice steady and sharp.
I tried to step past them, but Kingpin moved in front of me, hand on my chest.
“You talk to Eve again like that,” he said low.“I won’t give a damn if you’re my Sergeant.You’ll be pickin’ gravel out your teeth, boy.”
I stepped back.Fists clenched.Vision tunneling.
“She’s carrying my kid.”
“She was,” Eve corrected.“Now she’s carrying her own strength.You lost your say.”
I turned and walked straight to my bike.Didn’t say another word.Didn’t give them the satisfaction of watching me break.
But I was already broken.
The road blurred.Trees and power lines flashing by like I’d hit fast forward.I didn’t even know where I was going until the bottle of bourbon in my saddlebag started whispering my name.
I stopped in the woods.Middle of nowhere.Moonlight bleeding through the trees.Popped the cap and drank like it might erase everything I’d done.
It didn’t.
The booze made my head swim.Made my guilt louder.Made the image of Rachel’s green eyes staring through me burn hotter.
I screamed.
Loud.Unhinged.A roar ripped straight from my ribs.
“Fuck!”
I kicked at the dirt.Punched the gas tank of my bike.Sank to my knees like some fallen angel too far gone to find heaven.
