Bladestay by Jackie Johnson

Author:Jackie Johnson [Johnson, Jackie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CamCat Publishing

Theo got to her feet and unhinged the razor. She put August’s chin in her thumb and forefinger and tilted his head back farther. He watched her carefully as she placed the edge of the straight razor against his neck. She ran it upward, leaving smooth skin in its wake.

She bent down, rinsed it, and placed the blade back against his throat.

One swift slice was all it would take.

She couldn’t think of a single reason she shouldn’t do it. She could hide after she opened his neck, wait for her backup to arrive come sundown.

She smoothed another portion of his throat.

“Can I ask you something?” Theo asked.

“Always,” August said.

Theo paused on that response.

“Why haven’t you told me what Lucas Haas took from you?”

August gave her his half grin. “We’ve had this conversation.”

She slowly scraped up to his jawline. “Have we?” She rinsed the blade again. “You told me a story, but that was before you trusted me to run a blade against your throat,” she said as she did just that. “I would think we’re beyond pretenses now, Mr. Gaines.”

He leaned back slightly. “You think I was lyin’?”

“Not all pretenses are false.” She tilted his head to the side and made another pass. “This ain’t only about revenge, is it?”

“Not much escapes you, do it, kid?”

Theo changed her approach.

She touched the side of his head, at his temple where sprouts of gray had emerged. “Do you ever think, Mr. Gaines . . .”

He narrowed his eyes at her.

“Do you ever think what it would be like, to have a single moment of quiet up here?”

He swallowed. “All the time.”

She dropped her hand back to his chin and nodded sadly. She scraped the last strip of scruff on his neck. Then she kept it pressed there, in the crook of his jawline, slightly more pressure than necessary to raze hair.

He calmly held her gaze.

“Does is it ever get easier?” She made her whisper sound like a plea, the knife against his throat as if this were the information she was extracting from him.

“In a manner.” He made no move to withdraw her hand, no effort to take the blade from vulnerability. “You learn to find purpose in it.”

She withdrew the blade.

He made no reaction, as if she had never pressed the blade there to begin with.

“Those demons that plague you?” he said. “You learn how to harness them. You learn how to use them as a weapon.” August sighed wearily. “I’m not sure that makes it easier. But I believe it makes it worthwhile.”

Theo stepped out of his personal space and swiped at her face. She shook her head. “What’s the rule?”

August frowned. “What rule?”

“You said you had one rule.”

“Ah.” He slid off the rock and knelt back at the water’s edge. “You don’t apologize.” He splashed the remainder of the soap from his neck and chin. Then he looked up at her and said, “Not when it comes to the choices made in order to survive.”

As August redressed, Theo finished replenishing the waters.

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