Page 33 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

Gabriel doesn’t have any family. DNA like his isn’t meant to be passed on. God only knows what evil his offspring wouldbring to this world. If he ever knocked up some chick, she’d give birth to a two-headed goat.

There’s a pause while everyone makes sure Reuben is done. Then Apollo sits forward in his seat and clicks his fingers at me. I pass him the blunt without taking my eyes from Rube. “Nothing in her file indicates that he even knows her.”

But, like Rube, I’m convinced that’s intentional.

“If you saw what I did, you wouldn’t think she was so fucking special,” Apollo says in a tight voice as he passes the blunt to Cass. When he continues, smoke leaks from his lips. “That hag stripped her down like she’s one of those window dolls.” Apollo gestures with long hands and spindly fingers. “Wasn’t being polite about it, neither.”

“Get that on tape?” Cass passes the blunt to Rube, but the guy ignores him.

“Nah, man. I was working.” Apollo scratches his arm. “Guys don’t like it when I film them in the kitchen.”

“‘Cos then we’d all know who spits in our food,” Cass says through a smirk.

Apollo barks out a laugh.

I’m still watching Rube. And he’s watching me.

“Even if she’s his fucking daughter,” I say, “how could she fuck this up for us?”

Reuben shrugs—an impressive gesture on a guy with his shoulders. “We can’t risk it. This is the last chance we get.”

“Exactly!” Apollo’s foot starts tapping. “It’s our fuckin’ last chance. We don’t do this, we’ve got shit. Nothing. Fuckingnada.”

“Relax,” Cassius murmurs, handing the blunt back to Apollo. “We’ll figure this out.”

Apollo’s right. For once, time isn’t on our side.

I make eye contact with Cass. He’s watching me with such intensity I already know what he’s going to say.

“We have to try.” Cass stands. “Even if it’s a fuck up. Even if we get outed, this ends with him, one way or the other.”

“Sit down,” I murmur.

“You knew this day was coming.”

“Sit. Down.”

He does, but with ill grace and the type of sulky mouth I’d expect on Apollo.

Rube’s staring a hole through my head. I prop my elbows on my knees and lace my fingers together. My ankles are starting to throb, but I don’t want to draw attention to the fact by rubbing them.

“Then I vote yes.” I glance aside at Reuben when he remains silent. “Got to be unanimous, brother.”

Reuben’s chair creaks when he shifts his weight. Apollo and Cass finish the blunt between them in the time it takes him to speak. When he finally looks up at me, determination gleams in his eyes.

“No,” he says.

I only realize I was holding my breath when it streams out of me in a hiss.

No.

Of course not.

Reuben doesn’t take chances. If there’s the smallest chance something could go wrong, he backs off.

Apollo springs up. “JesusfuckingChrist.” He stalks out of the crypt.

Cass lets out a sigh, picks up Apollo’s camera, and shrugs at us before trotting out after him.

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