Page 28 of Digit's Deflection
“They – they – uh, they hurt her. They – killed her.” With a shaking hand, I hold out the images for him to see. “Oh God – look what they did to her.”
Slowly, I shuffle through the images, holding each one long enough for him to study it. Then moving on to the next one. I put the good ones at the back of the pile — the handful of images that show Indigo being butchered. But the very last one is my pièce de résistance. My masterpiece.
The last photo is one of “Indigo” being butchered into small pieces while a pack of large, brutal looking dogs are standing off to the side, salivating.
Commander Jones barely looks at the photo in my hand before turning his head away. At first there’s no response, when suddenly the most inhuman scream issues from him, as if from the very depths of his soul.
The chilling sound tells of a father’s anguish, a pain so profound that there’s no coming back from it.
My moment of triumph turns to sawdust in my mouth as, out of nowhere, a yearning for that kind of unconditional, all-consuming parental love nearly takes me to my knees. Close on its heels a need, too intense to be ignored, to wreak havoc upon an uncaring world grips me.
Slamming out of the room, the disturbing sound echoing in my head, I all but run back to my office, leaving the man to marinate in that grief.
15
LIORA
Watching Treven with his friends is a revelation. It’s like I’m getting to know him for the first time, while feeling like we’ve never been apart. So much of the boy I knew is still there, but the man he’s matured into is far more nuanced.
It’s clear to see his friends care deeply for him. There’s a strong bond that goes beyond mere friendship. It’s clear to see that these three men would go to the ends of the earth for each other, and I have to confess I’m jealous.
All the years that I lost, believing the bullshit lies I told myself to avoid accepting that I was to blame for us losing each other for so long. That’s the bit that hurts the most, I guess. That I allowed that little voice in my head to make Treven the bad guy for not coming to find me.
“You game, Liora?” I blink as hearing my name brings me back to the conversation.
“Sorry, I missed that. Am I game for what?” I ask.
“You game to join us for dinner and a couple drinks at Aces this evening?” Scooter repeats his question.
“Oh, um – maybe I should sit this one out. I don’t want to intrude.”
“You wouldn’t be intruding. No offense, but if we didn’t want you to join us, we wouldn’t have invited you,” Gator replies.
“Fair enough.” I can’t help but laugh at the look on Treven’s face. He looks like he can’t decide who he wants to punch first, Scooter or Gator. “I appreciate the honesty.” I turn to look at Treven, my eyebrows raised in silent enquiry.
“Guys, give us a second,” he says, taking my hand and hauling me to my feet. He leads me to his bedroom and closes the door behind us. “We don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
“No, it’s fine. I don’t expect you to give up time with your friends to spend it with me.”
“I know you don’t, but it wouldn’t be a hardship. I want to spend time with you …” Treven pauses a moment. “I honestly never thought I’d ever get the chance to again.”
My heart squeezes at his words. Knowing it’s my fault we’ve lost so many years. Accepting the truth of it, rather than blaming everyone else.
“I’m sorry, Treven. I just realized; I never told you that. I’m sorry for running out on you and the years together we missed out on. For the pain I caused you. For all of it. I’m so, so sorry.”
He pulls me in and holds me close. We stand like that for long moments, simply holding each other, neither speaking a word.
“You don’t have to apologize. I get it. After hearing the hell you lived through as a child and into your teenage years, I understand. I just don’t want to miss another minute with you if I don’t have to.”
Taking a deep breath, bracing, I say, “How about this then. We go out for dinner and drinks with your friends, and I’ll come back here with you after. We can spend a little time, one on one, and then you can take me home.”
Treven doesn’t answer right away – he studies me, as if searching for something. I have no idea if he finds it, buteventually he gives a small nod. “Yeah, let’s do that. I’d prefer to stay home, but that’s a close second. Come on then.”
He holds out a hand to me once again and leads me back the way we came. Walking into the living room, we interrupt an intense whispered conversation between the two men waiting. The minute they spot us, they fall quiet. The two of them look like naughty schoolboys caught in the middle of mischief.
“Is it just us this evening, or are any of the others joining in?”
“All of us but Knight and Indigo. Indie’s not doing so great, so Knight’s opted to stay in with her tonight. The man’s seriously worried about her mental health, and I don’t blame him. This shit’s gotta be hard on her. Knowing Armatrout like she does, I can only imagine what’s going on in her head,” Scooter says, his somber expression speaking volumes.
