Chapter 37
Tom, or whatever the fuck his name is, finally comes to, about ten miles outside of Renas. Taking long enough that I stopped to check twice if he was still on this side of living.
Fortunately, he was. Or unfortunately, depending on how you looked at it, and to be honest, I wasn’t looking too kindly.
“Welcome back,” I say, crouching in the dirt near his head as he slowly blinks up at me. “We’re going to have a little talk and then I’m going to be on my way. Sound good?”
The man starts to respond before he realizes his predicament, the rag in his mouth and the fact he can’t move on account of the rug he’s rolled up in, as if he were the makings of a tobacco cigarette. If I were in a better mood, I’d probably find it funny.
“I want you to take a moment to consider how you are still alive,” I tell him. “And then I want you to take a moment to decide if you want to stay that way before you answer my questions.”
He blinks at me again, but finally nods.
“Now, you know why you’re in this position?”
He shakes his head, and I raise my eyebrows at him, not having nearly enough patience for this as I stand and press my boot over his chest through the rug, which I can only imagine doesn’t make his confinement any more comfortable.
He groans, quickly nodding.
“Great,” I reply, easing the pressure off. “You know what you’ve done?”
He nods.
“You know what will happen if you ever do something like that again?”
I can tell this time that he’s only nodding because he thinks it’s what I want from him. I smile, shaking my head. “It would be very stupid of you to think I can’t track you down. Trust me, I’ve tracked men with far less.”
He says something, and I sigh, debating for a moment before leaning down to pull the rag out against my better judgment.
“You’ll regret it if you do,” he immediately snarls. “You and…” He looks around as best he can, trying to catch a glimpse of Cypress.
“He’s not here,” I inform him, trying to sound apologetic. “I sent him to bury your friend. Afraid he didn’t make it.”
The man curses, continuing to tell me how much I will regret my actions as if I don’t already have a lifetime of that behind me.
“Look,” I tell him. “I’m giving you a chance. But if I hear of you hurtin’ anyone in the future, you can bet I’ll be the first to darken your door. You understand?”
“They’ll find you first,” he says. “I have more friends. They’ll already be looking for us.”
“Gonna have to look pretty hard. Not sure you’re worth it.”
“Maybe not,” he replies. “But the money your partner took is.” He laughs, likely seeing the first trace of uncertainty on my face. “Didn’t tell you about that, did he?”
“We were somewhat busy,” I say, hoping I’m getting away with a smile at least somewhat close to the one Cypress uses at the poker table. “Had to decide where to dump your friend. Maybe we made a mistake deciding not to roll you up along with him?”
I whistle to Helios and the mustang trots forward, dragging the rug behind him with the rope fixed to his saddle. Tom panics.
“No,” he begs quickly. “No, I’m sorry. Don’t.”
I whistle again and Helios stops. Such a damn good horse. Wish I could say the same about more people.
“He’s…he’s going to betray you,” the man starts to babble. “He will. Your partner…he’s crazy. You…you didn’t see him.”
“I saw him,” I say, thinking of how Cypress had acted when I’d come in the room, when I’d found him standing over one man while another lay dead, when I’d finally gotten him to look at me only to see that version of him.
He’d looked like he had that night in the alley. That night with the knife. Under the rage rolling off him, I’d seen it—how scared he was. Maybe better than he even saw it himself.
I’d seen him. And I never wanted to see him like that again.
“He’ll betray you,” the man is saying again. “Only a matter of time.”
“And let me guess…” I reply slowly, ready to be done with this. “You wouldn’t?”
“No.” He shakes his head for added emphasis. “I won’t. Not if—not if you help me. I saw the posters at the station. You’re running from someone, too. You need people with you. There’s safety in numbers.”
“Not really partial to crowds,” I inform him, suddenly thinking again of dinner at Dolly’s house last night. “Three is nice, but any more than that would feel excessive.”
“Isn’t when it comes down to a fight,” he counters.
“He—you’ll both wind up dead if you stay with just him.
Let me go, and I’ll take you to my friends.
Knowing who you are, they’d welcome you.
If you were with us, no one would stand in your way.
” Below me, the man smiles, my silence making him think he’s finally getting through to me as he further explains, “Not with our resources. Not with your reputation.”
Fuck, Aiden, I didn’t want your reputation. I wanted you.
I sigh, putting my hand in my pocket to brush against the watch as I stare for a moment at the night sky. Damn it.
“You know, as tempting as you hope that offer to be,” I start, smiling as I turn my head back to him, then bend to grab the knife from my boot. “I think I’m good where I am.”
“Wait,” he tells me, trying to wriggle free as soon as he sees the glint of the blade, and I have to say, I’m impressed that he does manage to make at least some progress. Good sign for him. And for me, I guess, if I really don’t want his name on my list. “Don’t do this—don’t—”
He stops begging when I reach forward and cut the rope tying him to Helios, letting it fall into the dirt like a rattlesnake before calmly setting the knife on his chest.
“You can’t leave me out here,” he calls after me when I begin to walk away, his voice echoing out into the stretches of empty plains on both sides. “You can’t leave me to die.”
“Not leaving you to die,” I tell him as I swing up into the saddle. “I’m just leaving you. Whether you die or not is up to you. And God, I suppose, if he’s interested.”
“Wait—”
I click my tongue at Helios, taking in a deep breath as I guide us toward the right direction while the man continues to offer me bargain after bargain. None of them the least bit appealing, none of them enough to make me look back.