Our Love, Our Mutual Destruction

lia

ssing my explosive reactions. He expected a bottle to be

Dahlia was

ed. I walked around the counter and placed one in front of Grac

ne, almost childlike adoration as she looked at Brooks. "You

he mug up

" he said, his voice low and laced with a double meaning onl

he was looking at me, a deep, consuming gaze that felt like a physical touch. S

tes. Young men in expensive suits, their faces flushed with alcohol and entitle

lion, always circling, waiting for a scrap. They had see

then looked to Carl

rd their table. As I approached, they flinched, one o

mage of my war with Brooks

of them whispered to Carlo

ng sip of his drink. He knew thi

s down and tu

and shot out and grabbed my arm. "Could you take a picture

y manicured hand on my sleeve

me. He just took out his wallet, pulled out a thick wad of cash, and he

terfall that landed in a messy pile on the floor at my feet. "Take the damn

ttered on the worn linoleum. Then, slowly, I bent

r voice dripping with fake sym

e crumpled bills clutched in my fist. "He's not offering me m

"She's not wrong. For the r

let him

tie, yanking his face down to my level. I shoved the wad of crump

oured the hot liquid down his throat, forcing him to swallow the money-

snickering hyena's face in a slap that echo

th," I hissed, my face inches fr

ly sound the relentless drumming

slow drink from his mug, as if

ence, her voice trembling with indig

lapped her too. Hard. Th

his pristine white shirt. A slow, dangerous smile spread across his face.

ed her red cheek. "How do you want to get her back, darling?" he ask

k of shock and hatred. She nodded,

ed his fingers. "Tear it down,"

wo of them went out to a truck and cam

he glass, kicked holes in the drywall. The sound of splintering wood and breaking gla

mall café was a wreck, a pile

nd, his thumb stroking my cheek. "See, Dahlia? I can give you everything. And I can take it all away

I stumbled through the debris, my eyes searching for my pu

fumbling with the clasp. I

ession one of cold amusemen

hand, and casually tossed it into a large

hing his eyes. He wrapped an arm around a sobbing Gra

n the ruins of my life, th

le out of the murky water. I twisted the cap off and dry-swa

s needed. In the last week, since he' d come

n't enough. It w

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