Then I stop the video and put my phone away. I place my clothes in the fire and sit down. I’m shivering from the cold, but the fire heats my body. It’s gonna take a while for him to burn completely. I grip the hammer and pound it into the wet ground just to waste time. When I’m ready, I’ll take the dirt to smother the fire, make my way back to the house, and send the video. And he’ll call me. He’s a cocky son of a bitch who won’t be able to stop himself. He’ll wanna talk to me. Feel me out. And I’ll be calm and collected and ready to show him that he shouldn’t have fucked with me.
My head snaps up, and I look around the darkness. Ever have that feeling someone is watching you? Making the hair on the back of your neck stand up. That’s how I feel right now.
“Hello?” I call out.
All I hear is the wind howling through the tall trees. I roll my eyes and go back to pounding the hammer into the ground.
You’re paranoid, Austin. Lighting a dead man on fire will do that to you.
I groan, standing outside the church while Celeste fixes the red cardigan that I wore over my black dress for service this morning. Not gonna lie, listening to the preacher speak about how Cain killed Abel didn’t set well with me when I only watched a guy get murdered hours ago and then burned his body to save my own ass. But living with two druggies, there’s not much that you don’t see. And you learn really quick that you do what you have to in order to survive. They don’t call it a dog-eat-dog world for nothing.
I laid in bed early this morning before the sun rose, contemplating on going to the police, but then thought better of it. There’s five of them. I’m sure one would cut a deal and get off free while the others took the fall. That would leave me in deep shit because someone would come after me. And I’ve watched enough shows on TV to know that I would get in trouble for tampering with evidence. I didn’t save my ass just to go down with them.
“Were you up late, honey? You look awful.” Celeste’s brown eyes look me over slowly, taking in my hair. I washed it before I went to bed after I burned the guy, then I fell asleep with it wet. All I did this morning was run a brush through it. I didn’t even put much makeup on. Bare minimum was gonna have to do.
“Thanks,” I mumble.
She frowns. “I’m sorry, I just meant that you didn’t look well. Are you sick?”
I wave her off her lame apology. I know I look like shit. “I knew what you meant. And no, I’m fine.”
She nods. “Did you like the service? Pastor Fritz is so nice.”
I’m sure he is. “Yeah,” I say, looking away from her. I almost played the sick card this morning. And now I know I could have pulled it off.
“I spoke to your father earlier, and he said that he won’t be home until next week.”
I nod. No surprise there. “Where is he?”
“Trying to close a deal in Vancouver,” she says excitedly. She’s so proud of him it’s sickening. “He wants to have a family dinner when he returns.”
I go to open my mouth to say no thanks when the hairs on the back of my neck stand, and then I hear his voice.
“Hello, Celeste.”
She looks over my shoulder, and a bright smile lights up her face. “Hello, Cole.”
My stomach drops at her confirmation.
“Have you met my stepdaughter?” She looks back at me and starts fluffing my hair. I push her hands away. Is she trying to set me up with a madman?
“I haven’t,” he says and then chuckles.
She grips my shoulders and spins me around so fast I almost trip over my black pumps.
“This is Austin. Austin, this is Cole Reynolds. He’s a senior with you this year.”
I look up at the man who had me pinned to the ground just hours ago. The same man sliced my arm open with a knife, trying to pin me for murder. And my mouth goes dry because he’s smiling down at me. Perfectly full lips pulled back to showcase a set of pearly whites. A straight nose and high cheekbones along with a square jaw. A pair of sunglasses shields his eyes, but I can feel them running over my body just like his hands did last night.
“It’s nice to meet you,” he says, reaching out and grabbing my right hand. He leans over and gently kisses my knuckles.
I yank my hand away, and he chuckles.
“Austin!” Celeste snaps. “I’m sorry, she’s not quite herself today,” she adds when I just stand there.