N9ne: The Tale of Kevin Clearwater (King, #9)(75)

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NINE

I reach the top of the bridge two seconds too late. Just in time to watch Lenny fall from the top of the causeway for the second time in my life.

It’s one of my nightmares and the very last thing I ever wanted to see again. It’s why I didn’t want to get close to her. It’s why I couldn’t stand the thought of losing her.

And now, she’s gone.

My heart is shattering, and as I hear the small sound of the splash below, it cracks wide open. “Lenny!” I cry. “Poe!”

Yuli turns and spots me. She fires and misses. I keep walking toward her like my entire body is made out of anger-based Kevlar, but anger, unfortunately, doesn’t equal bullet proof. She fires again, and this time, she doesn’t miss. I take a bullet to the chest, somewhere in the vicinity of my raven tattoo. But my heart’s still beating, and I’m still breathing, and there’s no time to wallow in the pain I feel. Only the pain I want to inflict.

By the time I reach Yuli, I don’t know how many times I’ve been hit, but luckily for me, she’s out of bullets and shaking with newfound fear.

I sneer at her traitorous eyes. “What? You’re done being a badass killer just because you don’t have any more bullets?” When I look at her, I see nothing but blood and hatred.

Revenge.

She points to the water. “She…she jumped, there was nothing I could do,” she lies.

I slap the gun out of her shaky grip.

She tries again. “I swear, she wanted to die. I was trying to save her. I fired at you because I thought you were the bad guys. The ones who killed Jared.”

Oh, but I am.

If she wants to play this game, I’ll play, and I’ll win. I soften my tone. “I get it. You’re obviously distraught, Yuli. Let me take you to the truck. My brother will be here in a minute. He’ll take you to the hospital, so they can check you over while I go down and look for Lenny.”

Yuli looks reluctant, but she has no other choice than to trust that I’ve bought her lies, so she nods, buying mine. I place my arm under hers like I’m helping her to the truck. It’s slow, because she’s suddenly developed a limp. “Here, this will be quicker.” I pick her up…and walk toward the railing.

“Wait! What are you doing?” She cries, beating her fists against my chest. “I told you there was nothing I could do! I swear it! She was crazy! Everyone knew that!”

My blood turns to ice at hearing her call Lenny crazy. She wasn’t crazy. She was perfect, and she was mine, and this bitch just took everything that I’ve ever wanted away from me.

And she’s going to pay…with her life.

“We’ve met before, but allow me to introduce myself again,” I sneer. “I’m the bad guy who killed Jared.” Her eyes go even wider with fear. “But unlike you, whether I have bullets in my gun or not—” I toss her over the side and watch as she falls, failing her arms and legs down into the murky water. A high-pitched scream follows her body all the way down until there’s nothing but silence and the roar of my own blood pulsing through my veins. “I never stop being a killer.”

Preppy pulls up next to me, his brakes squealing against the wet pavement. “Get the fuck in.”

“Lenny’s…” I look over the bridge, unable to process the words or what just happened. Watching her fall for the second time is way worse than the first because now I know what it means to have her in my life. To love her.

Loved her.

“Fuuuuuuucck!” I scream over the water through the rain. I ball my fists and punch the railing. I don’t even feel the impact, but my fist is streaked with blood that gets washed away by the downpour as fast as it appears.

“Productive,” Preppy comments. “But let’s remember an important lesson, class. She survived the first time. I’m not good with math or shit, but I’m thinking the odds are forever in her favor, and if there’s even a chance...” He gives me a what are you waiting for look. “Get in the fucking car!”

I feel the hope rise within me from the very depths of despair. There’ll be no recovery unit. Not yet. This is still a rescue.

I jump into his car, and we speed down the causeway, fishtailing as Preppy turns toward the bank. He hits the brakes but the car is still rolling as I leap out without bothering to shut the door.

I scan the dark water and the shore for signs of Lenny. I spot a body, but it isn’t hers. The corpse belongs to Yuli. Floating on her back, her unfocused eyes lit by the full moon overhead. I fight the urge to pull her out just to throw her over again.

I slosh through knee deep water. Searching. Hoping.

“Nine, there!” Preppy shouts. “Look!”

I look over to where he’s pointing and spot Lenny’s mangled body floating face down several feet from the shore. The fast-moving current is taking her further and further away with each passing second. “Poe! No!” I shout, jumping over a row of sharp rocks. I splash through the murky water, and it seems like eons before I finally reach her. I’m waist-deep as I turn her over and put my forearms under her shoulders, dragging her out of the water and onto the muddy shore. “Lenny! Lenny!” I scream, slapping at her cheeks.

There’s no answer. No signs of life.

“Fuck!” I check her pulse, but I can’t feel anything. Even if it’s there, mine is pounding so hard I can’t feel anything else.