Page 42 of I’m The Worst

He scans her like property. Like she’s his.

My neck cracks when I tilt my head.

“I warned you.”

Sergei laughs. “The fuck are you talking about?”

AJ tries to pull her arm free, panic creeping into her voice. “Wolff⁠—”

Savva steps forward. “K9, what the hell⁠—”

I shove AJ forward. She slams into Sergei’s chest. “Lesson’s yours too.” I keep my eyes on her.

Sergei scoffs. “What are you⁠—”

Bang.

His skull bursts apart. Blood and bone spray across the truck, the snow, her. His body collapses. AJ drops with him, screaming as his weight crushes her to the ground.

Her hands slip in the blood as she shoves the body off.

His eyes are still open.

“Wolff!” she screams, choking on a sob. “No!—” Her face is splattered with blood. Tears mix with it as she scrambles backward.

“You disobey me again, the next body in the snow will be yours.” I point my gun at her before holstering it at my waist.

Savva lunges forward. “Jesus fucking Christ, Wolff!”

“You brought a junkie into my operation,” I say, stepping closer. “You compromised the mission.”

Savva curses in Russian, grabbing Sergei’s jacket and yanking what’s left of him away from her.

AJ is hyperventilating as she tugs at her jacket that’s now covered in blood. “No, no, no…”

The sound grates against my skull. I snatch the back of her jacket and haul her upright, clamping a hand over her mouth.

Her body fights weakly against my grip.

“We’re done here,” I tell Savva. “Let the cops deal with the mess.”

Still covering her mouth, I drag her back to the truck and shove her inside. She’s shaking, her teeth chattering. Sobbing harder, she tries to wipe the blood off her face.

Let her wear it.

Let her remember.

I take the driver’s seat and face forward. Start the engine. Gripping the wheel so tight my knuckles bleed white. The truck roars as we peel out, tires screaming against the icy pavement.

We drive in silence.

Miles of black trees smear past the windows, the sky a dead, starless void. The radio clock glows 2:30 a.m., needling at my eyes. Exhaustion burns behind them.

Savva mutters in Russian beside me.

“Another change in plan? Or are you planning to kill me too?”

“If you stay useful, no.”