page2 (1/2)
“Lie down, Avery, or I’ll tie you down instead” Sean has a wicked glea and I’m also sure he’d like the opportunity
“Sean,” Marty taps his watch, “time The hour is almost up”
Sean rises and grabs his hair, tugging it in frustration He runs his palravated sound in the back of his throat Finally, he turns to look at ”
“You’re not hurt?” He shakes his head “But I saw you get shot—I saw the blood I saw Marty with the gun”
“It was staged, Avery”
“What? How? I saw Marty holding the gun and I saw your blood I thought you were going to die, Sean You were barely breathing Are you saying that was all an act? Are you saying I saw an exploding ketchup bottle?” I glance at Marty and back at Sean “I knohat I saw”
Sean’s voice is soft and patient “No, you don’t No one knohat they saw that night It was a concert, Avery There was s your eyes to refocus every second Marty held up his gun so they’d see him clearly raise his weapon The rest was theatrics and luck The strobe lights tricked your eyes into seeing so machine covered me after I fell, the dye packs were top of the line, and the people in the ambulance and at the hospital were paid off Avery, it was all fake”
Chapter 5
My jaw is hanging open “Why? Why would you fake being shot?” I can’t believe this
“Marty’s boss put a hit onthat pissed him off and the hit was his version of payback We orchestrated the shooting and tipped off the press to createthem think Marty took the shot Avery, we did it all to round next to your parents”
My body goes cold as the re tension slips from my face Shock makes my jaw drop “My parents?” I think back to my mom’s note and fear pierceson? Gabe keeps warning me to run If you don’t want me to take his advice, if you want to see my face tomorrow, you better tell me—”
Marty cuts me off, “Or what, Avery? You’ll run away? You’ll punch ain? Thanks for that, by the way” Marty squirms in his chair The room is too dark to see him clearly
Anger surges from within me I turn to Sean “You promised me no more lies We were supposed to tell each other the truth, and this is what you do?”
“I know” His voice is level, stoic
“You pro, and here’s your chance What about my parents? Tellon, Sean?” My heart is thuainst ret fillsto me, Sean”
My rage turns on my friend, “And Marty—what the fuck? You let me think you tried to shoot the man I love? You let me think you stabbed me in the back? How could you? Both of you! How could you?” The two of the doll, as if their actions won’t affect er fades This is so Sean, so classically Sean Ferro I gave hi from me
What is he so afraid of? What’s behind those dark eyes that he can’t let me see?
“Because I–” Marty cuts off what he was going to say and juh the air frantically, as he searches for the words to explain “It wasn’t supposed to be this way I was supposed to get close to you, get what I needed, and then get the fuck out Instead, I lances at Sean like he couldn’t care less what the man thinks “Avery, I want to protect you froht in the middle of it and that’s the worst place to be I won’t let them hurt you Not now, not ever Please believe me I’d tell you the truth, all of it, if I could, but I can’t”
Glaring at him, I don’t knohat to say His words swirl in ust of wind I can’t hold onto the to cry He sounds sincere, but I’ve been jerked around too many times to believe him anymore
“Who are you? You’re not a college kid with no money if you own this house—it’s worth over afor someone who puts hits on people, you’re what? An enforcer? A mercenary? Do you take orders and kill people?” I push up on ainst the back of the chaise, finally able to at least sit up I already knew Sean was into some messed up shit, but Marty’s involvement blindsides me “Who are you?”
Worry is pinching his face I hear it in his voice as it tightens and gets higher “I’uy who held you while you slept Avery, you know me”