Page 79 of Silver Tears

I wait. He doesn’t open his eyes. He doesn’t move.

Is he dead?

Have I killed him?

Oh god, have I murdered someone? My eyes dart out of the kitchen into the rest of the house. What if Charlie wakes up and he sees this?

What do I do?

I look down at my hands, covered in his blood. I’m still holding the knife.

His blood stains my T-shirt.

I drop the knife and it clatters to the floor. I stare at it in horror. I stabbed him.

I look down at my unbuttoned jeans and, with shaky, blood-stained fingers, I attempt to fasten it. I cry in frustration when I fail. A man lies bleeding to death and all I can think about is I need to fasten my jeans.

I stare at his unmoving form.

What if he wakes up?

What if he doesn’t wake up?

I don’t know what to do. What do I fucking do?

My heart beats in my chest at a hundred miles an hour.

I need help. I can’t fix this on my own.

I don’t think twice. I pull out my phone and dial his number.

SEB

It’s been a busy evening. We’ve set everything up as planned. Lenny Tate will get a surprise visit from the police in the morning and will soon be serving jail time. It all went smoothly. I’ve planted the drugs at Lenny’s flat. Now all we have to do is wait until morning.

We’re at the club now. Our target is within our sights. Vee and Eliza have taken themselves off to the dancefloor to befriend the target’s girlfriend. Me and the boys are sitting in a booth watching their progress. I’ll leave here at around midnight and head over to Droyton to meet with Mills mum as planned. I’d texted her offering some money, and she’d, of course, accepted, eager to spend it on more alcohol. Andrea had agreed without argument when I told her if she wanted it, she came home alone, as I didn’t want Lenny getting his hands on my money. All the dominoes are in place.

My phone buzzes in my pocket. Pulling it out, I frown when I see Mill’s name. She’s probably worrying about our plan. She needs to trust that I have everything in hand. This will work. It has to.

I hear the blind panic in her voice as soon as I pick up the phone and she says my name. Jumping to my feet, I head to a quieter section in the club. Something’s wrong.

“Talk to me, precious.”

“I stabbed him. I just reacted. I grabbed the knife, and I stabbed him,” she stutters in-between sobs, her voice shaky.

A chill runs down my spine. I look around me to make sure no one is in earshot. “Stabbed who, Mills? Just slow down and explain to me what happened.”

My jaw tenses as she hurriedly talks me through what’s gone down. Pure rage races through me when she tells me he pinned her down on the dining table and told her he was going to fuck her. If she hasn’t finished him off, then I sure as hell will.

“Is he breathing?”

“I don’t know. He’s on the floor. His eyes are closed. Seb, what if I’ve killed him? Oh god. I’m going to prison!” She whimpers as she spirals into shock.

“Mills, listen to me, take a deep breath. I want you to go over and see if you can tell if he’s breathing. Can you do that for me?” She tells me she can, and I wait while she checks him.

“He’s breathing. What if he wakes up? He’ll kill me. I have to get out of here and get Charlie somewhere safe!”

“Mills, listen to me, precious. Here’s what you’re going to do. I’ll be there as quick as I can, okay? Go into Charlie’s room and shut the door. Barricade yourself in however you can. Promise me that as soon as I end this call, you’ll do as I say?”

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