Page 13 of Ruthless Deliverance

“That’s it!” Luna throws her arms in the air, then reaches in her pocket, retrieving her phone. “I’ll just let your mom know of your latest stunt.”

The threat doesn’t seem to faze him much as he responds with a laugh. “No, you won’t. She’ll ask too many questions and then call yours.”

Okay. So Luna has a way to contact his mom, and Mrs. Kincaid’s friends with or at least knows Luna’s? Obviously, Luna and Creed know each other a little better than I thought. Felix is a junior but maybe they hang out. I haven’t seen them speaking together though.

“Like I give a fuck,” Luna screams and instead of calling his mom, she moves her arm back then swings forward, throwing her phone at Creed. It misses him but not by much.

“You’ve always had bad aim, Luna.” Creed looks to me. “How about you? I bet you never miss your target.”

At the gun range, no. On this job, every damn time. “Get. Down.”

“You’ll never admit it. Fear. Even if it cripples you, you’ll never admit it’s got the better of you.” The rambling of the drunken (or high) asshole actually makes a little sense, but I don’t think he’s speaking about me.

“Are you sure I’m the one you’re talking about?”

He doesn’t respond. Only keeps his gaze locked on me, but I see the humor leaving his face and that answers my question. He’s fighting some demon that has nothing to do with me.

“What scares you, Dani?” His question sounds sincere, like he actually cares about my response, but I can’t take him seriously when he’s balancing on the ledge and toying with danger for fun. And I don’t get a chance to answer because Luna yells again for him to stop being a jackass. I have a feeling that’s an impossible feat for him and absolutely not going to happen any time soon. And he doesn’t disappoint as his laughter returns, and he drops down to sit on the ledge as my stomach tenses, waiting for him to make one small misstep and slip off the roof. Maybe if he landed on that hard-ass head of his he’d be all right.

“Weakness for Beau, that’s why he’s acting like a little bitch about getting hit by a girl. Keith … his dad hitting him. You still piss the bed because you’re so scared, or did it stop when he croaked?”

Oh my gosh. I can’t help but look at Keith who appears more embarrassed than petrified while Creed keeps on airing out everyone’s dirty laundry. Except his own of course. “Heights. That’s what scares Luna. Ethan … he was scared of spiders.” Creed’s words fade as his face drops, looking to his hands. “And needles.”

“I’m gonna fucking push you off myself,” Luna screams, storming into the house.

“Who’s Ethan?” I whisper to Keith.

Keith gives me an uncertain expression but answers anyway. “His cousin. He died in a car accident a few months ago.”

It’s a few seconds later when we hear Luna screaming from a distance, I’m guessing from the closest place where the idiot climbed onto the roof. He doesn’t respond to her since he’s zoned out, caught in a foggy high. Lost somewhere that isn’t here. And I won’t feel sorry for him. He’s an asshole who’s tormenting everyone else because he can’t deal with whatever shit he has going on.

Unsurprisingly, he ignores Luna’s shouts and says to me again, “So, your turn.”

Frustrating. Infuriating. That’s all he is. But if there’s a chance to get him off the roof, help Luna, and move on with the night, I’ll try it. “And if I tell you, you’ll get your stupid ass off of there?”

“Yep,” he replies too quickly.

“Why do I not believe you?”

“Because you don’t trust anyone. That’s not just a me thing.” His words are flat, unfeeling, though slightly accusing.

“Oh yes. You know me and everyone else so well. But I think you’re the scared little boy who doesn’t want to admit his fear.”

“I don’t have one. That’s the problem.” His hand waves in the air. “Your turn. Then I cross my heart I’ll come down for you.”

I can’t give this dipstick anything to use against me, so I do what I’ve been doing—I lie. “Clowns.” It’s the first thing that enters my mind because that was my mom’s fear. At least from what I can remember about her. She refused to let me have a clown-themed birthday party because she said they creeped her out.

“Interesting,” is all he replies with a shake of his head.

“Now, get off the fucking roof!” I scream when he doesn’t move for a minute. Finally, he stands and sluggishly makes his way back to the dormer. Damn it. He has to be the most stubborn and pigheaded human being on the planet.

14

CREED

The closer I get to the window, the more Luna’s screeching hurts my head. Grabbing on the window seal, I grip it and steady myself. The effects are hitting a little harder than usual. My best guess is because I don’t indulge as much anymore. I might need to have a little more if I’m going to deal with the hothead in front of me who’s blocking my path into the house. I knew she wouldn’t come out on the roof because of her fear of heights. But she’s standing by, waiting to lecture me. Reaching up with my free hand, I place a finger over her lips. “Shhh, you’re gonna wake the neighbors.”

She quickly slaps my hand away. “The fucking neighbors probably already called the cops. Way to go, asshole. Let’s bring on a few more problems because there’s not enough already.” Her arms fold across her chest as she finally steps to the side and out of my way.