But Only In Red Ink || #Wattys2017

Chapter Twenty-Six

Michael

I felt terrible for doing it to her, taking her away from her family and her dreams. But she was the only thing keeping me from killing not only other people, but from killing myself. Most of the time I wanted to anyways because I was hurting her. I was constantly abusing her, threatening her, scaring her. I never wanted to do that to her. I always hated to admit it, but I was afraid. Afraid that I would get put in prison or death row. Then Rebecca wouldn't have any parents at such a young age. Hell, she's having a child. The baby wouldn't have any grandparents besides their father's. And who the hell knows if he'll stay in the child's life. I knew Tia would help her if she needed anything. Tia was always such a good friend to her.

As I watched her go into the nearest Chick-Fil-A, I got a call from my brother. "Where the hell are you trying to go?" He sounded panicked.

"You idiot, you know damn well I can't tell you that over the phone," I snapped.

"So how the hell am I supposed to know?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe you won't. It won't hurt you any."

"But her, Michael. Tia! You have to think about her and her safety," he stated. "What if something happens and you end up dead, she won't know where she is to get back home!"

"Carlisle, I got it. Alright? She's gonna be just fine." I looked up to see her come back out and walk towards the car. "I gotta go. She's getting in the car." I hung up and set my phone down.

She got in and sat, setting the bags on the floor and the drinks in the cup holders. She sighed softly and put her seatbelt on.

She wanted me to take her by McCray so she could say her last goodbyes to her father. She'd already cried when stopping to see her sister. How I understood it, was that she told her sister she was staying at our house and needed her clothes. They stopped, hugged and sobbed. Lights for the reason of Ryan. Tia for the reasons of both Ryan and herself.

Once she finished with her father, she settled in the car again and stared at me as I drove. "What," I asked.

"How are you doing this," She asked. "Just running away and taking me with you. How am I letting you do this? Why haven't I killed you yet myself?"

I shook my head. "Because I threatened your family, as always, and you couldn't kill me if you tried. Not just because I'm better skilled than you, but because you just might be in love with me." I hoped.

I could see her face change from the corner of my eye. "What? No! I'm not in love with you, Michael. I hate you. Don't you realize that? Do I need to write it out? I. Hate. You."

I shook my head, trying not to believe it. This is not what I wanted! "No, you don't hate me. That's not that feeling in your stomach or in your chest. You don't hate me. You just don't want to love me, but you do."

"Why are you being so paranoid? How do you do that? Teach me, Michael," she demanded. "Teach me how to be that paranoid. Teach me how to control someone's feelings. I want to know. I want you to feel what those people felt when you killed them."

I snorted. "They didn't feel anything. They died."

"Michael!" She shouted.

I stopped at the red light and shifted myself to face her, the way she was facing me. Her knee was in the seat and she was sitting on her foot, while the other leg rested on the floor. So adorable. "I'm gonna need you to stop speaking to me like you don't know who I am. Do you understand me? You know I'm under a whole lot of fucking pressure right now, and I'm trying not to fucking strangle you." The cars behind us honked their horns at us. "I don't want to hear another word from you unless I ask for your opinion on something, or unless I ask you what's on your mind. Understand?"