“Yeah that’s true,” Travis replies. “Especially when you weren’t there. Lance liked bragging that his dad helped you out, got you a job, and now you do anything they say. He thought it was hilarious.”
Fucking unbelievable. What a douchebag. After everything I did for him.
I shouldn’t be so mad at Glenn and Travis — really, I ought to thank them for being real — but I’m still pretty fucking pissed. “And what about you two? You think he gave a shit about you?”
Glenn shrugs. “I doubt it. He hung with us for the same reason as you: he needed an entourage. He bought us drugs, we helped him get laid. You… you did the driving.”
Travis snorts. “You were also the muscle, in case shit went down.”
“Yeah,” Glenn agrees. “We’re sorry about Lance, but hey — if you hook us up with some primo, you can roll with us. Just don’t cock block us again.”
Fucking hell.
Turning away, I see Stacey listening to us. I give her two twenties from my wallet to pay my tab. By the time I’m done, Glenn and Travis have already moved on.
Fuck those assholes.
Disgusted, I leave.
Chapter 22
Nightmares of Corbin plague me until morning. Reveling in my triumph, I’d told myself I’d sleep like a baby, but I suppose my subconscious felt otherwise. Is that normal after taking a life? I may be free of guilt, but not worry. In one dream I’m back in the dungeon, still waiting for Reed to take Corbin away, when the corpse rises and comes for me. In another, he kills Reed and takes me back to the locker, promising to send me down into its depths and never bring me back up.
In the last, which leaves me in a puddle of cold sweat and keeps me up until the wake-up call, Corbin and Reed come after me together. Somehow I kill Corbin, but then Reed refuses to let me leave.
You have to do it, he says, resigned to his fate.
No!
It’s the only way.
I shake my head, refusing to accept the truth. His eyes glow demonically and a gun appears in his hand, so I scream and plunge the knife into Reed’s heart. Sobbing as he bleeds out, I hold him.
It’s okay, he whispers.You had no choice.
Yes I did, I say, feeling his warm life slick between my fingers. And then he’s gone.
I don’t know, if the dream had continued, if I’d have escaped and been safe. Dreams never show you how things end, only how you’ll feel. What if Reed does get in the way of my escape? Would I kill him? It’s unimaginable… unless Amber is right. What if he betrays me? How will I feel about killing him then?
Tossing and turning I ask myself these questions. Fatigued, confused and afraid, I wonder who I’ve become, and what’s real. I’m wide awake when Edwin and Hunter arrive to get us up.
The women grumble as they take their places in line, likely short on sleep as well — if nothing else, I’ve given them a lot to think about. I catch them looking around as the guards cuff us all: Corbin’s absent, of course, but so is Reed. Today seems like a bad choice for a day off, so where is he?
Throughout our shower and breakfast, the women don’t make a sound. No one even whispers during breakfast — we keep our heads down, eyes in our cereal bowls. I’m the only one who watches the guards, though I try not to stare.
More than once, Laura fumbles her spoon, nearly dropping it. She gasps when she catches it, causing Edwin to fly out of his seat. His eyes dart around, giving all of us a thorough look, then he saunters over.
“Something wrong?” he asks Laura, lifting up her bowl. “Not hungry?”
“No, sir,” she says, a pair of tears falling.
“Eat.”
“Yes, sir.”
The second Edwin sets down her cereal she tears into it, choking down the soggy bran. After a few bites she stops suddenly, her face graying.
Oh fuck, keep it together, I think, trying to will her to stay cool.