Chapter 1 #2
We both freeze, looking at each other with wide eyes. I’m almost at the point of panicking when Carina’s voice calls through the door, “It’s just us.”
I run to it, throwing the door open and colliding into Carina as I wrap my arms around her.
“You came!”
“Duh. Did you think I would just send Kai? It took longer than expected because we had to find someone to look after Cupcake.”
“Cupcake?” I ask, pulling back to raise an eyebrow at her.
She waves a hand at me. “We got a dog. It’s not important right now. How are you doing?”
Nate steps inside and does one of those half man hugs with Kai then holds his fist up to me, which I obviously bump.
“I’m okay. I’m feeling pretty calm about it,” I tell Carina, turning back to her.
She studies me, tilting her head, brow furrowed. “You really are okay.” She grins wickedly. “We’re more alike than I realised.”
I stare at her open mouthed. “Who are you?”
She waves me off once again, surveying the scene. “Alright, how can we help?”
Kai starts barking out instructions which Nate and Carina follow without complaint. Scrubbing surfaces, scooping up bits of brain.
They’re like a well-oiled machine.
It’s both impressive and terrifying.
Kai doesn’t speak other than to tell me when I’m doing something wrong and the entire time his expression doesn’t change from calm indifference.
He’s got the body wrapped in plastic and is somehow squashing it like a contortionist into a ridiculously large duffle bag. Once that’s done, he starts rolling up my ruined rug, still not speaking.
“What do we do with the carpet?” I shift on my feet as I take in the last of the evidence. We’ve made quick work of clearing away and now that’s the only proof of my heinous act.
“I’ll strip the floor, then I’ll come back with an identical one tomorrow.”
“Oh—Okay.”
“Help me move the furniture out the way.”
I start shoving the sofa and coffee table as he pulls up my carpet with impressive strength. I get momentarily distracted by the way his muscles strain until Carina nudges me with a knowing glint in her eyes.
“How do you know him?” I hiss at her as we both lift the coffee table into the kitchen.
She shrugs at me. “He’s Nate’s best friend.”
“And you’ve been hiding him from me?”
She laughs. “You just killed Jake and you’re thinking of Kai?”
Now it’s my turn to shrug. “It’s not like things with Jake were that serious.” I glance at Kai from the corner of my eye, watching him lift up another section of carpet. I lean closer to Carina to whisper, “I want to climb him like a tree.”
She sputters. “Tess!”
“What?” I ask, my face a picture of innocence. “I’m on the market now.”
Carina shakes her head at me. “You’re incorrigible.”
I turn my attention back to my flat, and the clean-up. The wood underneath where Jake's body used to be is stained. “Should I spray that with the same stuff?”
Kai’s the one to answer. “No. Blot the stain, sprinkle baking soda, then scrub with a brush dipped in vinegar.”
“How do you know all this?”
He wipes sweat from his forehead with the back of his arm while sitting back on his knees. “Practice. Trial and error.” He shrugs like clearing up a crime scene is no big deal.
I get to work following his instructions while he starts carrying everything down to his car with Nate. He’s somehow got everything in inconspicuous bags so no one will question what he’s carrying.
Sweat coats my skin, there’s still dried blood flecks on my cheeks, and I’m ready for the world's longest nap.
“You can’t stay here,” Carina says, eyeing my destroyed living room.
“Why not?”
“Other than the fact it smells like death, bleach, and vinegar?” Kai grumbles as he walks back in, raising an eyebrow.
I wrinkle my nose, because he’s right. It smells awful. “I’ll just deal with the stench. It’s okay.”
Carina scoffs. “No way. You can stay at ours but be prepared for Cupcake to pee on your bed in the night.”
She’s not really selling it. But the more I breathe the worse it smells in here. I’m not sure I have much choice.
I open my mouth to accept when she speaks again.
“Unless,” her eyes flick mischievously between Kai and me, “you could stay with Kai.”
“Why would she stay with me?” Kai asks, glowering at my best friend.
“Well, Cupcake is a bit of a menace, so honestly it would be good if she could stay at yours.
“Besides,” Carina continues with a smirk, “you can’t stay in my spare room.”
I frown. “Why not?”
She blinks at me like it’s obvious. “Because it’s Cupcake’s bedroom now.”
“Your dog has a bedroom?” Kai asks, deadpan.
“Of course,” Carina says, as if that’s a normal thing. “I’m not a monster.”
Kai pinches the bridge of his nose. “You absolutely are a monster.”
Carina ignores him. “Anyway, Cupcake is very territorial. He won’t sleep if someone’s in his space. And if Cupcake doesn’t sleep, I don’t sleep. And if I don’t sleep, well…” She levels me with a serious look. “Do you really want that on your conscience?”
I have no argument for this level of insanity.
Kai sighs, already resigned. “Fine. Whatever. Let’s go.”
Carina beams. “Great choice! You’ll thank me later.”
“I need to shower before I can leave.” My words direct everyone's attention to my blood splattered clothes. I grimace.
“Give me like, ten minutes?” I flutter my eyes at Kai.
He just rolls his and turns away.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Carina asks, nibbling on her thumbnail.
Am I okay?
Is it bad that the answer is yes?
I should be freaking out right?
I just hit Control, Alt, Delete on someone’s existence. Shouldn’t that feel worse?
“I’m fine.”
After some convincing she and Nate leave while I head off to shower Jake’s essence from my body.
As the scalding water cascades over my skin, I let my eyes drift closed. Soaking in the peace as I wash away the grime.
I force my eyelids open.
Peace?
Am I a fucking psychopath?
I turn the shower off, wrapping a towel around my body and another on top of my head.
Water droplets cling to my skin as I pad into my room with bare feet.
My phone pings from somewhere in the flat.
“Where the hell is my phone,” I mutter to no one in particular.
Which is why I shriek when Kai appears in the doorway holding said phone in his hand. The look on his face? Pure horror. Ouch.
“Fuck!” He covers his eyes with his hand, holding my phone straight out in front of him. “I’m sorry!”
I snatch my phone from his grasp and hold the towel tightly to me so I don’t accidentally flash him some tit. Not for my benefit, mind you. I’d have no problem with him seeing my boobs. But he looks like that would be his thirteenth reason.
“I need to get changed.”
He runs from the room without a word and I exhale a long breath.
I throw on some dungarees then grab the first bag I can find, stuffing in clothes, toiletries, and, for some reason, a sexy lingerie set I probably won’t need. A girl can hope right?
Kai’s waiting by the door when I’m done, tapping his foot impatiently. “Let’s go,” he says when he sees me, already pulling open the door.
I follow, my heart racing, unsure whether this is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done or the best decision I’ll ever make.