Page 28 of Something Blue

“That’s great.” I say excitedly. “Where was he - what did he say?”

“No, sorry - I mean - they found his body. What’s left of it.”

“What’s left of it?” I mumble, not able to process. “What do you mean?”

“He’s dead sweetheart. I’m sorry.”

“No, he can’t be?—”

“You need to be at the house at ten. We have a reporter coming over and we are going to give a controlled statement. Don’t say a word to anyone about it. We don’t need more rumors starting and the media getting out of control again.”

He’s still talking but I’m not taking any of it in. I’m in shock. Numb and cold and shaking.

Looking down at my hands I try my best to force my eyes to focus so that my mind can focus too.

But he’s dead.

What’s left of him.

Whatisleft of him?

“What happened to him?” I ask, interrupting my dad.

“It’s best you come here. We can talk in person.”

“No, tell me now. I need to know.”

“All that’s left is his head. Whoever did this to him cut it off.”

My blood runs cold, ice spiking through my body.

I can’t hold the phone anymore and it slips from my hands, landing in the blankets. My father’s voice sounds like it’s coming from far away now.

“Neve?Neve? For fuck sakes. Be here at ten.”

Silence.

He hung up.

I stillcan’t move.

My hands are shaking so badly I clench them into tight fists, pushing my nails into the palm of my hands and trying to use the pain to pull myself back into my body.

I take in one sharp breath - and start crying.

Damion’s dead.

I kept telling everyone that something bad had happened, but maybe I didn’t believe that myself. Someone murdered him. It wasn’t even an accident. People don’t accidentally cut off other people’s heads.

The nausea comes out of nowhere and I have to run for the bathroom.

Wave after wave I heave up every single thing left in my stomach. Bile burning my throat and the effort of puking causing my eyes to water.

At ten o’clock I march straight into my father’s house, as numb as stone on the inside, I walk straight over to him and say, “It was Celso Vece.” With all the force I can muster.

“Are you fucking crazy?” My father hisses, grabbing my arm his fingers dig into my skin and I think - later I’ll be bruised.

I try to pull my arm away, but his grip is like steel as he pulls me into another room.

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