Page 9 of Kill Me Sweetly

CHAPTER FIVE

JJ

What the fuckis he doing? Has he gone mad?I couldn’t make out all the words being exchanged between Four and the man—I think I heard Four say his name was Maxwell—but I could tell it was bad and Four was there to kill him. So, why would my boyfriend think it smart to expose himself with no protection at all?

I figured I’d stay put, and if Four advanced on Shep, I’d…I’d what? I surveyed my surroundings and found a decent-sized branch. I gripped it; it felt sturdy. I could possibly knock someone out with this.

I peeked around the tree, and Shep was talking once more.

“How about we all sit and talk this out?”

When did he become an idiot? He wasn’t always one, was he?

Four didn’t budge an inch, but Maxwell was nodding.

“Yes…I can put on coffee.”

Four returned his attention to Maxwell. With his other hand, that wasn’t holding the door open, he reached for Maxwell’s shirt. It was still hard to hear, but I made out “Consortium” and “sentencing.”

Maxwell was sweating now, and Shep was slowly making his way behind Four.

“Okay, branch, I have a feeling you’re going to come in handy if my boyfriend opens his mouth again.”

“Please, help me,” Maxwell begged, and it must have brought awareness to Four that Shep was behind him, because in a move out ofTheMatrix, Four pushed Maxwell into the house with such incredible force, I swore the man flew. He then spun on Shep and leaped onto his body and…was he trying to bite him?Nope, only I’m allowed to bite him!

“Hey!” I shouted. “Back the fuck off my man, Four! This is not allowed. Bad Four! Bad boy!”

“He’s not a dog.” Shep’s words were strangled as he tried to pry Four off his body.

“Maybe he shouldn’t be acting like one. Four! Dammit, enough! Stand down!”

Like a switch was hit, Four fell to the ground onto his knees. Frozen.

“What the hell?” Shep was out of breath and took a few steps away from Four.

“I thought maybe a military command might work.” I shrugged. “I guess it did.”

The branch firmly in my grasp, I walked over to Four. “Four, I know you can hear me. I need you to stand up and come with us.”

“Hold on.” Shep gently pulled my arm. “He came here to kill a man, and we need to find out why.”

“We need to get Four out of here before the police show up. This Maxwell guy could be calling them now.”

Shep narrowed his gaze at the yellow house. The door was now closed, and Maxwell was likely hiding inside. His car was still in the driveway so I gathered he was either hiding inside or running.

“I don’t think he’s calling the cops. ThiswhateverFour works for sounds scary enough that Maxwell doesn’t want to get more of their attention. But I think he might be a way we get any answers at all.”

I looked down at Four. “What do we do with him?”

Shep smirked. “Take him with us.”

He lowered himself and took Four’s hand. He followed willingly, and the three of us went to the door. Only, Shep didn’t knock; he kicked it in once he’d determined it was locked.

“Classy,” I muttered, my branch still in hand as I remained vigilant.

“You’re carrying a piece of tree. Don’t make fun.”

I snorted because he did have a point. There was a knocked-over table and a vase with artificial flowers scattered on the floor. It was the hole in the wall a good twenty feet away that proved how far Four had thrown Maxwell.

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