Page 40 of Vicious Sentiments

“Oh, no.” Margo shakes her head.

A vein pops in Cape’s forehead and then he’s got a hold of Julian’s shirt, yanking him towards him. Julian raises his chin, going slack in his hands. I clasp a hand over my mouth but Julian doesn’t flinch, no fear in his eyes even though Cape’s are burning with murder.

“Man the fuck up? Man thefuck up?” He shakes him. “I should fucking rip your throat out. Then you’d know what it feels like. No. No. Afractionof what it feels like.”

I feel myself clutching my throat, gaping at Margo, Dillon, someone to stop this, but neither of them make a move.

“Maybe you need to know what it really feels like.” Cape shoveshis brother away, and for a second I’m relieved, until he rears back, crazed eyes landing on me, and my stomach twists.

“I could kill her.” He points a finger at me. “For your fucking disrespect. You can know what it feels like to lose someone because ofyourchoices.”

He charges towards me, and I freeze up even though the heat radiating off his body feels like the rage of hell.

“Or should I wait? Give it more time. Let you get used to her, her being there every fucking night and then rip her away from you.” He side steps behind me and suddenly his arm is locked around my throat, a hand planted on the side of my head.

My heart stops and I have to will blood to pump to my legs to keep me standing, keep my neck up so my own weight doesn’t choke me against his arm.

“That’s enough. Now. Let her go,” Margo yells.

“He’s not going to do anything,” Julian spits.

Tears start leaking from my eyes involuntarily. This isn’t like me. I’m supposed to be numb. I’m supposed to be used to this. I’m not supposed to be scared. If he snaps my neck then it’s peace, it’s bliss. But my body is starting to shake and the tears overflow, pouring down my cheeks.

“Won’t I? If I’m out, I might as well go out with a bang,” His voice isn’t steady, it’s ragged and unstable.

I don’t know who to believe. There’s not a hint of worry in Julian’s eyes but I know Cape’s tone. I know it like the back of my hand. One wrong word, one wrong move and he could explode.

“Don’t be scared, baby,” Julian says to me. “He’s just making a show.”

“I don’t know, brother. I already fucked up once and got someone killed. I could fuck up again. I don’t know my own strength sometimes.” He tightens his arm and a whimper rips from my lips.

Through the blood rushing to my ears, Margo mumbles somethingand stalks out of the kitchen, flouncing past Dillon who looks to be enjoying himself.

“Now you’ve done it,” Julian says, rolling his eyes. “Let her go. We got shit to handle.”

“No.Yougot shit to handle. I said I’m done.”

“That’s not how this works and you know it.”

“You don’t get it,” he laughs but it’s a bitter sound that sets goosebumps out on my skin. “I don’t give a fuck. I don’t give a fuck about anything anymore.”

Julian sets his jaw.

“She’s dead, Julian,” Cape says through his teeth. “Because ofme.Because of whatIdid.” He takes his hand off my head and jams a finger into his own shoulder.

“I know—”

BANG.

The shot echos through the house, slamming into my skull causing me to flinch in Cape’s grip. My ears immediately start ringing and I stumble as he releases me.

“You’re patching that,” Margo’s voice is a far away buzz as I see her slide a gun onto the counter and take a seat.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Julian says, and then he is suddenly at my side. “You’re okay, baby,” but his voice is muffled.

Before I can even get my bearings, I’m swept off my feet. One of Julian’s strong arms is under my legs and he’s cradling me to his chest.

“He’s a dick but he was never going to hurt you,” he says to me. “I told you that you don’t have to be afraid of him.”

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