She shook her head.“Him a go get mad at me.”
Ashari thought for a moment.“Okay, here’s what you’ll do.Go clean up, get some makeup or a sweater to hide the mark, then go home.I have to run to my apartment, but I will check on you later.”
Reine nodded and forced out.“Thank you.”Reine walked away, and Ashari looked in the opposite direction, where the guy was walking toward a car park.
Ashari reached into her bag before tailing Reine’s boyfriend.He entered a car, and she snuck into the passenger side.
His eyes widened.“A no taxi this, lady!Come out!”
Ashari pressed a pocket knife against the man’s neck.“Shut up and drive.”
He nodded and obeyed.Ashari waited until they were on a street that had no cameras, then ordered him to park behind a dilapidated building.
She pressed the knife further into his neck.“You like taking advantage of women?”
“A Reine this ’bout?”he asked with a scoff, and she pressed harder.His grip tightened around the steering.He hissed as the blade pricked his skin, drawing blood.“Mi just gi her something fi relax.”
“What?”Ashari asked, and he motioned toward the glove compartment.Ashari kept her gaze on him as she blindly opened it, searching around until her fingers grazed a bottle.She pulled it out and looked at the label.She shook her head.“This is a roofie.You have no idea who you’re messing with.”
He scowled.“Who yu be fi care?”
“A woman who cares about other women,” she said, moving the knife from his neck.She brought it down to his groin quickly.A scream pierced the air as the knife ripped through his pants and lodged into his penis.Ashari twisted the knife before withdrawing it.She brought it down again, stabbing over and over until his screams were too much to bear, so she sliced across his neck to silence him.
She watched as he moved a hand from his groin to his neck.Blood sprayed about the car, choking him while he reached for the door.Ashari hit the lock on the passenger side, preventing his escape.His body gave out, and he fell forward onto the steering wheel.His pain struck eyes stared at her, blood dripping onto his lap as the horn disrupted the silence.
Ashari’s eyes widened upon realizing what she’d done.She cursed before thinking quickly.She struggled to move the body onto the backseat without removing it from the car.She couldn’t risk extending the crime scene.Finding some wipes in the glove compartment, Ashari rubbed at her skin frantically.She was clean on the outside, but the darkness inside her was growing.
Burning.
She reversed and drove the car to the last place she’d expected to go.She slowed the car before the gate.
The security guard walked toward her with a clipboard.“Place don’ open to the public, Miss.”
“I know…” Ashari said.“But you can let me in.”
He looked at her, then glanced onto the back seat.Ashari forced a smile, thankful she’d covered the man’s body with some clothes.“Wa dat?”
“You know say you shouldn’t question me?”she asked, and he looked at her.
“Lady, leave and don’ mek mi have fi move yu car.”
Her eyes narrowed on him.“I’m Jed’s wife.”
His brows furrowed, then he roared in laughter.“If Jed did even have a fiancée, mi woulda know.”
Wait… what?No one knew about his fiancée?
“Well, he does,” she stated firmly.“Go ahead.Call him.And you don’ need me name.Him will know a me.”
The man scoffed before walking away to the security hut.Ashari tapped her fingers against the wheel, holding her breath until she heard ascreech.She exhaled as the gate opened, then the security allowed her to roll forward.She glared at the guard while driving past him, heading to where Jediah had brought her.
She exited the car, and a worker came over.She told him what she needed, and he nodded.
Ashari couldn’t stay to watch, so she hurried back to the security post, hurled herself through the gate, and vomited until there was no vomit left in her.
She vaguely heard the security speak to someone over the phone.After she finished vomiting, he led her inside the security hut and offered her a bottle of water.She declined it.She sat on the chair, briefly looking up at the ceiling before closing her eyes.
Jaia.Charlie.Romar.Stranger.