Protector - Laurel Dewey [201]
“What choice did I have? You think I was gonna let that prick Stover walk into the DA’s office and give me and the others up? They thought I was doing it for them! To protect their asses! But I was doing it all for me!”
Jane observed his body language. “But they still threatened your life.”
“Fuck you!”
“Is the meth one of the perks?”
“Don’t get righteous with me, bitch! Don’t pretend you’re not an addict! You know what it feels like when you can’t get it! And you know how good it feels when you finally taste it!”
The sweat dripped down Jane’s face under the searing solar glare. “I am a drunk! But as fucked up as I am, I’ll never be as fucked up as you!”
“Oh, Jane, I look at you and it’s like I’m looking in a mirror! We know what hell looks like because we’ve been there, baby. We love the dark and the shadows and everything that goes with it—”
“Don’t shove me in your nightmare, Chris!”
“You know you love it! You just don’t want to look bad in front of the kid!” Chris pressed his lips against Emily’s ear. “You want to know the truth about your pal?”
“I don’t care!” Emily said, choking on her tears.
“Of course you care!” Chris said, jerking Emily closer to him. “She’s got a real appetite for brutality. It’s amazing she hasn’t kicked the shit out of you, ’cause she’s into serious pain.”
“It’s not true!” Emily yelled defiantly.
“It is true!” Chris stared at Jane in silence as a twisted grin crept across his face. “Emily, you love little secrets, don’t you?” he said with an eerie quiver to his voice. “Wanna know a dirty little secret about your protector? Violence runs in her blood. She likes to punch hard because she likes to be punched. She loves to get the shit kicked out of her.” Jane’s eyes widened in shock. “Gee, Jane,” Chris said with a crazed look. “Now, who do you suppose told me that little gem of family trivia?”
For Jane, it was as if the earth turned on its axis. All that had come before fell away. Every memory that had haunted her faded into the background. There was no apprehension. There was no doubt. There was no fear. There she was, standing there with both hands wrapped around the Glock. And there was Emily and the absolute knowing inside of what she had to do.
“Emily?” Jane said, as an intangible calm washed over her.
“Yes?” Emily quietly responded, fearful of what she knew was to come.
Jane focused on Chris but her innate connection to Emily was palpable. “Look at me, Emily.” Emily peered up at Jane through the reflected sunlight. If there truly was any kind of otherworldly link between them, Jane prayed her thoughts would resonate loudly. “Do you understand, Emily?” Jane asked, not quite sure if it was possible.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Chris interjected.
Jane directed every ounce of energy to Emily. “Do you understand, Emily?”
For Emily, the dream fused into the moment. “I do,” Emily replied in terror.
“Hey!” Chris yelled out. “Who’s in charge here?”
Jane raised her pistol to Chris’ forehead. “I am, Chris.” There was a whisper of silence between them, before Jane yelled to Emily, “Now!”
Jane pulled the trigger. The bullet hit Chris square between the eyes. Within that second, Emily skillfully ducked just as Chris’ finger depressed the trigger on his pistol. The bullet from his gun singed past Emily’s scalp. A surge of blood poured from Chris’ head wound, splattering across Emily’s face and shirt. Chris fell backward, his arm still tightly encircling Emily. Emily reached out toward Jane as she felt herself heading over the edge of the tower with Chris. Jane raced across the tower and grabbed Emily’s wrist, just as Chris began his fatal descent. The momentum, however, proved too powerful for Emily. Still grasping onto Jane’s wrist, Emily slipped over the rim of the tower, slamming her chest against the metal side.
Jane fell to her stomach, hanging on to Emily’s wrist. Chris hit the ground head first, snapping his neck backward with a loud pop. Emily screamed, flailing against the side of the tower.
Emily turned her tear stained face toward Jane, slightly losing her grip on