Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger

“I’ll be back within the hour.”
She turns her head, speaking over her shoulder. “Where
will you take him?”
“The lake.”
She pauses. “Is that where you would’ve taken me? If you
hadn’t fallen for me, I mean.”
Oh fuck.
“No more lies, gangster,” she says softly.
It’s a moment before I can get it out. “Yes.”
She turns her head away. Looking at the closed blinds over
the sink, she says, “Thank you for being honest.”
It sounds like Fuck off and die, but we don’t have time to
argue.
“Don’t answer the door or the phone while I’m gone.
Don’t go outside. When I get back, I’ll clean up the rest of it.
Then we’ll make a plan.”
“A plan?”
“When Viktor doesn’t check in, Max will send someone
else.”
“I see. A plan. That makes sense.”
She’s unnaturally calm, especially considering how
hysterical she was only minutes ago. Shock is setting in.
I take a step toward her, my heart aching. “Baby—”
“Just go, Kage. I need a minute to process. When you get
back, we’ll talk. I promise.”
I want to hold her. I want to kiss her. I want this awful
distance between us to be gone. But for the moment, I’m
grateful it’s a truce.
I could be lying in a pool of my own blood right now.
And I have to move fast, because the clock is ticking.
I leave without another word.