But one dilemma at a time.
Kit is aware of the story, likely because he overheard my entire confession to Dandy in the woods.
“I understand you want your revenge, but is it worth going to jail over?”Dandy questions, still in the dark about the reasoning behind it.
“At first, yes, I had nothing to fight for.But now, now I do.”
Dandy recoils at the notion.“This is about my brother, isn’t it?”
Kit’s lips twitch.
“Yes, sorry, Dandy.But Jupiter saw that I had feel—” I correct myself.“That I was spending time with Kit, and she didn’t like it.She thought he was the reason I wanted to stop.So she threatened him.”
“Shewhat?”Kit is now the one to ask questions.
“I saw her at the garage.She was watching you.It’s what she does when she, you know—” I don’t need to elaborate.“She won’t rest until she destroys everything I care about.”
“That’s why you left the orphanage?”
I nod.
“Why were you in an orphanage?Is that why you’re dressed like Annie?”Dandy states in a serious manner.
I, on the other hand, can’t contain my chuckle.
“So is she angry or afraid?”Kit asks.
“Perhaps both?”I offer.“She’s angry that I don’t want to be this person anymore.And afraid that she’ll be alone.”
“So she’s baited you with the one thing she knows you can’t say no to: finding out who the final two are?”
Kit heard that part too then.He knows I was raped.I don’t know why, but that bothers me more than the fact that he knows I’m a murderer.I don’t want him to look at me as less of a woman.Or with sympathy.
It doesn’t make any sense.But I feel dirty because of what they did.I can only imagine Kit feels the same way.
I nod.“Yes.Jupiter wants me to kill because she believes I’ll see we are one and the same.She doesn’t want to be alone.And me saying no means that she will be.She hinted she’d hurt you if I didn’t do it.”
Kit’s snarled hair becomes even messier as he tugs at it.“What a fucking mess.So what’s your plan, Hallie?”
“I don’t have a plan, per se.But if I do this, then it will be over.”
“Actually, do that, and you’ll end up in prison,” Kit snaps.
“Not if I talk to the police.They may be lenient because I came forward voluntarily.I’ll offer to go undercover, wear a wire, whatever it takes.”A thought soon hits.“Perhaps the men who attacked me can face the justice they deserve.”
I couldn’t imagine being at peace with that reality, but now, it seems I am.
However, Kit has a different perspective.“This isn’t a movie—this is reality.If you go to the police, you’ll do time, and probably for a very long while.”
“So be it.It’s the punishment I deserve.”
“Bullshit!”Kit slams his fist onto the mantel, startling both Dandy and me.“You don’t deserve any of this!Who are these motherfuckers?”
“Telling you won’t achieve anything.”
“Yes, it will.Because I’ll find them and kill them myself!”Kit is livid.I would be touched, if not for the fact that he’s talking about taking matters into his own hands.
Dandy rests a hand on my leg.“Tell us.Maybe you don’t need Jupiter after all.”
