“I’ve never been happier to see someone in my life. This place just isn’t the same without you.”
“I’m sure you’re just exaggerating.”
Helping her up, he shook his head. “Nope, I’m not. It was a morgue around here.”
“Why?”
“No one really talked. We didn’t joke around, an’ we barely ate. We all just sat around waitin’ for you to wake up.”
“Aw, well I’m okay now, so things can get back to normal.” She looked around. “Where’s Zach?”
“After he tried to kill ya, we banned ‘im from even lookin’ at ya.”
“What?”
“He hasn’t been allowed downstairs since last night.”
“What do you mean he tried to kill me?”
He shrugged. “I dunno. He kept yellin’ how you were sufferin’ an’ he didn’t want ya to suffer just to die anyway. He threatened to shoot me, Brandon, Trevor, an’ Frank if we didn’t get outta his way.”
“Zach did?”
“Yes. He shoved the barrel right in our faces.”
“I see.”
“Yeah, we’ve been takin’ turns keepin’ watch over you an’ keepin’ him away at the same time. Sophia had to push him outta the room. Montana even took him off watch duty, which the other guys weren’t happy about.”
“Well, I’m up now, and I’m starving. Help me get to the kitchen so I can get something to eat.”
Once they were in the break room, he helped her sit at the table. He ran in each bedroom yelling the same thing, “Hey guys. She’s awake!”
Brandon hopped up and raced in to see for himself, sliding as he did. He rushed over, hugging her. “You made it! How are ya feelin’?”
Hugging him back, she patted his arm. “Starving, but other than that I’m good.”
Justice brought her in a plate of watermelon. “Here, my grandma used to tell me when ya need to be hydrated, or ya just got drunk off your ass, the best thing to eat is some good old fashioned, juicy watermelon.”
Popping a piece in her mouth, she chewed. “Mm, that’s just what the doctor ordered too.”
Sophia and Montana rushed in, both hugging her from either side.
“Oh, I’m so happy to see you,” Sophia said, kissing the top of her head. “Let me get my doctor’s bag an’ make sure you’re okay.”
Montana smiled. “You were sorely missed, my Dear. Please, don’t do that again.”
She smiled, returning the hug. “Trust me. I’m not planning on it. Once was enough.”
Sophia returned, opening her black bag. “How’s the area where you were bitten?” She took out the stethoscope, listening as she held it pressed to her back.
“I’m not sure how it is now, but while I was suffering I thought my whole arm was in a fire.”
“Well, let’s take a look at it an’ see how bad the scar is.” Pulling off the bandages, she sighed. “You know there’s gonna be a deep scar. I think if we put some,” she paused as she cleaned off her arm.
Her silence alerted Candice, and she turned to look at her. “What’s wrong?”
She grabbed the rag swiping it across her arm. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“What is it?”
“There’s no scarrin’, nothin’ missin’, not even a scab. It’s as if ya didn’t get hurt at all.”
Justice peered around her and whistled. “Holy shit, she’s right!”
Brandon touched her arm. “Wow, not even a scratch.”
Candice tried to look. “How is that possible?”
Sophia shrugged. “I dunno. It must be somethin’ to do with the virus. It stopped your bleedin’, ran its course, an’ healed your scars.”
Rachel ran in and hugged her. “Oh man, like you had us all scared to death.”
Zach raced in the room, rushing over to her holding her, crying softly. “Oh baby, I’m so glad to see you’re okay. I thought for sure you were going to die.”
She patted Rachel and Zach. “Nope, I guess it takes more than some virus to take me out.”
Trevor sat down. “So was ‘at like a wild ride, or what?”
“Yep, one I never want to take again.”
Sophia hugged her again, crying softly. “We found out some really good news from your experience.”
“What’s that?”
“That some people do survive.”
“Yep, but damn do those people need a shower.”
Justice brought out more watermelon. “As soon as ya finish your watermelon you can. You should drink a little water too. That way you aren’t passin’ out while you’re in the shower.”
