13. Blaise
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
blaise
This bitch has clearly lost her mind.
I never want to hurt my girl, but finding out what her supposed best friend has done to her is going to hurt, and I can't stop that.
My eyes lock with Elodie’s and soften. “Baby, I am so sorry for any hurt this causes you. I wasn’t going to bring it up but I can’t not defend myself.”
She looks at me puzzled. “You already know why I’m here? How?”
Jade pauses, realizing what all is about to get aired, and finally, a hint of fear reaches her eyes.
About damn time. Take her and say you were wrong. If that’s your best friend, have some common sense girl.
“Your sweetheart of a best friend cornered me on the dock with Knox earlier when I got rid of a bloody fishing shirt, screaming about how my jealousy is what drove me to kill one man who’s missing and the other who washed up with a shark bite.
To the point where the police had to get involved and detained her so we could leave.
From what I understand, Rafael was a good man and everyone was devastated, based on what the bartender told Knox and me.
We went on a fishing trip with his captain and the other deck hand; it got cut short when he got the call. It was heartbreaking.”
Elodie looks at her friend and secondhand embarrassment radiates from her pores.
“You already confronted him? The police got involved and cleared him. Jade, you’re being insane, babe. If they thought he did it, they would have kept him too!” Her exasperated tone spurs Jade into action.
“I'm telling you what I heard! I don’t care if some cops believe a man with money over me. I know the truth! He had a motive to kill them both.” She jabs her finger into Elodie’s chest. “YOU.”
Seeing her turn so quickly on her own friend, there is no longer a choice of keeping their friendship from the ringer.
Taking a breath, I brace myself for the shit storm coming my way.
“As we spoke about prior, Jade, if anyone has an actual motive, it’s you.
You were detained because you were the last person to see Rafael alive, and you were with the other guy on night one as well.
I told you I didn’t want to do this because I didn’t want to hurt Elodie.
Your friendship was more important than worrying about clearing my name, but now, I see you’re doing this because of your jealousy. This vendetta has to stop.”
The moment Elodie registers what has just been said, the hurt flashes across her face.
I pray it’s enough to slow Jade down, but instead, she doubles down.
“I told you, there is nothing to be jealous of! Who cares if I fucked them both; she wasn’t going to anyways! I have the looks and the money. What more could they have wanted?” The moment the words come out, the room stills to silence.
I watch my pretty little Storm break into a million pieces, and the person who is supposed to have her back looks shocked. Not upset, shocked.
Fucking bitch.
Wiping her own tears, Elodie turns her attention away from me.
“This isn’t about him, is it? This is about us and me having something of my own for once.”
As if Elodie slapped her, Jade rages on.
“Don’t even, Elodie. I don’t give a shit about what pogo stick you ride and you know it.
But let’s be honest with each other, babe, what do I really have to be jealous of?
It’s just you. But this isn’t even about us.
This is about psycho killer over here!” Jade points in my direction.
“I’m telling you—I know he did it! HE KILLED THEM!
” At this point, she’s shouting and this is only going to get messier.
“I am not a killer. I have no reason, and based on the timeframe that you swear I had to kill them both, they were with you! There is no way it wasn’t you! Elodie is ten times the woman you could ever be and I’m sure they both saw that about her! NOT YOU!” I raise my voice to drive the point home.
“He’s crazy, Elodie. Let’s go before he hurts us.” She takes Elodie's hand but Elodie backs away from her.
“No, Jade. You are. This is too much, look at what he’s saying.
I couldn’t find you at all today. The few hours I wasn’t with Blaise, his brother was.
You’ve broken my trust. I am worthy of jealousy, but you’re right, I wasn’t going to fuck them.
They were just warm bodies. I don’t need to fill a hole inside me with men.
I’m okay without that, thanks. So, please leave.
I will come get my stuff from the room later with someone on board. ”
By the time Elodie finishes that sentence, Jade lunges at her, slamming her into the wall behind them. The thud of Elodie’s body sends me into panic but I’m unsure how to intervene without hurting one of them.
