Page 69 of Slayer

“You've got to face me sooner or later,” Porter calls.

“P…” My mouth doesn't want to work either.

“Yes. That's it. Either Porter or piss off,” Porter replies. The crushing feeling in my hand returns.

“Po…” I try my best to distinguish between his two options.

“Can you open your eyes?”

I try again but they're stuck down with glue.

“Can't.”

“Awesome job. Say something else.”

“Porter…” I grumble at his nagging. We're like an old married couple.

“Yep. Still alive, despite you abandoning me with your dad.”

“Shit.” That gives me the strength to open my eyes. “Are you… OK?”

“Physically yes, however is being asked to kill for him a good thing?”

“What the fuck?” My head lifts easier with the right incentive. I'm in a pale blue room, lying on a hospital bed with the rails up. Porter is sitting beside the bed grinning at me. His bruises aren’t as bad as when they were covered in blood. And he seems okay otherwise.

“I said no,” he says back with a teasing smile.

“No one says no to my dad.”

“Yeah, but your dad now loves me.” Porter seems to have developed a bratty streak, and I can't help smiling.

“Oh, and I know where your love for cuffs comes from.” Porter lifts his hand so I can see his wrist cuffed to the bedrail.

“Guess he doesn't love you that much.” I shrug but the pain that radiates through my chest wasn't worth the satisfaction.

“Meh,” Porter shrugs. “He welcomed me to the family. This is just kinky shit.”

“Wait?” My head turns too quickly for my equilibrium to keep up with. “He welcomed you?”

“Yup. Right after I declined killing Vince.”

“I am so confused.” I lie back and watch the ceiling, even though it's not doing anything.

“Where do you want me to start?”

“The beginning.”

“Well, one morning, I got home after a shift at the club to find my sister unexpectedly home, and then hunk-a-million burst into my home and cuffed-”

“Fast forward. You went home.”

“Ah. Well, you were right that I'd want to come back as soon as I got there. I did. But I knew I would as much as you did. I just had to do it.”

“But you went to the club?” I knew I would be right about coming back, but I didn't predict the club visit.

“OK. Well, I had the stupid idea of telling my boss I was quitting my job and moving in with a sex obsessed maniac. Instead, he turned out to be my sister's contact so I called you. Do you remember that? You came to save me but he shot you and I had to save you.”

“I remember that,” I enlighten him, although I didn't know he was quitting his job to move in with… Me.

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