Brandon stood, walking in the kitchen. “That’s not food. I’m gonna make us a breakfast celebration.”
Trevor clapped, and cheered. “Oh yeah, that means we’re gonna be eatin’ real food again!”
“Turnin’ the generators on now so she can shower an’ I can cook.”
Candice looked over at Trevor. “You say real food. Was he serving up mice again?”
“I heard that.”
After her plate of watermelon, she took a quick shower, scrubbing her hair with three washings to get it clean. When she finished, she stepped out of the stall and dressed quickly in the clothes that Sophia set out for her. While towel drying her hair, she was surprised by the knock at the door. “Come in.”
Zach opened the door, and after stepping inside, he leaned against the wall watching her. “I’m so glad to see you made it out in one piece.”
She glanced at him as she continued to dry her hair. “Yeah, I heard about you trying to end my suffering.”
“Baby, it wasn’t like that.”
“Then tell me what it was like.”
“For all I knew, for all any of us knew you were dying. You weren’t going to live to see another day. You just kept rocking, hitting your head into the wall. I could tell you were in pain and I didn’t want you to suffer.”
“Good news. I made it.”
He sighed. “I know, and I’m sorry.” He blinked when she turned to glare at him, “Not that you made it, of course I’m happy about that. I’m sorry I didn’t have enough faith in you to know that you would beat this.”
“Yeah.”
“Can we just wipe the slate clean and forget about everything like we used to?”
“We did that over stupid arguments. Your trying to kill me isn’t the same as forgetting to take the trash out and dealing with a smelly garage for a week. You wanted to end my suffering so bad that you threatened to kill four men in the process.”
“I wasn’t going to kill them.”
She took off her engagement ring, setting it on the counter. “I’m not doing this with you. The one person I counted on to watch out for me was the one who tried to kill me.”
“Baby, don’t do this to us.”
“The one person I asked for when I woke up was the one person banned from even coming near me.”
“I’m sorry! It’s not like what it seems.”
“The one person, who should’ve had my back, was trying to stab a knife in it.”
“Baby, please. Don’t do this.”
“You already did it.” She turned, walking out the door.
Twenty-Eight
The table had plates of food; biscuits, gravy, scrambled eggs covered in melted cheese, bacon, and potatoes. Brandon called it a celebration breakfast, but it wasn’t any different from any of the other breakfasts. They still were on ration mode and it was more about stretching every meal as far as he could.
Candice walked back downstairs, taking a seat at the table. “Good lord, where did you get all this food?”
Brandon arched a brow, looking over at her. “You forget we have a freezer where we keep a lot of food. We’re getting low on the bacon an’ sausage, so soon we won’t have ‘at any longer.”
“Ugh, no bacon sounds rough.”
Justice sat down. Right away, he noticed her bare finger, and the missing engagement ring. “I’m sorry if I caused anything.
”
She waved her hand. “It’s all good.”
“Are ya okay?”
“I will be.”
“If there’s anything I can do just let me know.”
“If it wasn’t for you four guys, I wouldn’t be here right now. I’ll be okay. I just need to get over what almost happened. He has issues he needs to work out on his own.”
Leaning against the doorframe, Zach stood, shaking his head. “Talking about me now?”
“Just telling them what happened. It’s kind of obvious. I’m not wearing your ring.”
“Ya know I’m not sure who to hate more right now, you or me. I might have been wrong for trying to kill you, even though I had the best intentions, but what you’re doing is just as bad, because of him of all people?”
Turning to look at him, Justice arched a brow. “What the hell is he talkin’ about?”
Waving a hand, she shook her head. “Ignore him. He’s a jealous idiot.”
Looking at him, Justice sighed. “Really, that’s the best ya got after almost killin’ ‘er? Ya wanna turn it around an’ blame someone else? Don’t go there. You’ll just embarrass yourself.”
“Zach, don’t do this right now, just leave it alone. You don’t know what you’re talking about and you’re making assumptions in the totally wrong area.”