They grapple with each other. Elodie pushing and Jade pulling right before it turns into something more dangerous. Jade becomes more feral in her movements, ripping at Elodie’s hair and punching her torso.
Their screams mingle and one begs for it to stop while the other screams with fury.
I try to pull Jade off Elodie and she takes a small chunk of hair in her grasp.
Thrashing in my arms, she knocks me into the table behind me, causing me to release her.
She’s quickly back on Elodie who has moved over to the sliding glass doors of the balcony.
Elodie’s nose is bleeding and it looks like a small dribble of blood is coming from her hairline but I can’t be sure without closer inspection.
I stand to make my way across the room when I hear the distinct thud. Both girls fall to the floor and I rush over to pull Elodie away. She scrambles back into my embrace, and Jade doesn’t move. Her eyes are closed peacefully and a small trickle of blood spills from her nose onto the tile.
She’s fucking dead anyways.
Before I can soothe her, Elodie is up and over to Jade’s side, shaking her shoulders.
“Jade, no please, Jade, wake up. Babe, I’m so sorry. Wake up, please,” she pleads over and over as her tears freely flow and mix with the blood coating her.
Placing my hand on Elodie’s shoulder, I kneel down and check Jade’s pulse.
“Baby, I’m so sorry. She’s gone.” I shake my head, confirming her worst fears.
My words cause her to sob and panic.
She isn’t going to jail. I won’t let her.
I just got her and I want to keep her.
I would lose her and everything I want to build.
I won’t let it happen. They can’t have her.
My thoughts race as I stand, leaving Elodie sobbing on the floor. Opening the balcony door, I find that the floors below me and to the sides have all gone dark.
It’s risky, but this has to work. It’s our only hope .
Closing the balcony door, I get on my knees in front of Elodie.
“Baby, listen to me. Okay?” I scoop her cheeks into my hands. “Baby, we have to get rid of the body. It can’t stay or you’re going to go away for a long time. I have your back but we need to do this now. Okay?”
Blinking away her tears, she takes in my calm demeanor. “Blaise, she’s gone. We have to tell the police. She killed both of those men. They’ll listen to us. We’re innocent.”
“Listen to me, we can tell the police about the men but we’re going to say she ran off when you confronted her. You haven’t seen her since. We’re putting her body overboard, nobody will find her in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. Okay? We have to move now.”
She nods, clearly moving on auto pilot. The sobs have stopped, morphing into soft hiccups. I open the balcony door as wide as I can.
“Grab her feet, I got her arms. She’s going to be heavy. Ready—one, two, three.” We lift at the same time, dragging Jade’s lifeless body out and to the railing.
“Blaise, I can’t shove her over. I can't, I'm sorry. I can’t. What happens if her body washes up, then what?” She turns away, rushing to the bathroom, gagging the whole way there.
“I would never let that happen, my pretty little Storm,” I whisper before shoving Jade’s body over the railing and into the water. “Good riddance.”
I wait to hear the splash and make sure the body doesn’t float before going inside to take care of my girl.
Locking the balcony door, my eyes scan the room for all the blood splatters and stains. I walk into the bathroom to find Elodie with her head in the toilet.
Instead of standing over her, I get on the floor behind her and gently rub her back.
“I know, baby. I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”
Her words are garbled, but it sounds like ‘no’ as she empties her stomach of everything we ate together earlier.
I rub small circles on her back in silence, giving her a moment to grieve and process what happened.
After what feels like hours, she leans back against my chest and closes her eyes.
Her throat is so hoarse I almost don’t catch the thank you she says.
“Of course, baby. I knew I had to protect you. She would have killed us both like she did those men. You saved us, but now I need to take care of you. I’m going to start the bath and you’re going to get in while I clean up.
Once I’m done, I’ll come help you wash and we can figure out what to do.
Okay? I know your throat hurts but if you just nod that’s enough. ”
She nods meekly, and I pull myself from her and start a warm bath.
Placing her arms out for me, I help her up to undress and get in the bath. Once she’s in the large tub and I stop the water, I go to take care of her mess.
She is mine forever, and this won’t be what separates us.