Page 26 of The Art of Dying

Lucas sighed. “Held her up against the wall and choked her. First, he broke a frame over her head and the glass cut her all up, then he bit her, choked her, broke the phone so she couldn’t call for help and then…”

I shook my head. I didn’t want to hear anymore, but if she could live through it, I could hear it.

Lucas continued. “He wanted to… you know… make up. She just wanted it to be over, so she said she understood and just wanted to go to sleep, but he told her if she really forgave him, she’d sleep with him. When she told him she was exhausted, he threatened to… you know, unalive her and then himself. So,” he sighed, “she did what she had to do. Kitsch… the steaks…”

“Oh, shit,” I said, pulling them off the grill. I stood over the small table where I’d put the tray for the steaks, breathing hard, gripping the edges until my knuckles were white.

“I didn’t mean to bring this all up tonight.”

“No, I know. I’m glad you told me. I knew it must’ve been bad, but… now I want to kill that motherfucker. Slowly.”

“We’ve all thought about it more than once. He doesn’t have many friends in this town now. That’s why he stays away.”

“Except your brother?”

“Will tolerates him. Answers the phone when he calls sometimes.”

“Then Will should warn him. There will be zero tolerance when it comes to Mack now. If he values his life, he should stay away from her.”

I looked over my shoulder at Mack. She was laughing, happy. She looked at me and winked. I smiled back at her, trying to hide my rage. I already knew it was a miracle that she gave me a chance. After knowing exactly the cruelty Mason put her through, it was nothing less than courageous that she’d be willing to be alone with a man ever again. In three days, I wouldn’t be able to protect her. Mason could come back at any time, angry that she’d moved on. He’d already proven that he would put hands on her. I had to think of a plan, and fast.

Alecia opened the back door. “Sides are ready.”

I picked up the tray, took a deep breath, and walked inside. Alecia and Mack brought the dishes of food to the table while I forked each grilled-to-order steak onto individual plates. We settled into our chairs, and Alecia hummed with her first bite.

“Oh my God, Kitsch. This is better than the ones at the steakhouse! I had no idea you were this good of a cook.”

“I can grill, but Mack is definitely the cook in the family.”

Alecia shot a knowing look at her friend. “The family, huh?”

Mack looked at me, her eyes filled with love and excitement. “Should we tell them?”

“Just waitin’ on you, honey,” I said.

She turned to Alecia. “Okay, I know what you’re going to say, but just don’t, okay? I’m happy.”

“Oh, God. What?” Alecia said, suddenly serious.

“Kitsch is deploying, so he asked me to keep an eye on his house, and that led to—”

“You’re moving in?” Alecia asked, her expression giving her away. When Mack nodded, she stood up, her arms wide. “Mack! That’s amazing!”

They both leaned over the table for an awkward hug and then sat back down, Alecia still clapping.

“You didn’t know what I was going to say, dummy,” Alecia said. “Kitsch has been so good for you. You’re so happy. To hell with timelines. And it makes sense, you keeping house while he’s away. And Mase…” She trailed off.

“What about him?” I asked, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

“I just…” Alecia began, her eyes darting back and forth between Mack and me, “I just think if he comes back he won’t have enough balls to come to your house to bother her, that’s all.”

“Did he plan to at hers?” I asked.

“No,” Mack said, waving her hand dismissively. “Alecia is just overprotective.”

“That makes two of us,” I said. “So, that settles it. I’m going to make a few calls and get the security beefed up before I leave.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Mack said, shaking her head. “Like you said, he knows about us, but he hasn’t reached out or came back—”

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