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Jake's posture straightened, as if he were proud-or pissed-while Avery's shrank.
"Oh, I talked to her." He gloated, "I called to thank her for her generosity in letting you come with me. Imagine how surprised I was to learn that you didn't. That you just fucking ran off!"
"You had no right checking up on me!" Avery backed away and steadied herself against the dresser, keeping the folded pocket knife in her grasp. Was he lying? Did he really talk to Deanna? If by some miracle he did, had Deanna told Jake what happened? Was that the real reason he was so angry?
"Because you're so trustworthy." His hands rolled into fists. "You can tell Deanna all about how shitty I am when she gets here, in a few minutes."
Jake shrugged, as if the news was nothing. As if Angels' plans, as if her life, didn't matter at all.
That was unacceptable.
Avery couldn't flinch, now. The situation was beyond hesitation, beyond the point of return. She couldn't take back what she'd said to Jake. Or what he'd said to Deanna. Angel would suffer, either way. So there was no point in trying to settle anything, was there?
All that was left was the unanswered question: what if?
Avery was too curious to stop pushing. Her compulsion was born of a wonderment that would not be satisfied until the confrontation reached crescendo and completion. Avery had to know what Jake would do next. She had to.
"I'm not leaving with Deanna."
"I'm not going to jail for you. I asked you to move in with me. To marry me!" He nearly screamed at her.
"You can't make me leave."
And then, the impossible happened again. Angry Jake got more angry. So angry, that he laughed. He got very close-closer-stepping on Avery's bare toes with his big boot, and whispering in her ear.
"If I have to stuff you in the damn trunk myself, I will. And there is nothing you can do about it. You are a fucking liar and I don't want you here. Maybe you should call Troy, tell him how proud you are. You're his problem, now."
Avery knew his words were actually threats and reacted.
The first two times the blade stuck him between his ribs, Avery expected a big reaction. But it was as if he didn't feel it. Jake simply lumbered back, gazing at her as if she were speaking some unknown language.
His hand moved up over his abdomen. The rippling anger that made him laugh and threaten her pulled back like receding water. It was sucked too far out to sea, exposing too much beach. Jake broke his gaze, looking down at his hand.
"Angel?" He saw the red on his palm and stopped. He got that look on his face again, like she was an alien creature. "What did you do?"
If this were a normal conversation, Avery would have laughed. It was such a stupid thing to say. It seemed that Jake was in shock, but only for a second.
He went for the phone. Maybe because it was closer than the door. Avery's hand shot out to stop him. She was still holding the knife, moving it quickly, wherever she could find flesh. She got his back when he turned, his leg when he tried to jump over the bed and fell. It seemed he didn't want to fight with her and that made her want to keep going. How far would she have to go to make Jake defend himself?
But he kept backing away, like he only wanted out.
Avery saw the fear in his eyes as the blade slashed across his forearm, but she didn't stop. She moved faster, plunged deeper. She couldn't think of anything except, what if I keep going? When will Jake stop me? How?
The blade was sharper than it looked and she wouldn't let go of it. Not when Jake tried to take it from her, not when his back hit the wall, not even when he fell to the floor, begging her to stop. When he cried out for help, she just kept trying to make him be quiet. She didn't stop trying until Jake did.
And then, she took a deep breath.
Before she could gather her thoughts, before she felt that surge of peace she desperately needed there was another knock.
It was the busiest night ever, like Grand Central Station or something. Avery never had so much company in her life. When she began turning the knob to see who was outside-she wasn't going to let them in. She was only checking-but Angelica must have seen the door handle move and anticipated. She tried to barge in, probably desperate to get away from the orgy that had formed in the room three doors down and she wasn't going to spend another minute waiting to celebrate being the newest member of Analog Controller. It was the greatest night of her life. They were going to be huge. She was sure of it.
But Avery kept her body behind the door, wedging her foot so it barely opened enough to peek out.
"There's a chubby black lady looking for you." Angelica chuckled, her face falling when the door did not give way to her pressure. "Don't you feel any better?"
Avery's heart was racing. She knew it had to be Deanna. "Go away." She slammed the door in the girl's face and locked the chain bolt at the top.
As Avery paced, her confusion and anger grew. Angelica's message-'a chubby black lady looking for you'-verified Jakes warning.
