“Then you continued to help him, even when your friend was at risk.”
He runs his hands through his hair. “Fuck, Ash, I never wanted to hurt you.”
“They’re going to catch up with you, Tristan. They’ll figure out Beau is innocent, and you’ll go away for a long time.”
His face flickers with rage and he reaches forward, taking my arm. “They’ll find out fuckin’ nothing. No one is going to believe anyone’s story of corrupt guards. Not when the focus is on Beau, and that fuckin’ club. It’s worked out exactly how we needed it to.”
I shake my head, snatching my arm out of his. “I wish I’d never met you.”
I turn and rush off down the path. He doesn’t try to stop me. I have no doubt he’ll go inside and ring in my location so another bullet can come flying in my direction. I have no doubt they still want me dead, so I don’t spill anything. That’s why it’s lucky for me that Maddox is waiting in an SUV down the road.
I climb in the car and turn to him.
“You get it?” he asks.
I grin. “Oh, I got it. Let’s take these fuckers down.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
The recording was enough to have Tristan, Luke, and a police officer arrested. It was also enough, with the combined evidence and Whiskey’s confession, to get Krypt out of prison. A trial will still be carried out, however it looks hopeful for him.
Maddox told me Howard also got arrested, the evidence Maddox left at the ambush scene as well as Claire’s, Santana’s and my confessions, was enough to lock him up, however Maddox said there’s a good chance he will get out. He’s got good connections.
The war isn’t over; it’s merely being put on hold. Howard will be back for his revenge.
For now, though, we’re dealing with the fact that Whiskey is in prison for something he didn’t do. Krypt isn’t taking it that well, drinking himself into oblivion every day. So much so it’s concerning. Penny returned home after everything went down, deciding that staying was just not something she wanted to do.
So that just leaves me.
It’s been three days since Krypt got out of prison. He’s sitting in the old shed, bottle of Jack in his lap, staring at nothing. Every time I’ve tried to talk to him he’s refused to answer, but today I’m not giving him a choice. He will talk to me, because otherwise he’ll kill himself drinking that much.
“Hey,” I say, walking in and sitting beside him.
He stays silent.
“Krypt.” My voice is firm. “You can’t keep doing this.”
He turns and glares at me, his eyes bloodshot.
“You said you wanted me to be your old lady, but if this is how you’re going to react every time something goes wrong, then I’m going to go inside and pack my shit right now. I’m not going to stand here and watch you sink. You either talk to me, or I leave.”
I stand and walk towards the door.
“He fuckin’ took my sentence.” His voice is low and scratchy.
I turn and stare at him. He’s watching me, his eyes pained.
“He’s going to spend time in prison, because he took on my shit.”
“He made that choice, Krypt,” I whisper. “He wouldn’t have done it otherwise.”
“I killed that son-of-a-bitch. It should be me there.”
I walk over, kneeling in front of him. “Then where would I be?” I whisper
His eyes grow even more pained. “You know what he said to me? He said, ‘I’m an old man, boy. I’ve lived my life. I’m tired and I’m sick. I ain’t got nothin’ left to offer. You got a girl, a life, and somethin’ worth fightin’ for. Don’t you fight me on this.’”
My eyes water, because it’s such an amazing thing that Whiskey did for him. “He did it because he loves you, Krypt.”
“Now he’s stuck in a fuckin’ cell!” he bellows, launching the bottle across the room and smashing it on the floor. “I’m goin’ to confess. Can’t live with this.”
He stands, knocking me backwards. He charges for the door.
“Where will that leave me?” I scream. “I love you, Beau Dawson, so where will it leave me if you go away?”
He stops, his body stiff. He turns and stares at me, his eyes wide. I push to my feet, walking over to him slowly.
“Well,” I croak, “what will I do? Whiskey gave you a gift; he didn’t give it to you for you to take it back and throw it in his face. Don’t you understand? Even if you confess, he’s in trouble now too, and both of you will pay. He gave you something because he wanted you to have it. He’s sick, Krypt. He’s only got months left; we both know that. You have an entire life. If you leave me now, what will I do?”