Page 40 (1/2)

Johnny held his hand up, forestalling the pay as he stared back at her

"For old ti back I’llthat day I don’t need Dawg inclicked his tongue ly "Johnny, we’re fa for it? I can’t believe you’d be so coldhearted"

This was Dawg at hisJohnny, trying toto make him strike out

Johnny stared back at her instead "Call first, Crista," he reminded her "I’m sure you understand the reasons why"

The custo in interest now, the gossip o on for months

"I understand, Johnny" She kept her voice soft, but inside, she ached And she felt her anger beginning to build

This store Johnny took such pride in The big house his mother had built, their airs and certainty of their place in society had been bought with the pain of Dawg’s childhood They had added to his father’s cruelty to Dawg and exacerbatedeven now

Crista stared at the loaf of bread in her hand, then back at Johnny Her expression tightened as she laid it back on the counter

"On second thought, Johnny, I think I don’t need this after all"

Surprise filled his gaze as he looked at the sheathed loaf of bread, then back at Crista

"Are you sure, Crista?" It could be paranoia, but she was certain she heard a warning in his tone

She was choosing Dawg’s side rather than staying neutral, or far better, choosing Johnny’s side

Crista’s lips thinned as she stared back at hi no easily he could have portrayed her They were the saht, close to the same build It wouldn’t have been hard for Johnny to fake the curves that her body held, dress in her clothes, and pretend to be her

Getting her clothes and putting theht beside his, and he could have copied her key the few times she had left it with him, times such as when the cable repairman had been expected and she had to work

"I’m sure, Johnny" She stepped back fro "I’o now"

She didn’t wait for him She turned on her heel andprotectively behind her It was the oddest feeling, knowing he was there without even looking, feeling his war her

He reached around her as she neared the door and opened it quickly Standing back to let her through the exit, Dawg glanced back at Johnny He should have sonized the little bastard further, he thought

But as he stared at Johnny, all he felt was pity He was too much like his mother, too easily influenced by his need for petty power and his drive to havesaw the hatred in Johnny’s eyes He saw the resentression caused by the fact that only once in his life had he ever gained the upper hand on Dawg That once being the court battle Dawg had nearly lost

Rather than saying anything hed at the weariness of the fight that had waged between him and Johnny since childhood, and left the sains of betraying blood

Leaving the building, Dawg followed Crista to the truck, feeling the heaviness in his chest and regrets that he kneere better left forgotten

He knew, to the bottom of his soul, that his own father would have preferred to have left his estate to Johnny and his ’s mother who had foiled those plans

For all her paranoia and suspicious tendencies and cold, emotionless deht not have been able to keep her husband froer, but she had counseled Dawg on the best ways to avoid Chandler’s temper, and she had ’s inheritance would be preserved Had it not been for her careful wording of their wills and her wishes clearly stated, then Daould have lost everything

He helped Crista into the truck, seeing the anger building in her eyes and the flush on her face as he closed the passenger side door and moved to the driver’s side

As he pulled hilanced over at Crista again and found himself uncertain what to say

He had accepted the anio He found himself rarely surprised by his cousin until he learned he had actually killed He had also refused to explain or make excuses for his own behavior where the otherhe could find the words to explain it to Crista She was hurt and angry Johnny had been her friend

For the first time in his life, he was involved in a situation that couldn’t be won, no matter what he did He couldn’t influence Crista’s decision This wasn’t a war that he could ith a gun, his fists, or his er, his fists had protected him Once he joined the Marines and entered the shadoorld of an assassin, he had learned his gun could handle the monsters of the world Monsters that killed and maimed But the job had taken a toll on his conscience In ways, Dawg often thought the bullet he had taken to the knee had been a blessing