single syllable. Eric. And speaking of pregnancies … Katie hasn't mentioned hers yet. Do I bring it up? God. I'd so much rather be onstage with my Wolfgang in my arms and my shades on my face. I want to pound the stage and rip the fucking faces off the audience. I want to see them crawl to me, begging for another taste of blood, and I want to give it to them. Make them scream. Flail. I want to strip them of their humanity, and then give it all back again. That's what I want to do. All I want to fucking do. “Don't ask me specifics on the relations of demons,” she whispers, eyes getting a little more glossy, a little farther away. She really does sound crazy when she talks like that. “But they had a little side business going. I don't think Hayden knew what she was getting into, but Eric did.” My hands start so shake and I'm suddenly desperate for a hit of meth, can practically feel it thrusting into my veins. Call it a sign of weakness, a lapse in strength, whatever you want. My feet start to bounce on the floor. Hungry for a beat, an escape, I don't know.
“Lemme take a wild guess.” I lean forward and bite my lower lip. “They made some adult films together? Possibly involving some pretty kinky shit? Like, I don't know, death ?” Katie sits silently, waiting for me to finish my pseudo-rant. I can't believe this. I cannot even freaking believe this.
“Eric was always sick, Naomi. There was a part of him, a good part, that wished he wasn't, but he was like my parents. He knew that then just as well as he did in his last moments. He dragged Hayden into his hell and got her stuck there. She left him, gave her child up for adoption, and started Amatory Riot with you.”
“Okay, so … where is the child now?” I think I already have the answer to my question, but I have to ask. I just have to hear her say it.
“Well,” Katie says, looking at my high heels and smiling. Her gaze travels up to the Real Ugly tattoo on my belly, the broken heart on my chest. “If I tell you this, you have to promise to keep a secret.” I'm already shaking my head.
“I don't do secrets, not anymore.”
“Not about Cassie or Hayden or Eric, but about yourself. Naomi, it doesn't matter what Eric did to me. I murdered him in plain sight and I'm done for. But you, you have possibilities.” I hate hearing Katie talk like she's ninety-five and dying of some incurable disease. She's in her twenties for fuck's sake!
“Tell me where Cassie is, and then I'll figure out who I should talk to. A lawyer or something. Hell, maybe America can represent me.”
“Naomi!” Katie screams, her voice like needles, cutting into my ears and bleeding me out on the table. “Shut your mouth and listen to me.” Katie leans forward, calming herself just enough that the guards pause on their way towards our table. I touch my fingers unconsciously to my Real Ugly tattoo. Never were truer words spoken. How else can I describe the situation we're in here? It's fucking disgusting. I hate that I'm even sitting here having this conversation. “I'll tell you what happened to Cassie and then you'll leave. You'll walk out that door and go on with your life.” I glare at her, but she just stares at me, waiting for a confirmation I guess. I can't give her one. I can't do this. “You think you're being strong for me, but you're actually weak, Naomi.” I gape at her, but she doesn't stop to let me speak. “I'm not going to have this baby, Naomi, but I can't live with myself if I murder an innocent either. Do you see where I'm coming from?” I have no clue, but my heart is ringing so loud I can't hear anything else. Murder an innocent. Don't even get started with me on that whole abortion debate bullshit – I don't care what anyone else thinks. I did what was right for me. What was right for fucking me. Doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt, that hearing my sister talk like that doesn't cut me to the core. I choke on my own heart and can only pray that
“Lemme take a wild guess.” I lean forward and bite my lower lip. “They made some adult films together? Possibly involving some pretty kinky shit? Like, I don't know, death ?” Katie sits silently, waiting for me to finish my pseudo-rant. I can't believe this. I cannot even freaking believe this.
“Eric was always sick, Naomi. There was a part of him, a good part, that wished he wasn't, but he was like my parents. He knew that then just as well as he did in his last moments. He dragged Hayden into his hell and got her stuck there. She left him, gave her child up for adoption, and started Amatory Riot with you.”
“Okay, so … where is the child now?” I think I already have the answer to my question, but I have to ask. I just have to hear her say it.
“Well,” Katie says, looking at my high heels and smiling. Her gaze travels up to the Real Ugly tattoo on my belly, the broken heart on my chest. “If I tell you this, you have to promise to keep a secret.” I'm already shaking my head.
“I don't do secrets, not anymore.”
“Not about Cassie or Hayden or Eric, but about yourself. Naomi, it doesn't matter what Eric did to me. I murdered him in plain sight and I'm done for. But you, you have possibilities.” I hate hearing Katie talk like she's ninety-five and dying of some incurable disease. She's in her twenties for fuck's sake!
“Tell me where Cassie is, and then I'll figure out who I should talk to. A lawyer or something. Hell, maybe America can represent me.”
“Naomi!” Katie screams, her voice like needles, cutting into my ears and bleeding me out on the table. “Shut your mouth and listen to me.” Katie leans forward, calming herself just enough that the guards pause on their way towards our table. I touch my fingers unconsciously to my Real Ugly tattoo. Never were truer words spoken. How else can I describe the situation we're in here? It's fucking disgusting. I hate that I'm even sitting here having this conversation. “I'll tell you what happened to Cassie and then you'll leave. You'll walk out that door and go on with your life.” I glare at her, but she just stares at me, waiting for a confirmation I guess. I can't give her one. I can't do this. “You think you're being strong for me, but you're actually weak, Naomi.” I gape at her, but she doesn't stop to let me speak. “I'm not going to have this baby, Naomi, but I can't live with myself if I murder an innocent either. Do you see where I'm coming from?” I have no clue, but my heart is ringing so loud I can't hear anything else. Murder an innocent. Don't even get started with me on that whole abortion debate bullshit – I don't care what anyone else thinks. I did what was right for me. What was right for fucking me. Doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt, that hearing my sister talk like that doesn't cut me to the core. I choke on my own heart and can only pray that
Similar Books
