Page 8 of What's Left of Us

“Just one then,” McKinney continues, his voice as smooth as silk. I don't believe this is going to change, but seeing someone put in the effort is nice. The guard just shakes his head, and like I suspected it’s not going to happen.

The door opens again a moment later, and I’m still stewing over my diagnosis. I don’t want to be stuck in thehospital, but I seriously doubt I’ve made any more friends in prison since my disappearance.

“Nice to see you awake, Constantine. Mr, McKinney, always a pleasure.”

I drag my eyes to Sterling. Other than the wicked bruise fading at his temple he looks fine, and there’s a bit of sick satisfaction growing in my head seeing my mark on him. I like marking up my things, and Sterling now joins that collection.

As soon as the thought filters through my head, I wince.Jo… but those aren’t the marks I intended. Not for her.

“Nice to see you restrained, Constantine,” Jensen continues, and my gaze shifts between the two of them. Sterling’s expression is unreadable behind his dark eyes, but Jensen manages to just look annoyed. “Having a nice stay at the hospital?”

I glance at the cuffs on my wrists, the IV stuck in my arm, and the monitors around me. “It’s not the worst I’ve ever had.”

My throat hurts as I finish the sentence, and lately it feels like I can’t get enough to drink to help my throat. Doc says that’s a mind trick, that my unreliable brain is making me feel things that aren’t real, but that’s just silly.

If my head can’t be trusted, how do I know anything that happened in the basement was real? I’d second guess the cabin too, except Agent Gideon can’t look at me to save his life and keeps drumming his fingers against the side of his leg.

I suppress a grin. He’snervous. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve seen his dick or because I could tell people about it. His credibility and his entire career would fall apart if someone learned he joined in fucking a witness with a convicted serial killer on the run.

As much fun as that would be, I can’t do that to Jo. She’s going to end up saving his reputation without even meaning to.She never made her taste for sex an open conversation, even when the three of us moved around like a combined unit.

“So is it like a tag team thing?” one of the jocks asks, nudging her shoulder. They usually fuck off when Vinny is around, because Vinny’s family has enough of a reputation to make people wary. I’m not scary like he is. “Can we take turns?”

“If you touch me,” Jo hisses, “all your daddy’s money in the world won’t save you. You think Vinny is scary? You haven’t seen me angry.”

I shoot her a glance as the three jocks laugh. Why is she deciding to antagonize them? “Hear that, boys? Open-Legs here thinks she can fight and fuck at the same time.”

“Hey, maybe she is scary,” another says. “Her mom’s loco, remember? The apple doesn’t fall far from-”

Jo knees him, and I wince as the guy folds forward. That’s great and all, but she doesn’t hit with her hands as hard as her knees. “Don’t speak about my family like I’m not right here. And it’s not a tag team thing, Nick. But you wouldn’t last long enough to join in with anyone else as is.”

Nick steps forward, the mockery in his eyes gone. “What did you say, slut?”

She flinches, and I feel the rage hit me. I mostly try to not make a big scene, to not draw attention to myself, but it doesn’t always work. I step between them, and it’s a good thing I sprouted early. Nick’s bulky, but I’m tall. It doesn’t stop Nick from shoving me anyway.

“The two freaks?” he asks with a laugh. “Offering themselves up? This will be fun.”

Nick moves to grab her, and the unbalanced side of my brain reacts. He reaches for Jo at the same time I reach for him.

He screams, and I can hear Jo gasping beside me. I can’t say I’ve gotten into very many fights, but when it matters,I can react. The quieter side of my mind is waking up now, responding to Nick’s cries of pain where I’ve grabbed and twisted his wrists.

It bends, protesting as I force it past the limits, and then the satisfying snap of bone echoes around the little group. I can’t see Jo’s response since she’s shifted behind me. But Nick’s screams are like a dark song surrounding us, and my eyes flutter listening to it.

There are fucked up parts inside my head, beggining for release.

“Al!”

I let go of Nick as hands shove me back, his buddy getting in my face as Nick rips himself away from me. Smaller hands press to my back, the nails digging in, and I automatically realize Jo is standing behind me. My gaze snaps away from Nick’s whining to glance behind him.

Vinny jogs over, and I don’t miss the mark on his cheek. Meetings with his father rarely go well from what I remember, but there’s one thing I know about Vinny; he’s always prepared.

When Nick’s friend turns to get in his face, he simply tugs up his shirt, the gun tucked into his waistband shining in the afternoon light. Both jocks step back at that.

“You three really are freaks,” the second guy says as he steps back, shoving Nick when he tries to get around him, and at least they are smart enough to not fuck with a guy willing to break bones, and the kid carrying around a gun on a Saturday.

Vinny completely ignores them as he stops beside me, studying my hands. Surely he’s looking for something since I just broke someone’s wrist. Jo moves between us, and I feel her calming grip circling my wrist.

He laughs as the two goons turn away. “My, Alastair, what a trickster you are. I didn’t know you could snap bones in the heat of the moment. Such rage.”

---