Page 74 of Fool Me Twice
Never see Si again.
Deliberately, he made himself think of Si in hospital, and while it hurt like fuck, it gave him the determination he needed to finish the job.
He wrote Si a note:Sorry, you’re better off without me.I love you.Then he crumpled it up and chucked it into the bin.
He left his key on the kitchen counter, took one last look around, and left.
Zig had to wander around town for a bit.Let the cold air clear his head and make his eyes less watery.Only then did he feel up to walking through the door of Furious Ink.
Sasha looked up from the client she was applying a transfer to.“Zig?Come to get some ink?”
“No.”It came out hoarse, and Zig cleared his throat.“Need a word with Adam, if he’s here.”
She assessed him for a long moment.“He’s out back.Sit down, and he’ll be out in a mo.”
Zig couldn’t settle on the sofa in the window.He picked up a folder of tattoo ideas and leafed through it, not seeing the designs.
“What did you want to talk to me about?”
Zig jumped badly and covered it by getting to his feet.He hadn’t even noticed Adam walking up to him.“Uh...”
Adam’s eyes narrowed as they took in Zig’s backpack.“You’re leaving?”
Zig laughed unhappily.“Thought you’d be pleased about that.Yeah.I’m going.Not sure where.”
“And you’re telling me because?”
“I need you to look after Si.Make sure he’s okay.”
Adam stepped closer and hissed into Zig’s face, “He’s not going to be fuckingokay, you bastard.Christ, you haven’t even told him, have you?You’re sneaking out while he’s at work.You make me sick.”
That made two of them.Zig tried to pull himself together.“I can’t— I can’t say goodbye to him.If he was here, I wouldn’t be able to hack it.”
“So, why the fuck are you leaving, then?Got a better offer, did you?Your dad tempt you with easy money?”
Zig froze.“What do you know about my dad?”
“I know he’s here, and you and him had a cosy little chat last night.Made up your differences, did you?If they ever existed.Fuck, you’ve been lying all along, haven’t you?Making out that you’re one of the good guys now.Well, sod off, then.Back to easy street, ripping off honest people.Hope it makes you happy, breaking Scratch’s heart.Again.You fuckingcunt.”
Zig flinched.His head was dizzy.“Does Si know Dad’s here?”
“Course he bloody knows.You’re the only one who lies to him around here.Keeps secrets from him.”
“I never meant to hurt him,” Zig insisted desperately.“You’ve got to tell him that.”
“I don’t have to tell him anything you say.Why the fuck should I?I always knew you were a waste of space.”
That old insult again, only not from Dad this time.Anger and misery rose in Zig’s throat, nearly choking him.“I’m doing this for Si!”
“What?”
“My fucking dad.He threatened him.Said he’d make him have an accident on his bike if I didn’t work for him again.I can’t...I can’t do it.I don’t wanna be in that life anymore, and it’d kill Si if he knew I was breaking the law.I ain’t gonna lie to him about it, neither.But I can’t risk him getting hurt.Not Si.He don’t— He deserves everything good, not shit like that happening to him.That’s why I’m leaving.Not cos I wanna go work for my dad.So I can get the fuck away from that bastard, and get him away from Si.”Zig wrapped his arms around himself, feeling like if he didn’t, he’d probably fall apart right there.
Adam was staring at him.“Why haven’t you told Scratch all this?”
“He’s a good bloke.The best.He shouldn’t have all this shit in his life.”Zig laughed bitterly.“Shouldn’t have a waste of space like me pulling him down.”
“You know what he ought to have?”
