Page 52 of Fast Fury

“Nothing. I just… I wanted to call you.”

“Do you want me to meet you there?”

“No. I don’t want you to see any of this.”

His refusal stung, but she shoved it aside. This wasn’t even a little bit about her right now. “Okay. Can I call anyone for you?”

“No. Thanks,” he added. “I’ve gotta talk to the cops and go to the hospital to get everything taken care of. Then I have to go tell mytututhat—” His voice broke, and so did her heart. Tears rushed to her eyes, his pain echoing clearly across the line.

“I’m here if you need anything, okay? Call me if you want me to meet you at the hospital.” she said softly.

“Okay.” A pause, and he dragged in a shaky breath. “I gotta go.”

“’Kay. Talk to you later?”

“Yeah. Bye.”

“Bye.” She hung up, a lead weight in the center of her chest. She wished she were there so she could wrap her arms around him and somehow ease the pain. God, he shouldn’t be alone right now. He’d gone there to make peace with Hani, and instead had seen him gunned down in cold blood.

****

Kai’s heart sunk into the pit of his stomach as he climbed the two front steps to histutu’shouse hours later. At the door, he stopped, unable to twist the knob.

He’d never imagined having to do anything like this. Once he walked inside, everything would change. And he didn’t think he could bear to see his belovedtutu’sreaction to what he had to tell her.

Hani. You need to do this for Hani.The words burned inside him, strengthening his resolve.

Gathering his courage, he took a few deep breaths, steadied himself and walked in. The quiet sound of the TV came from the living room. He slipped off his shoes and walked down the hall, his legs and chest like lead.

Histutusmiled at him from the couch when he walked in. “Hi.” The smile quickly faded when he just stood there, face grim. “What’s wrong?” she asked, frowning in concern. “Did something happen with Abby?”

God, it hurt that she was so concerned about his happiness. “No.” He swallowed and crossed to the couch, sinking down beside her and taking her hand. It was so small folded in his own. Fragile and wrinkled, age spots on the back. He made himself hold her gaze, unable to shield her from the pain he was about to inflict, or ease the fear in her eyes.

“Something terrible’s happened,” he said in a rough voice. “And there’s no easy way to say it.”

She stared back at him in alarm, her fingers curling in his. “What is it?”

It took every bit of strength he had to say the words. “Hani’s gone.”

She jerked, shock and confusion filling her eyes. “Gone?”

Kai nodded, aching inside. “He died a few hours ago,Tutu. I’m sorry.” He could barely get the last bit out his throat was so tight.

She jerked her hand from his, shook her head in denial. “What? No. I just talked to him when he was on his way home…”

He set his jaw. He’d debated how much to tell her on the way up here from the hospital, had planned to spare her all the details he could. “He’s gone,Tutu. I was there.”

A grief-stricken, terror-filled wail shot out of her. She jumped to her feet, stood there staring down at him in disbelief, shaking all over. “No! No, not Hani. Not my sweet Hani…”

When Kai stared back at her helplessly, the tears started. Great, gut-wrenching sobs that tore from her chest and ripped his heart open with their agony.

Cursing inwardly, Kai got up and went to her, pulled her to him. “I’m sorry.”Sorry I couldn’t save him. Sorry that I didn’t realize how much trouble he was in. Sorry I couldn’t stop it.

She slammed a frail hand against his chest, grabbed his shirt with both fists and shook him, staring up into his face, her cheeks streaked with tears. “How? How did this happen?”

Fuck. She was going to find out eventually, but he’d hoped it wouldn’t be tonight. He couldn’t lie to her though. “He was shot.”

Her horrified cry made more tears burn the backs of his eyes. “No!”

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