Page 81 of The Tomorrows After You
I spun around and narrowed my eyes at her, letting my distaste seethe from the sneer on my lips.
“What’s your obsession with him?” I asked. “Please don’t tell me you’re one of those prison groupies who gets off writing to inmates because they’re trapped and vulnerable.”
For a moment shelookedmildlysurprised, and IwonderedifI’dgonetoo far but then Irememberedthiswasthe woman who most likelyputa graphic video of me on a large screen projector in front of the whole goddamn town and maybe I didn’t go far enough.
I took a few strides closer to her, squaring my shoulders and standing taller. “He’s a human being, Katie, not a dress-up doll for your hero complex,” I bit off.
Shetooka deep breath,gettingready to respond, and some territorial part of mestirredto life. Shetriedto match my stature and itappearedshe might bite back with some retort but after a moment shedeflated,breakingeye contact with me.
She blew out a breath, appearing almost defeated.
“I care about him, Nicolette. And if you did too,you’dleave town andlethim be. Heisworkingfor my family and maybe one day could own the shop. He couldhavearealplace in this town again and I know that doesn’t mean much toyoubut it does to him. More than you know.”
All Iwantedwasto buy a massive piece of land for my sweet, homemaker wife and our basic, predictably beautiful litter of children. Iwantedthat life, okay?
I shifted my weight, remembering his confession.
“Riot was almost there before you blew into town and ruined everything for him. He was earning respect back and people were starting to see him like the hometown hero they remembered instead of the man that brutally murdered his mother.” She stared daggers into my eyes and paused to let me absorb that.Except he didn’t kill her,I wanted to scream. “And now he’s put himself backyearsjust for associating with you. Let him go, Nicolette. Leave town. I’ll take him back. If you leave right now, I’ll forgive him for choosing you but that window is closing. If you two stay together much longer, there will be no going back for him and you know he’s mandated here for five years.”
My chest hitched.What the fuck?
Katiesneeredat the opportunity to catch me off guard.“He didn’t mention that to you, did he?”
My brain flipped through all our conversations and I scanned my memory… had he told me that? I knew he was on probation but I didn’t know for how long.
“Yeah, the condition of his release. Probation for five years and let’s be honest… palling around with you isdefinitelygoing to end with him violating it and then it’ll be even longer.” She paused and tilted her head. “If you care about him, you’ll break it off and leave town. Somewhere deep down evenyouknow I’m right.”
Shestartedto back up but my pride wouldn’tlether get the last word.
“He doesn’t love you,” I called after her.
Katie looked back at me and frowned, a deep sadness mapped on her face.
“I know that.”Shelookedat her feet beforemeetingmy eyes again.“But he could learn to. And we could be happy enough. But you? You destroy people, Nicolette.”Shethrewher arms up and her wordshitmy chest like bullets.“It’s just what you do. You ruin people and companies and towns and you leave a trail of bodies when you leave. Don’t make Riot just another casualty of your ambition.”
With that, she turned around and disappeared into the night. I covered my eyes with my palms with the sinking realization that Katie was right. She didn’tfeelright. But her words hit a truth inside me that split my heart open.
I did ruin people. Mostly they were people who deserved to be ruined and had earned every bit of the criminal charges or public scrutiny they faced when I was done with them. But it was also true that there were always casualties, unwilling accomplices also prosecuted, jobs lost, and relationships ruined.
Riot didn’t deserve any of that. Hedeservedbetter than that. Hedeservedbetter than me.
31
Riot
Iemerged from the bathroom and blinked when I saw Katie walking away from Nicolette who stood a few feet outside my truck. I frowned at the look Katie threw me in the brief passing. Her face was flushed, and she nodded at me before disappearing in a sea of cars.
My eyes shot over to Nicolette who stood frozen in the same spot. Her gaze was unfocused, and I was brought back to the expression on her face when she’d stood on stage and withstood public humiliation at the carnival.
“What the fuck did you say, Katie…” I muttered to myself, hustling to the truck. I scrambled to her side but Nicolette waved me off, pulling the passenger door open herself and climbed in. I walked to my side and did the same.
Shemadeslow, small, deliberate moves to buckle her seat belt. Iturnedmyself in my seat to face her, my heartpickingup abeatat the look of desolation on her face. Shekepther eyesfixedout the windshield but I didn’t start the car. Finally, shesighedandlookedover at me half-heartedly.
“What happened, Nic?”
“What do you mean? Nothing. Ready to go home?”
“No.”Iwasn’tmoving until I could help wipe the despondent expression off her face.“What did she say to you?”
