Page 113 of Panther's Magpie
“You’re a fucking selfish bitch,” she spits at me.
Closing my eyes, I let the insult hit. It cuts me to my core, but I hold my head high. I refuse to let her see me cry.
“I’m whatever you need me to be, Aspen.”
I leave it at that. If she has to hate me to feel better, then that’s okay. It will hurt like hell to lose the only person who has always been there for me, but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.
Calloway is worth it.
PANTHER
Aspen and Maggie are arguing. I have no idea how to make this better.
I knew Aspen would have a hard time accepting us, but I thought she would at least be happy to see her friend. It looks like I was wrong.
I am so out of my element here. I am used to dealing with men coming to brawls over stupid shit. They fight it out and then get better.
I have no idea how to deal with female shit.
“Get rid of the body,” I tell Meek.
He nods.
I can’t believe Ava showed up here and tried to kill Maggie. She should be glad Meek snapped her neck. I would have done much worse.
“I want the prospect in the interrogation room too. He doesn’t leave here breathing,” I inform him.
“Got it. What are you going to do about that?” he asks, nodding to the girls.
“I have no idea.”
He chuckles. “Better you than me.”
I shake my head, leaving him to approach my sister and my girl. I need them to get along, but if they don’t, I won’t leave Maggie. She brings me peace.
“Why are we fighting?” I ask as I approach.
Maggie turns to me and shakes her head. “It’s not anything for you to worry about. We will either figure it out or we won’t.”
“You two disgust me. I was off fighting for my life, and you two were building the perfect little life without me. You know she’s seven years younger than you, right? Like you knew her when you were a kid. It’s disgusting.”
My anger starts to build, but I try to push it down.
“I did not know her as a kid. She was your friend, sure, but I never spent any time with her, nor did I even remember who she was when she showed up. She wasn’t a thought in my head, so don’t go trying to twist what we have built together into some sick and perverted relationship in order for you to hold onto that anger in your head. Yes, we are together now. She’s my old lady and will be with me for the rest of my life. No, that has nothing to do with you. We didn’t do it to hurt you. We didn’t even mean for it to happen, but it did. I know you want me to regret it, but I don’t.”
I step forward to give her comfort, but she backs away from me.
“No. You don’t get to do that. She was my friend, and you were my brother. You were never supposed to cross,” she hisses.
“Then why were you bringing her here? Had none of this happened, I would have still fallen for her. You were bringing her right to me, so why?”
“Because I missed you. I wanted to see you, and you totally forgot about me. I didn’t want you two to get together. She was supposed to be my support in case you turned me away,” she admits.
“Goddammit, Aspen. When did you become so self-centered? Did you even consider Maggie at all in any of this? She is such a caring person that she would have kept pouring into your cup until yours was overfull and hers was empty. This is how you are treating her now? You get a small pass because you have beenthrough something, but I won’t stand for you disrespecting her like this. Maggie doesn’t deserve it.”
“Yeah, well, I guess I became self-centered the day you left and never came back,” she spits at me before turning and stalking off.
I take a deep breath and try to steady my pulse. Maggie hugs me, her hand patting my chest.
