Page 138 of Traitor

Butnotme.

Fuck, that hurts.

I know why she didn't. Of course, I fucking know. But it doesn't make it burn any less, doesn't stop the tight, aching pull in my chest that's been there for years.

Laughter drifts from her backyard, carried on the cold night air, sharp and taunting. I should be there. I should be sitting at her table, watching her, listening to her laugh, soaking in the sound of her voice like a drowning man gulping air. And I would be if I didn't fuck it all up to hell.

Instead, I'm out here, on the edge of her world, leaning on my bike, frozen in place.

AndGriffinis in there with her.

That thought alone is enough to send rage thrumming through my veins like an electrical current. If I don't see him leave at the end of the night, I swear to God, I'm going to have a fucking stroke. If he stays —if he fucking stays the night— I'll die right here in the cold. Bleed out from a broken heart.

An image flashes in my mind — his hands on her, his mouth on hers, her looking up at him the way she used to look at me — and my stomach turns. This has been happening ever since my talk with Ria. That fucking evil woman.

A walking, talking disaster in a floral dress, hellbent on making me insane. If I had any goddamn sense, I'd be helping that cult of snake-loving freaks light the fucking pyre instead of protecting her. Ria is a menace to my sanity.

I'm spiraling, lost in my own darkness, when I hear the sweetest fucking voice snap me back to reality.

"Bones, are you okay?"

I blink, turning toward her. She's standing a few feet away, watching me like I'm two seconds from snapping. Weight shifted onto one hip, eyes narrowed. Suspicious.

I clear my throat, trying to shake off the dark thoughts. "Yeah, why?"

She huffs, irritated. "I've been standing here for a while, calling your name. You were just frowning at the dark like a crazy person." She tilts her head, eyes sharp. "What the hell is wrong with you? And what kind of protection is this? What if I were an intruder? I could've just waltzed past you."

I let out a quiet chuckle, shaking my head.

"I knew Tank and Ghost were with you," I say simply. "I was just lost in thought."

Her eyes narrow further. "What kind of thoughts?"

I straighten my shoulders, trying to look like I haven't been mentally plotting Griffin's murder for the last twenty minutes. "Nothing important." I force my voice to stay even. "What can I help you with?"

She doesn't answer right away. Instead, she holds out a paper plate toward me. I reach for it—

And she snatches it back at the last second.

What the fuck?

"I thought you might like a piece of Mama's red velvet cake," she says slowly, watching me like I might lunge for it.

My heart stutters.

I smile, too fucking eager, too fucking hopeful. And she sees it.

Before I can take the plate, she yanks it away again, a smirk playing at the corner of her lips.

Goddamn it.

She's toying with me.

"Don't read too much into it, Bones." Her voice is firm, warning. "I can see those wheels turning inside your head. This doesn't mean anything. You're just on guard duty... which, by the way, you're doing poorly."

Her lips press together like she's fighting a smile, but she quickly shuts it down. "I just wanted to make sure you don't faint from low blood sugar or something."

I smile. This woman.

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