Bree's POV
My finger pulls on the trigger without thinking—the way he taught me to do it.
The impact makes him take a step back, and he looks slightly surprised that I had the audacity to pull it.
He has always threatened the many ways that he could expose me and ruin my life—but it's too late for that. He has already ruined it. I'm not letting it happen for a moment longer.
The thud of his knees hitting the ground follows the ringing of the gun blast. It feels like something has both suffocated my chest and lifted off my shoulders.
And a part of me wonders why I didn't do it a very long time ago. It seemed easier to give in than to fight, because even when I knew I was doing wrong I could still say I was being forced to.
But without him, I have my own conscience that I will face.
He coughs. Blood spurts from his mouth, splattering along his lips and chin. He swallows deeply and smiles, his teeth also coated in blood.
He looks like monster. But to me, he has always looked like a monster.
His brown eyes suddenly look so familiar. They become filled with pain, and I suddenly realise they're my eyes. They're the eyes my father gave to me, before he filled them with pain.
The life leaves his eyes before his body hits the ground.
Elijah rushes forward to help his sister. His hand shakes when he pulls her close and hugs her tight.
She laughs. "I knew you would come."
"I thought you were . . ."
"Dead? Yeah, I know. I'm glad I'm not. I'm kind of excited to live with you so I didn't really want to die yet." She pulls out of the big and looks up at him.
My gaze drifts back to Antonio. His eyes remain open, staring at the white ceiling.
I turn to Jamie. He is also staring at the dead body, his mouth opening and closing like a fish taken out of water.
My heart tightens. Now he knows what I am. A monster. A killer.
He looks at me and holds his hand out for me. "Come."
My body crumples when he hugs me, my body shaking. Tears soak into his shirt and he only squeezes me tighter.
Falling apart is hard, and I'm so glad he is here to hold me together for a moment.
I wish it was Elijah, but of course Elijah still hates me. Maybe he hates me a little bit less now that he knows his sister is still alive—but I don't think I will be getting a hug from him in a long time.
When I finally feel like my legs won't fail me, I pull back out of the hug. I wipe the backs of my hands against my cheeks.
"He has a video," I tell Jamie. "Of me. I need to find it and delete it. We need to hide Antonio."
"And then we all need to get out of here and start therapy," Jamie adds.
"What video?" Elijah's voice comes from behind me. He is close. His voice is raw with withheld emotions.
I stand up straighter. I want to turn and look at him but my body refuses. "Blackmail. He gave me an . . . assignment, and then recorded me so that he could make sure I wouldn't be able to leave. I knew the only way I could stop this was by killing Antonio, but I just never had the guts."
"Look at me," Elijah insists.
My heart squeezes. I slowly turn to face him. There are dark circles under his eyes. He still looks beautiful, but more haunted than before.
His eyes trail over me slowly, as if he is seeing me differently. I was always able to recognise the look in his eyes as being related to love and affection, but now I am not so sure. I wish that look would come back.
"Jamie, take Kasey home." He turns to his sister. "Go home. Get showered. Jamie will get something for you to eat." He hugs her tight. "I'll see you soon. You're okay now."
She nods, hugging him back tight.
Jamie leads her out the room and takes my car keys to take her home. The room falls silent and my eyes find their way back to Antonio.
His skin has paled and he no longer looks human.
"You've gotten rid of bodies before, right?" Elijah asks. I nod. "Get rid of your . . . father. I'll destroy his computer and his records."
My eyes find his. I wish I could read his mind. "Why are you helping me?"
"I don't know." He sits in Antonio's chair, pulling open his desk drawers. "Because I'm your best friend. I can help you hide a body."
•<•>•
What's the craziest thing you've done for your best friend?
T w i t t e r : xPineappleGirlx
I n s t a g r a m : laylaawrites
Y o u t u b e : xThePineappleGirlx
Lots of love and jelly tots - xThePineappleGirlx
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Teen FictionBree Portman has a rather unusual job. She is paid to kill people, and her next target is the one and only Elijah Lancaster - her ex-best friend. He is known to be a man whore, and it seems that he 'accidentally' slept with a married woman. Now, som...