Pointing his finger at Justice, he groaned. “Leave it alone? He’s been working on you since we first met him.”
“No, I think that was Erica, actually.”
“Regardless, he’s one of those guys who play girls.”
“What are you talking about?”
“He uses them for what he can get then moves on to the next. You’re just a stepping stone for the likes of him and you’re too stupid to realize it.”
“Now I’m stupid?”
Brandon winced, shaking his head slightly, looking from one to the other. “Dude, you’re just diggin’ your grave deeper.”
Sighing, Zach shook his head, looking at her. “No, you’re not stupid. That’s not what I meant. You’re playing right into hands. By ending things with me you’re leaving the door wide open for Justice.”
Brandon looked from Justice to Candice, and then Zach. “Wait, you think Justice an’ Candice are hookin’ up?” He looked at Trevor. “Did I miss somethin’?”
Trevor nodded, chewing a piece of bacon, looking between them. “Yeah, but don’t feel bad. I missed it too.”
Rolling her eyes, Candice groaned. “God, you’re such a dip shit! I’m so tired of your jealousy. It has destroyed our relationship. You trying to kill me destroyed the rest of it.”
Running his hand through his hair, he exhaled “You’re never going to forgive me for that, are you?”
“You’re unbelievable. You were supposed to be the only person in this house who had my back, not the one trying to stab it. I woke up, happily looking for you and you weren’t there.”
“They wouldn’t let me see you.”
“You tried to kill me!”
“I love you Candice and I have for five years. Doesn’t that count for something?”
Rolling his eyes, Justice scoffed. “Tryin’ to kill ‘er while she’s tryin’ to get better doesn’t sound like true love to me.”
Picking up her plate of food, Candice walked past him to the kitchen. “Yeah, it counts for you killing my appetite.”
“Leave it buddy. You’ve lost ‘er. There’s no need for this to get ugly, just let it go. Don’t lose your dignity too.” Justice told him before turning and following her to the kitchen.
Snarling Zach growled as he picked up the knife. He visualized the two of them hooking up and saw red. He rushed forward; knife in hand, his intent and victim perfectly obvious: Justice. Standing at the kitchen, Candice noticed a gleam of light like someone flashed it in her eyes. Turning she saw the knife in Zach’s hands and that he was coming for Justice. She dropped the plate in the sink, racing back to throw herself between them to push Zach back. Only he thrust the knife forward and stabbed her in the side. Her face blanched from horror as she felt the knife go in.
Zach stepped back, horror written on his face for what he just did. When he stepped back, he pulled the knife back too, with wide-open mouth and eyes. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry! I don’t know what happened.”
Brandon dropped his fork, mouth open as he stared at Candice in shock. “Good night! Did anyone else see how fast she moved? It was like watchin’… I think it was Superman that moved that fast!”
Trevor looked from Brandon to Candice. “Did he just stab ‘er?”
Justice had turned around just in time to see it all take place and grabbed a clean rag from the kitchen. “Sophia, bring the bag!” He yelled before turning and racing to Candice.
Lifting her shirt, she danced around looking for a sign of blood or a wound. “Where is it?”
He grabbed her, holding her still, as he helped her search, lifting her shirt and checking her over. “I saw him cut you.”
“I know he did! I felt it going in!”
As she danced around, Zach dropped the knife. It clattered to the floor as he whimpered, covering his face in horror. “Oh my God, baby. I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to stab you!”
“This just isn’t my fucking week.”
Sophia rushed over. Between the three of them, they searched for the wound that should have been gushing blood, only there wasn’t any. “Where did he cut ‘er? I don’t see anything!”
Trevor looked over, arching a brow slightly. “Whoa! Did I miss somethin’?”
Brandon nodded. “Yeah, Zach went after Justice with a knife. Only he stabbed Candice instead. Now, Justice an’ Sophia are lookin’ for the stabbin’, but I don’t see any blood.”
Shaking his head, Justice shrugged. “There is no blood. There’s not even a mark.”
