Chapter 75
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
Sharing Raven is going to take some getting used to.
After so many years of competing with Axel, it feels strange to get back to the way things used to be.
Where we were best friends and worked together, no matter what it was.
There were times I’d do Axel’s homework, and he’d introduce me to all his new friends at school, insisting I come along even if I didn’t want to.
Jealousy still creeps in, tightening my stomach. What if she decides she doesn’t like me? What if she likes Axel better?
I pace back and forth in the kitchen.
I should go in there right now. Watch them fuck. Make sure she remembers I’m still a part of this.
But then I hold myself back. If Raven decides she doesn’t like me, then that’s on her. If Axel’s gonna get in the way of her wanting me, maybe it wasn’t meant to be between us anyway.
My chest hurts at that thought.
No. That’s not gonna happen. But if it does, I’d rather her be with Axel than some stranger anyway. Selfishly, I’ll still get to see her.
Unless Axel goes to prison. For murder.
I keep pacing.
I should go in there.
No! Fuck.
I need to put all this energy somewhere.
I can’t believe Axel killed Max. Fuck, this has to be some joke, right? Could Axel kill someone? I think about the dead look I see in his eyes, especially around Halloween. Now I realize why that’s there.
Rich.
A flood of rage fills my system, and I clench and unclench my hands. If Axel thought Max had to die, I trust him.
But I don’t trust his ability to stay out of trouble. I need the details. All of them.
Is Rich next?
My stomach clenches, not because I care about Rich, but because my brother is rash. Impulsive. And you know what two things don’t go well with getting away with murder? Rash and impulsive.
I pace around back and forth back and forth.
I could do it.
I stop, staring at the sink I’ve already cleaned three times since Axel went to be with Raven.
I could kill him.
I put my forearms on the counter. The sink isn’t clean enough. I can smell it. It’s not clean enough.
Fuck. I grab more cleaner and scrub. I wait for the distress to hit me. The 'I can’t believe I just thought about murdering a person' to sink in.
No. Not a person. A pedophile.
The guilt doesn’t set in.
Okay. How long do I have before Axel decides to go after Rich, too?
Fucking Raven will calm him for a bit.
How long is a bit?
Oh my god, he’s fucking Raven. I’m gonna go in there.
No. No, I’m not. She didn’t invite me, and most of me is okay with that.
I’m gonna fix this. I’m gonna fix it before Axel can butt in and fuck it all up. I wasn’t able to protect my brother before. But I can now.