Page 90 of Guilty Minds
“Can I get lunch?” I try to sound timid.
"Depends." She crosses her arms over her chest, making it pop. I can see why one of my guys, Paul Rogers, has been sniffing around her.
“On what?” I squint my eyes suspiciously.
“On your answer.” She quirks a brow.
"Alright." I put the menu aside and fold my arms to match her. I expected this conversation sooner or later, and I suspect the only reason Marina hasn't cut my balls off was Kayla restraining her. But now, when everything has shifted, and it can be sensed in the air, she has free rein. Knowing Kayla has no blood family here, Marina is it for her, so I'll listen to what she has to say. "Shoot."
"I just might." She glances briefly under the bar where she keeps her famous shotgun, and I shift nervously. She senses the blood like a shark and goes for the kill. “I know you two fucked.” I choke on my tongue. Did Kayla say something to her already? There is no way our small town knows about that already. She sees my confusion and adds. “I’ve known this girl since she was a child, and I know when something has changed in her. Listen here, Justin," she leans closer, and I gulp, "I don't like you, I never liked you, and I never will. You don't deserve her, and only God knows why she gave you the time of day. But listen here, very closely, I watch a lot of true crime, boy, and I know how to use a shovel and lye. You hear me?"
“Yes, ma’am.” I never let people talk to me like that, but she can. I deserve everything she’s saying.
"You have no idea how many times she's cried over you and your brother. Especially you. I'll never forget it, and I doubt she will, either, so think hard about if you even want to go down that road with her. I'll get you your lunch." She walks away, and I stay silent.
I suspected she took all my jabs at her personally because that’s how they were meant to be, but now, I can think of how they actually felt to her. She doesn't have a family besides Marina, and to think of it, I don't think she had friends before Freya. Jake absolutely destroyed her during those three years and made sure to make everything miserable for her. Why did she stay in Little Hope then?
I hear Kayla’s loud laughter and turn to watch her. The fucker’s hand is on hers, and she’s laughing like he just told the funniest joke. I’veneverheard her laugh like that. Ever. It's loud, clear, and carefree. He flips her hand and moves his thumb over her wrist.
I’ve had enough of it. I’m about to jump from the chair, but someone grabs my hand and presses it to the table. I look up and see Marina's steady gaze.
"Drink. Your food will be ready soon." She pushes a cup of coffee toward me with her other hand. I try to pull away from her grip, but she presses harder. "Drink." Her voice is firm, but then she adds, softer, “Trust me.”
I glance at Kayla again and see her big, wide eyes trained on me. I look at Marina as she nods, and I try to relax. Maybe she knows something I don't.
KAYLA
Marina’s talking to Justin. It can’t be good.
“Relax,” Archie chuckles, noticing me glancing at Justin ever since I sat at the table. “He’s right where he should be.”
“I don't know what you mean," I say as I begin shuffling through the menu.
“Sure you don’t.” I hear a smirk in his voice. “Was it good? Tell me so I can live through you. It’s not like I can get some game going on here.” He pouts, and it looks ridiculous with the ring in his lower lip.
“You’re here for only a couple of days. You’ll be fine.”
“You don’t know my appetite.” His wink is impossible not to laugh at.
“You’re really sneaky, you know that, right?”
"Oh, I do. I so do." His smile turns devious, and he grabs my hands, turning them over, and presses a thumb over my little moon tattoo. "And I'm about to be sneakier." He begins moving his thumb. "Did you know that ninety percent of people with wrist tattoos are very ticklish when you tickle them in the same spot?" He quickly switches his fingers, and he's tickling me. I begin to laugh like a maniac. My wrists are indeed sensitive, but I’m not sure it’s because of the tats.
Then I feel the hot stare burning a hole in my back, and I turn to find Justin looking at our joined hands, a crazed expression on his face.
Archie tickles me one more time before pulling his hand away, and I turn to him.
“You, sneaky bastard!”
“Told ya.” He leans on his chair with a self-satisfied look and says, “Let’s talk business, Kay-baby.”
Right, business. We wanted to discuss it yesterday, but the time got away from us. Plus, it was kind of difficult with all those death glares from half the people at the damn barbeque. We will have a chat with Freya about that.
The thing is, I decided to take Archie up on his offer. It’s time for me to move on and do something with my life.
When I told TJ, I had never seen him so happy in my life; the guy usually only contacts me over texts, and rarely did we meet in person, but that day he video-called me. I almost fell from my chair.
“Are you ready to partner up?” Archie appears more excited than the butterflies of anxiety flying into the walls of my stomach.
