Page 116 of We Already Dug the Grave

There was no hesitation. No thought at all as I jerked the piece of bone from my pocket—the tiny piece of home that had traveled with me everywhere—and plunged it into Burt’s neck, the way I should have with the knife.

“Fuck!” he roared, eyes flaring. He grabbed for me, but he was too slow, and I spun away.

The bone fell to the ground. It hadn’t been lodged deep enough to stick, but blood leaked from the wound.

“You little bitch. It didn’t have to be bad for you—”

“Burt, no,” Frances shrieked. “It’s okay. It’s my fault. Don’t—”

“Don’t what?” Burt roared, spinning toward Frances. “Say it. Don’t what?”

I froze. If I was going to do anything, the moment was now. But I had no weapon. No plan.

“I said finish your sentence, sweets. Don’t. What?”

Frances’s eyes were pleading. “Don’t kill her.”

“Is she off-limits? If she’s off-limits, you have to say it. Loud. Where everyone can hear.”

“She’s off-limits,” Frances yelled, her face contorting.

“Okay.” Burt sucked in a loud breath and held up his hands, his voice going light. He turned off his rage like turning off a faucet, even as blood dripped down his neck and over his navy coat.

Frances’s brows pinched together.

Burt stepped back. “Okay, fine. Unlike you, sweet monster, I follow the rules.” He touched the wound on his neck, and then looked at his wet, red fingers. “However, I’m about sick of all of”—he gestured over the porch—“whatever the hell this is.”

In a single motion, Burt pulled a shiny black gun from his back waistband beneath his navy blazer and held it in the air.

I’d been right when I’d thought he was playing with us. He’d had a weapon this entire time. He could’ve grabbed my sister, pulled the gun, and left.

Instead he’d had his game.

A game that might’ve cost the life of someone I loved dearly. My eyes went to Aunt Hattie, before my gaze locked with Ruth’s.

Her eyes narrowed. She gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Ruth, my strong, pissed-off, incredible Aunt Ruth, jumped to her feet and charged, tackling Burt at the stomach. The gun skittered away.

Right toward me.

Chapter 44

Now

For a moment, everyone froze.

“Milly, grab it,” Frances yelled as she scrambled my way. I dove for the gun and scooped it up as Burt punched Ruth, knocking her to the ground. Bunny screamed, stumbling to her feet and toward Ruth’s side. Ruth didn’t move.

She’s out, I realized. He knocked her unconscious.

“Stop!” I yelled.

Burt would happily take everything from me. My sister. My aunts. Mama. I aimed the gun at his chest.

“Didn’t we already go through this? You’re not going to shoot me, so can we cut the shit already? We know how this ends. Give me the gun, so Frances and I can be on our way. This has gotten boring.”

Bunny cupped Aunt Ruth’s cheek. She glared at Burt. “You better hope she kills you.” Her voice cracked. “If she don’t, I can think of a few things worse than dying, and I’d love to teach you about them.”