Page 16 of Beautiful Chances

But then again, life sucks, and sometimes people do things we wish they wouldn’t.

“I’m going down there to see if she wants any help,” I answer absentmindedly. Shrugging, Alec says, “Sure, man, if you think that will help.” Maybe I’m imagining things, but he sounds bleak to me.

Unsure of what to do, I look between the basement door and Alec. “Are you okay?” I ask. “You seem… I don’t know, crestfallen?” I don’t think that’s the exact word I’m looking for. It’s not as if he’s said or done anything specific to make me feel something’s wrong, it’s more of an I’ve-known-you-forever-and-know-something-is-up feeling.

“I’m just worried about her,” Alec admits.

Yeah, aren’t we all?

I know there’s no right or wrong way to deal with the loss of a loved one, which ‌makes it hard to fault whichever way she grieves Mark. It’s more than that, though. Mia isn’t merely grieving, she’s treading in unfamiliar territory with her need for revenge.

Sure, she opened up on New Year’s, but since then, she’s acting as though she’s living life as one long checklist—and maybe she is. When she talks about the funeral and the investigation from the night she and Lila were attacked, it’s always factual. I already know that she’s keeping all the hurt, rage, and grief locked down tightly around us. I know it’s a coping mechanism, but I’m almost scared of what it’ll do to her when she embraces it—or worse, if she never does.

The only time she seems to feel anything is when we discuss Mr. Riley—or Neil, as she now insists on calling him. And… Well, when she and Alec were going at it between me and CJ. They may have thought we were all asleep, but come on. There was no way her moans and sighs wouldn’t wake me up.

“We all are,” I say. “I guess your dick wasn’t magical enough to make her get over everything,” I add with a smirk.

Alec looks at me with an exasperated expression on his face. “She’s spending more time around us, isn’t she? You’re welcome,” Alec deadpans, and I can’t stop the laugh bursting free.

“Touché, brother,” I laugh.

“Was CJ awake too?” He asks, making my smirk grow.

“It’s simple physics, dude. With the way we were all lying together, we could feel every movement. Add to that her siren moans… Yep, I’m sure CJ was awake.”

Smug, that’s the only way to describe the look on Alec’s face and his tone when he says, “As I said, you’re welcome.” For good measure, I slap him on the arm.

“How do you feel about Neil being our new pet?” I know I’m completely doing a one-eighty on our conversation, but I need to know.

I don’t mean to make my brother sound like a wuss because that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s true that Alec values human life more than CJ and I do, but I think Mia means more to Alec than his morals do. Even so, I want to know if he’s really okay with this because if he isn’t… Well, fuck, I don’t know what to do then.

“If she wants or needs to keep him around for the rest of our lives to feel she’s exacted her revenge, then I’ll ‌make that happen for her. I am not going to play moral police with her. She’s earned the right to dish out whatever she feels is needed.”

Well, that’s settled then, isn’t it?

“I still haven’t decided what to do with you. Is that bad?” Through the thick darkness, I can’t see Mia, but I can hear her. “It’s nothing personal, I promise. But the good news is that the guys you so carefully threatened are more than happy to help me come up with something fitting. I don’t want you to feel overlooked or neglected‌, so I’ll make sure it’s something special.” I repress a snort at how eager she sounds.

Mr. Riley—Neil—pulls at his chains, and I hear ‌him spitting in the direction of Mia’s voice. Luckily for him, it doesn’t sound like he hit her with his saliva, but the disrespect of the action makes me curl my hands all the same. “You better use your time wisely, little girl. There isn’t much more you can do to me before my partner comes for me.” I hear a thud like Mr. Riley’s head hitting the wall just before he erupts with condescending laughter. “Look at you, you’re pathetic. You can’t even punish me on your own. You’re so weak you need those boys to help you.”

I’m tempted to switch the lights on so I can see Mia’s face. I want to know if she’s reacting to his attempts at rattling her, but judging by her tone, she’s borderline bored. “Hmm, maybe you’re right. After all, you would know, wouldn’t you? What was it you said to me on our last night together? That I should make myself come, or you’d fuck me up… Do you still want to play that game? If I release one of your hands, can you make yourself come?” Her voice is so sweet I might just get a damn toothache, and the thought makes me laugh.

Wait, what was that she just said?

Did he… I knew he’d made her commit degrading acts and used her for his own sick pleasure, but what she just said is news to me. I feel anger pulsing through me at the mere thought of Mr. Riley doing anything to her, let alone threatening her like that. I have no idea how she’s holding it together when I’m over here seething.

I’m wondering if I heard her wrong. Maybe that’s not what she said at all. Fuck, I wish this was a movie I could rewind and hear the words again. Oh, never mind, I can.

Thank you, Martin!

“If you can handle me on your own, why do you have a backup with you?” Mr. Riley’s top lip curls in a sneer.

I’ve only been down here for the last ten minutes, and even if she didn’t react to my presence, I know ‌Mia heard me come down here. And since this is her show, I’m not going to say anything unless she’s speaking directly to me, and I’m content to sit here and observe. Mr. Riley is her pet, and she gets to decide what she wants to happen.

“I’m burying Mark on Sunday. Do you even care that you killed your old friend?” Mia asks, and I’m proud of how resolute she sounds.

Mr. Riley answers, “No, I don’t fucking care about that traitor.” Mia hums like that’s a reasonable answer, or maybe this is what she expected him to say. “If you ask me, which you fucking did, then my only regret is that I didn’t put a bullet in him years ago. However, at least now we know ‌he had a brain.” I tense at his disrespectful tirade, which is undoubtedly a desperate attempt to get a reaction from her.

“Careful, Neil,” Mia seethes. “He was important to me. He was my family, and once upon a time, he was your friend. Yet, you killed him, and you show no remorse. Why is that?” The wistfulness of her tone makes my heart ache for her.

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