“Twenties!” Ashley cackled maniacally. “Twenties won’t work.” Her laughter stopped abruptly. “But you will. Let’s go.”
“Hold on. I think you skipped some sentences. I’ll work for what? And where are we going? I mean, I’ll go. I just wanna know the details first. It helps my anxiety.”
She’s going to make me watch her die. After she made me love her.
“Fifty thousand dollars,” Ashley said. “Trenton gave Matthew fifty thousand dollars for goods that weren’t delivered. Trentonwants his money or his goods. I don’t have his money, so I’ll deliver you instead.”
Kalani nodded as if she understood. “I get it. I’d want my money or the human I paid for too. Where is Hannah, by the way?”
“In the trunk of my car.”
Fuck!
I saw it. The moment her switch flipped. Kalani’s eyes widened in horror, and then they filled with rage. She moved so fast it was over before my brain processed what happened. Kalani grabbed Ashley’s arm and pushed it away while simultaneously bringing a sickle down on the bend of Ashley’s arm with the other hand.
The gun fell to the floor as Ashley screamed in agony. Kalani pulled back on the sickle, but she had to work to free it, severing more of Ashley’s limb in the process. When she stepped back, Ashley’s arm was dangling by … something that didn’t look strong enough to keep her arm attached.
“Stupid bitch. Guns are so impersonal.”
While I stood there with my mouth hanging open, Kalani dropped the sickle and shoved Ashley to the ground. Then Kalani jumped on top of her, picked up the partially attached arm, and started hitting Ashley with it. “Why are you hitting yourself? Why are you hitting yourself? Why are you hitting yourself?”
“Stop!” Ashley screamed. “Please, stop!”
“Please stop what?” Kalani taunted as she continued to beat Ashley with her own arm. “You’re the one hitting yourself.”
“Stop! I’ll do whatever you want!”
The sound of motorcycle engines approaching snapped me out of my shock. “Kalani,” I called. “You’re making a hell of a mess.”
“Oh, damn.” She paused from beating Ashley to look at the blood spattered around them. Kalani lifted Ashley’s arm and held it like a microphone. “Well, kids, I guess it’s time for the last dance of the evening.” Then, she twisted the arm over and over while she sangLet’s Twist Againuntil the appendage finally broke free.
My stomach churned with nausea.
Turning to me with her face covered in blood, Kalani smiled triumphantly as she raised the arm above her head and waved it around like a prized trophy.
Being hard while vomiting was new.
“Let’s do The Hokey Cokey,” Kalani said and excitedly got to her feet.
“The what?”
“The Hokey Cokey. It’s the British version of The Hokey Pokey. It’s much better.”
“How so?”
“Because the UK version is considered public domain. Now, shut it so I can sing. You put your right arm in,” she sang, tossing Ashley’s arm onto the floor. “Hey! That’s cheating!”
Fuck. I was in love with a woman who scared the absolute shit out of me.
CHAPTER 23
BIRDIE
Kalani:Ashley just walked into The Stinky Dog.
Kalani:I’m in the back. I told Sugar.
Kalani:I’m supposed to wait for her to leave.
