Page 38 of Pushed Through The Dark
I didn't lie when I told her the trees have eyes. I'd know where she was before she'd ever find her way out.
"You fucked up a good deal, man." Knox's voice scratched through my ear, making me cringe.
"Yeah, well, sometimes shit just doesn't work out."
"That's not what this was. You fucked it all up for us." His voice teetered on the edge of yelling. I could hear him clenching his teeth as he talked.
Yeah, and I'd do it again.
"I've got to let you go." I wasn't going to defend myself to him. I made a choice, and I stand by it.
We've both done things to get where we are. He's not a fucking angel. This business, what we turned it into, it took both of us to cross that line to have the respect we do from this world.
My brother and I took over the family business after our father passed away when we were barely adults. Three generations of builders, our grandfather built planes, our father built planes, and now we built planes. This was our legacy.
"I'm coming over."
"No."
"Why not? Because you'll be too busy fucking the whore you purchased?"
"Don't fucking call her that, Knox." My teeth ground down as I spoke.
"Are you kidding me? You bought her from a whore house, dude, what else should I call her?"
"Fuck you, I got to go," I snapped, hanging up the phone.
Hearing him call her a whore made me angry. It twisted my insides and caused my muscles to twitch. I was ready to punch something. Clenching the phone in my hand, I threw it against the couch.
Glancing back out the window, she was still wandering. Her skin glowed in the sun, her cheeks slightly turning pink.
Refilling my glass, I poured a second one for her and headed outside. I wanted her name, but she still wouldn't give it to me. I was determined to get it though. I wanted every last piece of her.
She didn't trust me, not that I expected her to. She'd been through a lot, far more than I'd probably ever understand.
I had been to the Canary a few times over the years. Virgo was a big client of ours, having hired us to build him three planes.
He was always courteous, welcoming my brother and me into his world without question. And it wasn't until the night I saw her that I finally decided to truly step into his world. I couldn't leave without her.
Strolling into the garden, I came up behind her as she was peering at a cluster of pink flowers. "Begonias," I said softly over her shoulder.
"Ah!" she yelled, quickly turning around and slugging me in the face. "Oh, shit! I didn't mean to hit you," she said instantly, throwing her hands up to cover her mouth.
I should have known better than to sneak up on her like that.
My jaw throbbed, so I held the glass of liquor to my face and smirked. "Nice shot." Chuckling, I passed her the other glass and rocked my jaw side to side. "You have a good punch for someone with such thin arms." Winking, I gave her a playful grin.
"You scared me, I didn't hear you behind me at all. Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes full of concern. "Did I hurt you?"
It was nice to hear the worry in her voice. It meant I was doing what I set out to do, to show her that not all of us are rooted in evil.
"Yeah, I'm alright, don't worry about it." Rubbing my chin, I said, "I was just telling you those are Begonias."
"These?" she asked, reaching out and touching one.
"Yeah, they're my favorite. Do you know what the other name for them is?" She shook her head no as she coddled the drink in her hands. "Pink Minx."
"Minx, huh?"
