Killing Kate by Lila Veen

and have a family?  I’m the reason he can’t seem
to be a normal guy with a girlfriend or wife.  The guilt is overwhelming
sometimes.  He never blames me outright, but I feel like if Devin had a normal
sister he wouldn’t have to be permanently looking out for me.  He tells me all
of the time that it’s not a bother and that he doesn’t care.  And I know it’s
not my fucking fault.  Normal people come from normal childhoods.  But still.
    “I guess I can talk to Drake to see
what has to be done,” I say.  “I’m sure there’s some legal shit like transfer
of property.”
    Devin’s face darkens.  “Let me call
him,” he says.
    “No, its fine,” I say.  I want to
call Drake and talk to him again.  The way he left me the other night, well, it
left me feeling…something.  Devin can tell.  Why can’t I fucking hide anything
from him?  “You want me to grow up, so let me handle this for once.  You just
sit and look pretty or something.”
    “Okay,” Devin agrees, but he isn’t
happy.  “I’ll let you handle things.  Just be careful, Jenna.”
    “And why would you say that?” I ask
coyly.
    “Because,” Devin says.  “Men like
him have had real relationships with women who aren’t anything like you,
Jenna.”  He shakes his head.  “Whatever I say is going to sound shitty, but you
know what I mean.  He probably hooks up with women all of the time.  I saw him
taking you in at Jack’s funeral.  You’re beautiful, Jenna, and men will look at
you, but let him know he can’t touch.  You’re an emotional person who isn’t meant
to be used and thrown away.”
    “Now you just sound like an
overprotective big brother,” I say.  “I’m fine.  And how do you know that I
haven’t hooked up with men like him before?”
    “You haven’t,” Devin says, and of
course he’s right, but sometimes I wish he didn’t know everything about me. 
“Is Kate still around?” he asks.
    “Sometimes,” I say.  “She comes and
goes as she pleases.  Sometimes I don’t even know she’s there.  I open the
fridge and find all of the food gone and don’t remember eating it, or I wake up
and I’m out of cigarettes after I just bought a pack.”
    Devin cringes.  “I’d be lying if I
said I didn’t want to move to Jack’s house with you because I wasn’t worried.”
    “I know,” I say.  “And I do love
you for it, but you have to let me be a little bit annoyed about it, too.”
    Now he grins.  “Fair enough.”
    We pay the bill and he walks me to
my apartment where his bike is parked out front.  “Let me know what happens
after you talk to Drake,” he says.  “And seriously, if you need me to call for
you, I will.”
    “I know you will,” I say.  “But let
me handle this.”  Devin nods.  We hug and I watch him get on his bike.  As a
final act of stubbornness he waits for me to get inside instead of letting me
watch him drive away.  I watch him take off from my front room window.  When
he’s gone, I take Drake’s card out of my purse and dial him on the phone.  He
answers on the second ring.
    “Jenna,” he purrs.  “So nice to
hear from you.”
    “Devin and I want to move into
Jack’s house,” I say.  “Can we meet to discuss the details about property
transfer of ownership or whatever.”
    “Sure,” he says.  My heart flips
around in my chest and practically climbs up my throat.  Who knew his voice
could turn me on?  “I’ll pick you up tonight at 8:00.  Wear a dress. 
Preferably a nicer one than you wore the other night.”  He hangs up
immediately.  I am completely taken aback but flattered and excited.  He
doesn’t ask for my address or anything, but I suppose since he’s a lawyer
handling my father’s estate he would have that information and don’t think much
of it.

Chapter 6
    I’m wearing a dress as ordered. 
It’s yellow, short, strapless, and transparent to the point where I have to
change my underwear four times in order to