“I’m so sorry!” Tony tries to plead with Jared, but it's no use. He betrayed us, and in Jared’s eyes this is the worst betrayal. A horrid sound comes from his mouth then everything changes.
Betrayed
A loud noise has my ears ringing. I realize it was a gunshot, and then I realize again that it was Jared who pulled his gun out.
There are blood splatters on my shirt and arms. Jared turns around, and the look in his eyes sends a cold chill down my spine. I start to wail and sob into Jared’s chest. He wraps his arms around me as he continues to shake.
“You killed him!” I cry for Jared and for Tony, who I thought was my friend. But in actuality he had a problem and turned into the enemy. My heart is completely shattered.
He is quiet the entire time. The crunch of the dirt from the shovel is heard throughout the forest. Dirt is tossed to the side in a pile. He makes not a sound while he digs what looks like anendless hole of death. This is one of those times where it's so life changing you can’t even form words.
Jared is crushed beyond belief. I can’t imagine the heartache I would feel burying a sibling who did me wrong.
Jared’s shoulder was thankfully only skimmed by a bullet earlier. You would never know the man was partially shot as he drags his brother’s cold, dead body to its resting place.
I try to help, but he tells me to sit back down. I oblige, not wanting to add to his grief.
“Motherfucker!” he yells. Tears are cascading down my cheeks and I know this man, the love of my life, will never be the same.
Right now I am glad we’re on a motorcycle to avoid conversation. This day started off great and then ended in tragedy.
I know he just needs time to process what happened. Why on earth would Tony get back in to taking drugs? I feel like a fool, because I really thought Tony cared about me. I guess I was wrong about him in so many ways.
Was it all a lie?
I’m hurting, too; maybe not in the way Jared is, but I am. I trusted Tony with my life, and he even saved it one time. This goes to show you there is no one left to trust.
We pull up to our house, which I’m a little bit shocked about.
“Why are we back here?” I ask while hopping off the bike. Jared is silent as he storms into the house.
He is frantically throwing shit into a backpack and my head is spinning in all directions.
“Jared!” I yell, and he finally looks at me.
“We need to get the fuck out of this town right now. If Tony played me like that, who the fuck knows who else is in on it?”
“You think Grady and the guys are?” I gasp.
“I don’t know, baby, but what I do know is there is nothing more I need in life but to keep you safe and hidden away from all of this. I almost lost you tonight,” he croaks, and I slowly walk towards him.
“Babe, please look at me.” My tone is soft and unwavering. He does, and the broken look he wears cracks my heart in half.
“There was no way for you to know what your brother got himself in to. You said so yourself. He used to have a problem. He was sick, and that should not fall on you. As much as I hate your choice in work, the last thing I want is more people after us for skipping town.” I try and soothe him by raking my hands through his hair and planting a subtle kiss on his lips. He sighs at my attempt to calm him.
“I just can’t take that chance with you, baby. If I lose you…” He pauses. “I might as well be dead and buried just like Tony.” I pull him close to embrace him.
“We have to do this the smart way, Jared. We can do this together, honey. Just you and me. There has got to be a better way to leave on a clean slate.”
“There is no way out of this lifestyle, babe. You make an oath, kill or be killed. Stay loyal or you’re dead.”
As I let his words sink in, I know that we need to make a decision and we need to do it fast.
His indecisiveness is driving me crazy. It’s been two days since he killed his brother, and his mood swings are getting worse.
He spoke with Grady on the phone and told him we needed a couple of days. Grady seemed okay with taking things over at the club, because he hasn’t phoned Jared at all.
I can see the guilt eating him alive. I know he is upset that he even let Tony back into our lives, when he knew deep down there was a chance he would fall back into his old ways.