Page 68 of The Predator
I dislike the accusing tone of her voice but I don’t comment on it. It’s my fault for keeping secrets, in an effort to carry the burden. “Everyone knows about Tanya. She’s decided to try and use Ely’s father against me and have me arrested for domestic violence. I don’t know what she has on the Sheriff, but he wouldn’t work with her unless he had an incentive, one getting him closer to fulfilling his own wants and needs.”
"Okay, what are his own wants and needs?" Bel asks, her voice quiet but firm with steel.
"More than anything, he wants Ely back; the second best thing would be me dead.”
“Okay, and Tanya? What about her?” Aries asks.
I shrug my shoulders,“Tanya wants what she's always wanted: power, money, attention, and my body.”
Everyone's eyes lock on me, and I swear they’re all holding their breaths waiting for me to speak the truth they all already know. All the layers are peeled away now, and I can’t believe I’m about to say it out loud even if it’s something already widely known by my friends.
"We all know how convincing she can be. She..." I pause, unsure how to spill this secret, this shame I've lived with for so long and only recently started shedding, thanks to Elyse. "She took my virginity after my father died when I was sixteen. She got me drunk and used me for sex, and after that it happened any chance she got until my grandfather sent her up to New York."
"Sixteen..." Bel whispers. "I'll fucking kill that bitch."
I turn to her, and there's so much venom in her tone I can't help but smile. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe, Bel is cut out for the family business after all.
"No, I want the pleasure of doing that. After everything she’s done to me, it’s what I deserve.”
She gives me an approving nod but I can still see the anger and hate gleaming in her eyes. I love her for that. For wanting to protect me, to get revenge.
I scan the faces of my three friends. "I've got a few things to line up, but we're going to lure him here, extinguish the problem like we did for Drew, and then clean up our mess."
They all nod in understanding.
“I won’t lie. I never thought we’d all become murderers.” Lee smirks.
“I’d prefer if we call it protecting our own versus murder. If you think about it, we're actually doing the world a favor by getting rid of people.”
“We can call ourselves theexterminators.” Aries laughs.
“Yes, I like it.” Lee chimes in.
“No. We’re not making this a full-time thing,” Drew interjects.
“Yeah, I don’t think murderer is anything you can write down on a job application, and you guys are going to be graduating soon. Let’s keep the blood and mayhem to a minimum.”
Ely nods in agreement with Bel’s suggestion.
“We’re definitely not making this a full-time gig.”
“Boo!” Lee teases, and I shake my head at him. “You’re only saying that because you aren’t the one who got his face pummeled.”
“Touche, but I will make certain justice is served.”
“You better.” Lee winks at me.
“We can devise a more solid plan in the next few days. I'll use the secure email server Lee set up for us to speak discreetly. In the meantime, I think we should all hang low, keep our distance, and when it’s time to attack we do so together, as a family.”
“Family?” Aries snorts. “I don’t even like you guys.”
“Shut the fuck up.” Drew rolls his eyes, but there's a hint of a smile on his lips. He’s grown so much since he decided to man up and do better by Bel. “Don’t lie, you love us.”
“I guess, maybe a little bit,” Aries counters.
“So who is going to make me something to eat? I’m hungry as fuck.” Lee slides off the counter and onto his feet. He looks at each of us with hope in his eyes.
I shake my head, “You are going to make your own food. I was feasting on a fine meal before you all rudely interrupted me.”