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“Hey,” I say “It’s okay Everything’s okay”
“I shouldn’t have told you You… You don’t want to know me now, and I understand, I’ll just—”
My God, is that what she thinks? “Katelyn, baby, no I… None of this was your fault I just can’t… I can’t… Damn!” I punch the brick wall
It doesn’t even hurt
“Luke!” She stumbles backward, away from me
I’ve scared her, which is the last thing I wanted
I look down at my knuckles They’re covered in blood Still no pain
“I’m so sorry if I scared you I just…”
She inches toward aze “I want to trust you I need someone I need someone ill just listen” She touches my hand that’s still curled into a fist “Does it hurt?”
“No” I ain Not until I rid the earth of every piece of shit that harmed this woman
This isn’t me Not anymore This can’t be me
I can’t protect her
“Luke…”
I exhale slowly “I can be that person I knoe just met, Katelyn, but I like you I like you a lot” The word love hovers on o there yet
But it’s just around the corner Already I feel it This need Thisof souls Am I ready for it? Hell, no But it’s here, and I have to deal with it
I take her hand, and together alk slowly, getting growls from people behind us who have to pass us
I don’t care
I don’t care about anything except Katelyn in this moment
“Ten years,” she says finally
I’ht here on the sidewalk Because I know I already know
My old man knew about Derek Wolfe’s island in the South Pacific, where the richest of the rich went to hunt I always assuht in illegally from Africa
Only recently did I find out the truth I only hope she doesn’t ask me how I know I’m not sure I have the heart to lie to her Not about this
“Baby, oh my God” I cup her cheek
She turns her face into my palm Her lips brush my skin
“I’m so sorry,” I say “And your own cousin sold you into it?”
“I believe he must have Both of them, actually And Jared couldn’t deal hat he did so he committed suicide And Tony…”
“Tony got in even deeper, it sounds like” She has no idea how deep, if indeed he’s the Anthony DeCarlo I think he is