Page 26 of Insanium
“And what is that supposed to mean?” I took a small step forward, and she immediately straightened.
“Blaire,” she practically spat at me.
“What? No. Her’s names—”
“No, you dumb bitch. Blaire Sainte.”
I titled my head. “Did you just call me dumb?”
“She’s clearly lost her damn mind.” Aisha took a step closer to me while Juno wisely stayed off to the sidelines.
“No, you don’t get it.” Kristy twisted and grabbed the shears. “She was my best friend.” Her voice broke, and she took two steps back toward me. “He convinced her to slit her wrists to prove she really loved him. You think that’s normal?” she questioned, coming slightly closer. “You think it’s okay he makes all the girls he didn’t love kill themselves?”
“That’s not remotely true. Juno is still alive, and he most certainly didn’t love her.”
“Thanks for that,” Juno deadpanned, then softened her tone. “Kristy, I know you’re upset, but this isn’t the way to handle it.”
For fuck’s sake. I just wanted to continue my Judgment. I knew there was a chance I’d have to deal with some shady shit, but this was just ridiculous. Ky owed me a big one.
“Kristy, can I be honest?” I side-stepped so I wasn’t within swinging distance of her pointed garden tool. “I don’t give a single fuck.”
“What?”
“She doesn’t care,” Aisha clarified. “And quite frankly, neither do I, and Juno’s just pretending to. We aren’t here for this relationship drama. You could’ve done this literally anywhere else.”
“You know I wouldn’t have been able to get anywhere near her.”
“Well, that goes without saying. It’s not like your weak ass can do much now, either,” Aisha quipped.
“I’m not the one that made your friend delusional as fuck. Why is it me you’re trying to lecture? Not that I would let you so much as breathe on my brothers.”
This seemed to be her trigger. She charged at Aisha, then changed course last second and came at me with the garden shears, her movements sharp and desperate. I danced back, the blades whispering past my clothing.
“Come on, Kristy. Don’t make me do this,” I warned, my voice steady despite the adrenaline pumping through my veins.
She wasn’t listening.
With a wild cry, she attacked again, swinging the shears with more force. I caught her wrist mid-swing, twisting it back. Pain flashed across her face, but she was relentless. Our struggle became a violent tango, the cold floor of the shed on our stage.
I ducked under another swipe, grabbing her arm and using her momentum to spin her around. Kristy stumbled but recovered quickly, her anger giving her a surprising amount of strength. She kicked, catching me off-guard and knocking the wind out of me. I staggered back, pain flaring in my side.
“Not bad,” I gasped, regaining my footing. “But you’re gonna have to do better than that.”
Kristy sneered and came at me again. This time, I was ready. I sidestepped, grabbed her arm again as it came down, and twisted sharply. The shears clattered to the ground. Aisha was immediately there, kicking them away with a clang that echoedthrough the silent garage. Before Kristy could recover, I pushed her hard against the wall, pinning her there with my forearm against her throat. I had no mercy for her.
She clawed at me, trying to free herself. During her struggle, the door banged open. Two masked men rushed in, their appearance momentarily freezing everyone in place. Kristy took advantage of the distraction, shoving me away with surprising force. She scrambled toward Juno, seizing her and pulling her back as a human shield just as the masked figures advanced.
“Get the fuck off me,” Juno snarled, elbowing Kristy in an attempt to dislodge her grasp.
Both men paused, reassessing the sudden struggle before them. With calculated movements, one of them kicked the door shut, sealing us in. Something about the way he moved—a certain familiarity in his stride—caught my attention. The other figure, moving with deliberate calm, reached up and pulled off his mask, revealing a face I knew all too well.
Eryx Draven.
“Oh, motherfucker. I knew you two were up to something.” I took a defensive step back, Aisha quickly aligning herself beside me, her expression a mix of wariness and curiosity.
Eryx smirked before fixing his gaze on Kristy, an unreadable expression playing across his features. “Let’s handle this little issue first. Then, you and I need to have a chat.” His voice was cool, the threat unmistakable.
Chapter Eleven
