Page 10 of Abyss

“He’s actively trying to kill both of us. The Mercy Blades live in a dangerous world and they know what they’re doing. If they want to get in the way, that’s their choice. Not yours.”

“Sam, we can’t just stand by and let other people take him down. I won’t.” I took a deep breath, fighting back tears. “We’re the ones who can stop him. If not us, then who?”

“Wait, are you telling me that you sleep with all these men and you won’t let any of them actually protect you?”

I glared at him. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Actually, I do,” he replied. “I know exactly what I’m talking about. I let your boss put his men on me to protect you, not to protect me. Sof, I’m the law. I could’ve easily gone to Captain Monroe–”

“Who has tried to kill you more than once–”

He held up his hand to stop me from talking. “And told him that I’d flipped even though I hadn’t. I might have made some mistakes, Sofia, but I’m still a cop. I have resources. Training. Things you don’t have.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair and rubbing at my temples. I knew Sam had a point, but it still hurt. Being dismissed and belittled, as if I had no right or capability to protect myself and those I cared about. As if I hadn’t already been doing just that all along.

“Okay, look,” I said, trying to keep my voice level. “I know you’re upset. I do. But we can’t just sit here and do nothing. He’s still out there, Sam. We have to do something.”

He shook his head, then let out a frustrated breath. “Stay away from this, Sofia,” he said.

“What about the Blades? They’re the reason you’re alive.”

He glared at me, standing up. “No,” he said. “They’re the reason you’re alive. I can take care of myself. Tell your man to stop trailing me and I’ll make myself scarce.”

“What about Dad?”

“What about Dad, Sof?” he asked, venom in his voice. “Get this out of your fucking head. You can’t take him down. Just because you fuck a mobster doesn’t mean you are a fucking gun doll. You’re a reporter who reads romance for fun and won’t get to the top of a climbing gym because you’re afraid of heights. You need to use their protection, but you also need to tell them to back off.”

“Teo is the one who bailed you out.”

“I know!” he said. “I know. And now I need you to tell him to back off. I can’t deal with any of this.”

Sam looked like a mess. His white shirt was rumpled, his eyes were red and swollen. He had dark circles under his eyes. He looked defeated, which scared me more than anything. Even after everything, Sam rarely looked defeated.

“There isn’t a universe where I let you just disappear, Sam,” I said. “Monroe is still coming after you. The Viper is still coming after you.”

“Let him,” he said. He sounded angry. “He can’t prove I killed anybody because I didn’t kill anybody.”

“You know that’s not how it works,” I replied.

“I need to take of myself a little bit. I need a break.” His voice was broken, his eyes pleading with me as I tried to understand what he was asking. “I can’t have someone watching me. Just for like...a month. Look, I know I made a mistake getting involved with Archer, but do you think that maybe I can have a minute to catch my breath?”

“What are you saying?” I asked. “Getting involved” was a weird way to put it, but I didn’t want to call him out on it right then. His eyes were so dark, just like our Dad’s. Our father, the killer. The viper. Trying to kill us.

First mom, then the two of us.

Things he’d probably seen. Things he’d probably done. Our father, the man who’d told us stories about camping beside lakes, pointed out constellations, bought us ice cream when we were good and scolded us. Like a normal dad.

A man who turned out to not to be so normal after all.

“I’m saying that I need a vacation from this life.” His voice isn’t much above a whisper, but I can’t understand him over the sudden roar in my ears. I feel lightheaded.

“Sam?”

“I need to get away, Sof. I just need some time, okay?”

“What about--”

“And when I come back,” he says, cutting me off. “I’ll forgive you. I’ll forgive you because you’re my sister and I love you, but you can’t ever do this to me again.”

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