DARK FALL(48)

And speaking of beautiful… the door opened and Kaity came walking out. Her hair was still a little messy from sleep and sex. She ran a hand through her hair, tossing it back. It fell forward right away. The sight drove Erik’s heart insane. He knew if he kept Kaity around everything would get worse. Someone would get hurt, definitely. If she was used to sleeping in her car, running and hiding, then that’s where she belonged.

Erik handed Kaity his helmet. She took it and stood there for a few seconds.

“I don’t have time,” Erik said.

Kaity nodded. She put the helmet on and then leaned in and kissed Erik’s cheek. The unexpected move made Erik close his eyes. He swallowed down the emotion that came with the kiss. He then felt Kaity’s lips to his ear.

“I’m not mad at you,” she said. “I never will be.”

Kaity got on the motorcycle and without a signal, Erik took off. The engine roared, the sound bouncing through the lot. Gaige hurried right behind him and they headed to the shitty auto garage to solve some problems.

The ride felt like an eternity. Erik didn’t need to tempt himself into thinking about the regret of his decisions. He regretted most of the things he did the moment they happened. Like not killing himself before he met Kaity. Or not killing himself this morning. He regretted hiding his feelings for Kaity and the urge to send her away. He regretted allowing his body to fight through the pain and injury of the bomb. That would have been the honorable death. To go down by being murdered… that was the way to do it…

Erik turned down the road that led to the auto garage. The shithole place was mostly hidden. He stopped and Gaige came right up next to him.

“Get off,” Erik said after killing the engine.

Kaity climbed off.

“What’s the…” Gaige started to say.

Erik got off the motorcycle and walked toward the open garage bays. He heard Gaige finish his question but ignored him. There was no real plan. Plans were worth shit. This was about action.

Jack stepped from the garage bay, wiping his hands. His face was still beat up and swollen from their previous encounter.

“Hey,” Jack said.

“Came to check on the car,” Erik said.

“Oh, yeah. That’s good to go, man.”

“Who is it?” Willy’s voice boomed. He rolled out from under a car and sat up. His eyes went wide. “Oh. Hey there.”

“I told you to call me when the car was done,” Erik said.

“Just finished it,” Jack said.

“Well, yesterday we did,” Willy said. “Got caught up in other shit and I wanted to take it out for a test drive.” Willy walked toward Erik. “Hate to have her take it without making sure it ran perfectly."

“Fixed that window?” Erik asked.

“Of course,” Jack said.

Erik grabbed Jack by the shirt and pulled him close. “I also wanted to know if you remembered anything else about that car auction.”

“The car auction?” Willy asked. “Come on, man, we told you everything.”

Erik looked at Willy but didn't loosen his grip on Jack’s shirt. “Wasn’t sure if some details slipped between the cracks. You two seemed balls deep in family issues.”

Willy hung his head.

“There’s nothing else,” Jack said. “I swear on it.”

Erik looked at Jack. “Tell me what the guy looked like again.”

“Suit and tie kind of guy. A shiny gold tooth. Scar on his neck. That’s all I remember.”

“How was she?” Erik asked.

“Who?”

“Your sister-in-law. How was she?”

“Come on…”

“Answer me,” Erik said.

Willy turned. “I’ll get the car.”

“No, you stand here,” Erik said. “Listen to Jack’s answer.”

“Good,” Jack said. “Okay. It was good.”

“Just good? That’s an insult to her.”

Erik showed Jack a fist and Jack’s face went white. He nodded and turned his head. “She was the best. She took it all in. She held it deep in her mouth. She turned her head and made it feel like… ah, goddamn… it was just amazing. Every single time.”

Erik felt the instant tension in the garage and he enjoyed it. Everyone should suffer. That was the only way things felt right.

“Jack, get the car,” Erik said. “I want to talk to Willy alone.”

Willy tossed Jack the keys and Jack hurried away. Erik glanced over his shoulder and spotted Kaity with her arms crossed. Gaige stood next to her and shook his head.

Fuck you, Erik thought. Fuck all of you.

“Anything else happen at those auctions?” Erik asked.