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Leaning forward, he lowers his voice, sneering “I came to punish you You hurt me, so I hurt you back”

“You would have killed me, Matthew,” I murmur “That was your intent, wasn’t it?”

“Your fucking dog rowls, rubbing at his ares under his sleeve I hope he has extre scars

He still hasn’t ad too squirrely to coht out and say it Maybe he suspects that I’m wired

I try another tact Kynan suggested “What are your intentions, now that you’re in Phoenix?”

Matthew doesn’t answer, but I can tell he enjoyssmile He takes a sip of water, then ss slowly When he sets the glass down, he replies, “Well now… that depends on you, doesn’t it?”

“Me?” I ask

“You’re going to give me another chance,” Matthew states confidently “We’ll hit the road together again, but we’re not taking that crazy dog of yours this tiet that unpleasant business back in North Carolina”

My ears start buzzing It takesit because I’m so infuriated that he would even think I’d consider such a thing Had theabout ether?

Kynan had told me to talk calently prod Matthew into adainst him

Every bit of that advice dissolves into nothing but white noise as I plantin toward the center “You expect ain?”

My voice quakes with anger, and Matthew blinks in surprise Apparently, he had taken iven

Not giving him a chance to answer, I bare my teeth and hiss, “You jumped me in my van Pinned me to the floor Held me down You were so furious, and your eyes were crazy You expecthappened? Well, let , Matthew You’re insane Pathetic”

Matthew’s face contorts with rage, but I don’t stop talking “You’re a tiny excuse of a human who has no idea what it means to be a real man”

Face flushing red, he grits his teeth He holds up a hand, points a finger, and opens his , but I cut him off

“You have low self-esteem and an even tinier dick Christ… I’m not even sure if you were there to kill e with that little bitty pecker—”