Heat started to crawl up my spine. I had half a word on my tongue, but Kite ended everything. In a blur, he jumped the bar, curling his fingers in the guy's shirt and thrusting him easily towards to the door.
“Hey! Whoa whoa whoa!” Blondie shouted, arms wind-milling.
Kite grunted, people parted in his wake, and my visitor was tossed outside in a smooth flex of shoulders and forearms. Kite was strong, I knew that quite well.
The room had gone close to quiet, all eyes on the scene. Dusting his palms off, Kite smiled wide. “Stay the fuck out, we have enough assholes in here already.”
There was a moment of tension—people waiting to see what the blonde man would do. Was he going to leave, or get up and fight back?
Without another word, the stranger was gone; his tail between his legs.
Everyone went back to drinking and talking, a tornado of noise that ate up everything. I was left sitting there, battling pleasure and shock over Kite's sudden show of protectiveness.
That man... it wasn't the first time he'd stepped in when someone else had gotten flirty.
He was possessive, never allowing anyone in my bubble.
No one but Jacob.
I watched them both, finishing my whiskey in one big swallow. The burn was good, I followed it down into my guts and hid myself there. It was brief, but I needed any escape I could get.
****
The air was sharp, it dried out my lungs and shriveled the inside of my nose. It was good and clean and perfect for my needs.
It had grown close to closing time, but my endurance had failed me. I wasn't one for bar crowds. Before this, I'd lived a simple life in my tiny apartment, inching one day into the next and never straying out of my comfort zone.
I wanted my skull to stop stretching with each new note of music or shrill, drunken scream. Too much whiskey flowed through my veins. Leaning in the alley, I looked over the pair of fancy cars that belonged to Kite and Jacob.
Silver and sunset, as different as their personalities.
My breath danced in the deep blue sky. Thanks to the city's light pollution, no stars lived there. Sliding to the ground, I put my chin on my knees and sighed. Why had I spent so much time here tonight? I could have easily ridden the Metro back home.
Home, I mused. When did I start thinking about it that way?
They'd forced me to move in with them so they could keep an eye on me. But the intense surveillance and hovering had faded with time. Almost as if they'd begun to trust me.
On that icy ground, an idea struck me.
I could get up, and just walk away. It was a startling thought, one that made me stiffen.
I have the photo of my killer. And I know where Kite keeps his gun.
If I wanted to, I could really do it. I could take control, I...
I don't need them to get my revenge.
I can set them free of me.
A comet crash-landed in my chest. This was the thought that had been growing; this weird, spiky thing that I'd ignored.
I don't want to put them in danger anymore.
My hair stood on end, my skin sensitive in the cold. No, stop! This feeling, this raw sensation of love, it was going to ruin everything. I needed to shake it off.
But I... couldn't.
It was impossible.
Laughing cynically, I covered my eyes. I want to save them from me. There was only one way to do that. Give them the letter. Now, before something happens to me, or to them.
If I was killed, the bank would be notified of my death, the safety deposit box handed over to someone—it didn't matter who, the result would be the same. Whoever had that letter would hand it to the police. Then the cops would know that Kite and Jacob were hitmen. Any investigation was bound to fuck them over.
Could I really have that on my conscience?
Nearby, the backdoor of the Corner Velvet peeled open. “Here you are,” Kite said. Stepping out, he looked side to side, then shut the door. “You okay?”
“Just getting some air,” I lied, making myself smile. Would he read the guilt that was etched over my face?
His eyes were clean, thoughtful. Turning, he slid down to sit beside me. Our shoulders almost touched, and I was too aware of the distance. “Jacob is closing up, we'll leave soon.”
Nodding, I tucked some hair behind my ear. “Alright.” Hesitating, I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. “Hey. Thanks for earlier.”
Flashing his teeth, Kite shrugged. “What, chucking that guy out? Nah, he was being a giant dick. It was nothing.”
A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. “Still, thanks anyway. I—” Stopping myself, I gathered my thoughts. “It was nice of you to step in, is all.”
Turning towards me, his eyes glinted like black diamonds. “I'll always do that.”
My heart took a dive. “What?”
“I'll always step in.” I didn't see his hand until it was on my cheek. “Anytime another man tries to take you from us, I'll step in. No one else can have you. I couldn't handle it.”
His sincerity threw me for a loop. I thought about everything he'd done, everything I had done. My earlier decision about the letter tugged at me.