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“You bring up the goddamn bills one more time, and this all goes away.”
I, Fay Evans, have my own restaurant. Or bakery. Or meth lab!
“Gah!” My giggly voice echoes in the stall. I hear the door open and cover my mouth. Flushing, I head to the sink to wash my hands, smiling and thinking about my future.Ourfuture—
“That’s the smile of someone who thinks they’ve won.” My head whips up, and I see Alana Hill in the mirror’s reflection. I spin around, grunting as my casted leg is slow to follow.
“What, are you here to take me outside and throw me in traffic again? Finish the job?” How the hell is she here? And I’m no medical professional, but she doesn’t look well. The word unhinged comes to mind. My gaze drops to the ankle bracelet that’s beeping and flashing red.
“You’re a little bottom-feeder whore who thinks this will end well for you. You don’t get to just show up and mess with my entire life.Myplans.” She takes a step toward me. “I’ve worked too hard to have someone like you take everything away from me.”
“Like what? A man you tried to trap? Wow, congrats on everything you’ve worked so hard for. If anyone’s the whore—”
She lunges at me.
I have enough time to shield my face before she tackles me to the ground and grabs my hair. “You bitch.” She yanks my head, banging it on the ground, and white spots flash in my vision. “I’m going to tear your eyes out!” she yells, slamming my head again. I claw at her face, and she screeches at the pain. I try to flip us, but the restriction of my cast makes it difficult, so I thrust my knee upward, hitting her in the gut. She grunts, momentarily easing up on her grip, and I thrust my head up and headbutt her. I knock her off-balance, but the problem is, I do the same to myself. I scramble backward to get out from underneath her, but she grabs at my dress. I elbow her in the chin to release me and scurry to my feet.
“You’re dead, whore. If you think—” She reaches for her purse. I dive for it at the same time, but she’s quicker and pulls out a gun, aiming it at my face. “I told you to go away. I warned you this wasn’t your place. But you had to stick around. Theo is mine.”
“Theo was never yours. He was a prisoner in your little game.”
Her laugh is cynical and manic. “And what are you? His savior?”
“I’m the one he loves. The one he’s going to marry. The one whowillhave his children.” Maybe baiting her while she’s pointing a gun at my face isn’t the best idea, but it’s the only option I have to stall her. Theo will get impatient and come looking for me. Someone will have to pee. Someone had to hear the yelling and call for help.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” she says, her voice suddenly calm. Shit, that backfired on me. Her finger caresses the trigger.
“Alana, please. You don’t have to do this. Think about your baby. You’re going to be a mother.”
Her hands shake. “A baby with no father because he’s injail!” She raises her voice. “You took everything from me, and now. . . now it’s my turn to repay the favor.” Her arm straightens, and I duck, barreling into her chest. The gun goes off as we fall to the ground. Alana slams her head back against the floor as I land on top of her. Just then, the bathroom door is thrown open with such force that it hangs crooked on the hinges. Two hands grab under my armpits, and I’m pulled into Theo’s arms.
Everything that happens next is a blur. There’s yelling and commotion and the faint sound of Alana’s screaming voice as Theo hauls me away.
“Are you okay?” he asks, rushed. He lays me on the floor. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” I start to shake my head, but the quick motion makes my stomach roil. I raise my hand to the back of my head. When I pull back, my fingertips are red.
“Fuck,” Theo turns and yells. “Help! Someone call for an ambulance!” He picks me up and races to the front doors of the funeral home.
“I’m fine,” I say, feeling drunk and possibly slurring my words. “Just a bump.”
“You’re not fine. You’re bleeding, damn it. Are you hurt anywhere else? I heard a gunshot.” His words come out frantic, and I have trouble understanding him. “Fay? Help!”
The pain in my head gets worse. “Theo, my head hurts.”
“Fay, stay with me, baby—thank God. Over here!”
A nice man in a medic uniform takes me from Theo’s arms, and I’m placed on a gurney while someone inspects my head. “I could really use something for this headache,” I mumble, closing my eyes.
“Hey, keep your eyes open. Can you tell me your name?” the medic asks, flashing a bright light in my eyes.
“They are open.”
“Fay, please. Stay awake.” Theo’s voice sounds so sad and suddenly far away.
“I’m fine. Really.” I force my eyes open and try to sit up, pointing to my dress. “That bitch ruined my dress. Fredrick’s gonna be mad.” I fall back down on the gurney, and everything goes black.
Epilogue
Theo
