Chapter 47
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
This can’t be happening, and yet it is. Arthur is melting against the far wall like butter on fresh pancakes. I’m naked as a jaybird, and Maddox almost called the cops.
My heart races. Not because Arthur is dead but because Maddox is freaking out. My sweet, kind boy is scared.
Again.
Cheese and crackers, I gotta fix this. Also, freaking succotash, it’s hard to breathe.
My heart flips as I put the gun on the dresser, facing Arthur and grabbing Maddox’s arms. I squeeze, hoping he’ll face me. “Mads.”
His gaze slowly melts to mine, and his green eyes are wide.
“We can fix this.” I give him a reassuring smile, and a bolt of pain cramps my stomach hard. It comes out more as a wince.
“We need to call an ambulance.”
A slew of responses enters my mind–most of them insults towards Arthur and some of them apologies for not following through on my plan to kill him before–but when I open my mouth, Maddox keeps talking.
“I killed him. I fucking killed him.” Maddox’s chest is heaving.
I glance backward. Arthur is still breathing, but his eyes look distant, and the sound is bubbly. Maddox probably shot him in the lung. He’ll more than likely die, but it might take a bit.
I say, “And I said we can take care of it. You were protecting me.”
“I killed him.” Maddox’s voice is strained. “I’m a murderer.”
My gut twists at the sheer amount of guilt in Maddox’s gaze. It’s contorting his entire face, and all I want is to ease the creases around his mouth and eyes.
Then an idea hits me, one that could take those lines away easily, and apparently, the line between my brain and arm is shorter than the one between my brain and mouth because I pick up the gun, aim at Arthur’s head, and squeeze the trigger.
After the explosion of noise, I drop the sights and check.
Yeah, got the turd in the forehead.
I put the gun back on the dresser. “You didn’t kill him. I did.”
Maddox stares blankly. I slide my hand down his arm and hold his hand. We stand there together, naked, staring at Arthur’s body. His dead body, because fuck him.
My ducky towel is there on the floor between us, and I consider grabbing it, but I don’t want to move away from Maddox.
I also wonder where Princess went, though if I had to guess, it was right under the bed as soon as the gun went off.
I bend my knees to check, see a lump, then stand upright again.
I’m not leaving shell-shocked Maddox alone with the loaded gun.
Slowly, the reality of what I did settles over me.
Discomfort twists in my gut for the briefest moment, and then I feel peace.
I feel the same hint of a feeling I felt when I beat Tyler’s dad and the same sliver of peace I felt when I contacted Logan to get rid of Arthur.
It’s satisfying to know this is the correct way.
If you beat on the ones who can’t protect themselves, I beat on you.
Only this time, the feeling is so much better because I didn’t take from Maddox without his permission.
I just…helped him finish what he started.
Now I have a dead body in my bedroom, and it’s bothering Maddox. So I gotta figure out what to do with it.
Immediately, I know who to call.
“I’m gonna get my phone.” I squeeze Maddox’s hand, but he doesn’t respond. When I move in front of him, he jerks back like I slapped him, eyes unfocused until they meet mine.
“Sorry.” I creep to the bedside table while keeping an eye on him and also holding back another wince. I’m gonna be bruised to all crap after this, but I’ll survive. I hope Maddox isn’t hurt.
I’m back at Maddox’s side in an instant and dialing Logan’s number.
He picks up with a dry, “Hello?”
”Hey, it’s Micah. I have a problem.”
There’s silence on the line.
“Like, a big problem. Like a come over kind of problem.”
“Did something happen to Princess?” Ronan’s voice gets closer.
“No, uh, I mean kinda. He tried to stomp on him, but I think Princess took more than he got.”
“Stomp on Princess?” Ronan’s voice lowers and gets dark.
“Yeah, uh, can you just come over here?” I glance at the body, then at Maddox to make sure he’s still okay. He’s still staring. “I have to get rid of him.”
“Of Princess?”
“No! Of the…” I trail off. Can I admit this over the phone? Can they pull our phone records or something? “Of the no longer a problem.”
There’s a sigh on the other end of the line, then Ronan pipes up, “Oh, cool! You finally grew balls and did it yourself.”
There’s the sound of a smack, and Ronan hisses. Then Logan comes back on the line. “Yeah, we don’t do that.”
For a second, I’m stunned. What does that mean by they don’t do that?
“Hold, please.”
There’s more silence before a tiny voice answers. “Ryan.”
“Is Cal there?”
There’s a muffled thump. “The one and only!” It sounds like his mouth is full.
“Yeah, well, we’re gonna need a cleanup at…Micah, what’s your address?”
I rattle it off, and the men continue talking.
“Messy?”
It takes me a second to realize the question is aimed at me.
“Uh…yeah? There’s–”
Logan cuts me off. “Spaghetti sauce, I’m assuming. Gets into all the nooks and crannies when the blender explodes.”
Ryan says, ”I mean, we can squeeze them in, but we have to be back by seven. Mr. Dearth’s service is at nine.”
“Thank you, we owe you,” Logan says. “Be sure you have no more incidents, Micah, if you’re not prepared to handle them.”
It takes me a second to realize he’s talking to me, then the line goes dead. I stare at the phone. Slowly, it dawns on me that I got it figured out. I did it! Fudge yeah! I’m killing it!
Well, bad pun.
I almost jump up and down, but instead I look at Maddox. He’s still staring like he’s not here in this world.
“Here, why don’t you sit down?” I go to guide Maddox to the bed, but he snatches his hand out of mine, and in an almost panicked voice, says, “I don't want to sit!”
“Okay.” I hold both hands out to him. I creep toward the gun and grab it, and when Maddox isn’t looking, hide it under a pile of laundry.
I just don’t want Maddox to make a horrible choice and hurt himself over this loser.
Speaking of, I push Arthur’s foot out of the way to check under the bed. “Princess?”
I see the gleam of his eyes and smile. “Hey, pretty boy. I’m sorry I scared you. Are you okay?”
No response. I’ll need food to coax him out.
My heart tap dances in my chest. Arthur is gone. The problem is gone. Things are going to be okay!
I can’t resist bouncing up. I want to give Maddox a quick peck on the cheek, but at the last second, I stop myself. I know he’s scared, but he doesn’t have to be anymore. It’s all going to be okay!