Pieces of Autumn by Mara Black

Author:Mara Black
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2014-07-29T23:00:00+00:00

I had to get rid of the pills.

There was a hollowed-out place in my chest where I'd once held her trust. I needed it back. I didn't know if it would make a difference, but I had to try. If nothing else, it was a gesture.

Not exactly flowers and chocolates, but it was the best I could do.

It took me a while, but I formulated a plan. After a few fingers of whiskey, I was ready.

I had to trust her.

The panic thrummed in my chest, almost like I'd been shoved in a small room with a locked door. I no longer believed she was sent to kill me, but that hardly mattered. She'd be the death of me either way.

Shrugging out of my jacket, I sat down and pulled my revolver out of its holster. The grip was warm in my hand. I checked it compulsively. As always, just one bullet. Chambered and ready to fire.

It was my insurance policy.

I could have given her any gun, but this was about trust.

How much did I trust her, exactly?

Before I realized what I was doing, the gun was back in its holster.

Well, all right. Maybe not that much trust. But I could arm her anyway.

I picked one of the other small revolvers from my collection, similar, but different. Something gnawed at me. I should give her mine. The one I kept next to my heart, in case they tried to take me back.

But I couldn't.

I walked up to her room, very slowly, feeling like my heart would crawl out of my throat.

"Autumn."

Her door was still wedged partially open, with the loveseat behind it.

"What?" Her voice was cautious and restrained. I stepped just inside the threshold, holding the gun by the barrel. Her eyes widened when she saw it, shoulders suddenly tight, panic rising.

Even though I was holding the grip out to her, I stopped. Waited. As she stared at the gun, trying to process what was happening, I kept my face carefully neutral.

Her eyes finally flicked to my face, and then to the lockbox tucked under my arm.

"What is this?"

Wordlessly, I came close enough to set the box in her hands. The key was sticking out of the lock, and she pulled it open to examine the rattling contents.

She exhaled, softly.

"Is this all of them?"

I nodded. "My hand to God."

She snorted. "You don't believe in God."

I half-shrugged. "My hand to whatever, then. You can search the house, if you like."

Autumn looked up at me, eyes narrowed. "Everything's locked."

"I'll unlock it." The words physically hurt, like jagged glass coming out of my throat, but I forced myself to go on. "I'll unlock anything you want. You never asked."

Her expression said oh, for fuck's sake. But she didn't protest any further, touching every bottle of pills, before she closed the lid and turned the key.

"Hide them wherever you like," I said. "Hide the key. No matter what I say, or do, never let me have it. Never tell me where it is."

"That's an awful lot of responsibility for a sex slave.

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