Candice pointed under her ribs. “It felt like it went in right there.”
Zach cried. “It was an accident!”
Candice, Justice, and Sophia watched as the wound, which was a straight line across her flesh, healed itself closed.
Sophia swallowed, stepping back. “Am I dreamin’, or did I see what I think I just saw?”
Justice shook his head, touching where the gash was, feeling nothing but smooth skin. “Nope, I saw it too, an’ now it’s gone.”
Candice nodded, arching a brow. “Yep, I saw it.”
Frank grabbed Zach, spinning him around, pressing his back into his chest. He pulled his hands around his head, interlocking his fingers, keeping him in a tight headlock. “I think we need a jail for you. You’re like some wild card, dude.”
Brandon shook his head, watching Zach. “Man, what the hell’s your problem? You couldn’t kill ‘er before so you’re gonna do it now that she survived the virus? You’re one fuckin’ piece o’ work.”
Trevor took a bite of his biscuit. “More like a hot mess.”
Candice looked at Sophia curiously. “Okay, so what does that mean?”
Sophia shrugged. “I dunno, but if I had to guess I’d say that virus gave ya somethin’ a lot better ‘an just life. It gave ya the ability to rapidly heal too.”
Brandon looked confused. “What are you talkin’ about? Is ‘at possible?”
Justice pointed at her ribs. “The cut, where he stabbed ‘er with ‘at big ass knife ‘at should be bleedin’ all over her, an’ probably killin’ ‘er just healed itself. It mended closed an’ there’s not even a scar.”
“Get the fuck outta town.”
“No seriously, it was like it didn’t happen.”
Frank blinked, still holding onto the squirming Zach. “Whoa, so it killed Erica, but turned Candice into a super hero? How fuckin’ cool is ‘at?” He jerked his arm down, tightening around Zach’s neck. “Maybe we should lock this idiot up in the room.”
Zach cried, struggling against Frank. “I didn’t mean to cut her. It was an accident.”
Sighing, Candice shook her head, pointing at him. “Let ‘im go.”
> “Hell no, what if he succeeds in killin’ ya next time? Third time could be the charm, ya know?” Frank argued, not releasing his catch.
“Release him.”
Sighing, he did as she ordered. “I’m tellin’ ya. He’s a wild card.”
Zach looked down at the floor. “I’m so sorry. It was an accident.”
Candice nodded. “I know. You meant to hit Justice. Do you realize if you had stabbed him, he would be dead right now?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened. I just saw red.”
“You need to get control of your issues, and your actions. We need to work together here, not try to kill each other.”
“Maybe you and I should go and talk things through. We can work through this. Please baby, don’t give up on me.”
“No. We’re through, but that doesn’t mean you need to start killing people.”
Shaking her head, Rachel took a bite of her eggs. “Like drama, drama, drama; it’s like a soap opera around here.”
“I never got into those because they always seemed so unreal and annoying.”
“Yeah, well now we’re like living in one.”
Ian looked around, quietly eating his breakfast now that his appetite had returned. “I still offer my services. Sometimes it helps to just talk things through instead of raw aggression.”
Twenty-Nine
It was a couple of hours later, the group sat around the picnic table in the break room. Tempers flared and everyone was getting on each other’s nerves. On one side of the room was Brandon, Trevor, Montana, and Sophia. On the other side was Rachel, Howard, Ian, Frank, and Zach. Justice stood in the middle of the room beside Candice.
Montana looked over curiously. “Okay Candice, why did ya call this meetin’?”
Pushing off the wall, she stood in the center of the room, looking at each of them. “Okay, we need to decide what we’re going to do here.”
Looking up at her, Brandon furrowed his brows. “Well, what’re we talkin’ about? What is it we need to decide?”
Trevor nodded. “Yeah, I feel like I missed a memo or somethin’. I’ve been gettin’ that feelin’ a lot lately.”
“Yeah, you an’ me both.”
Beautiful Death (Bella Morté Trilogy Book 1) Page 26
