The Season of Sin (Peace In The Storm Publishing Presents) by Stacy-Deanne

He read over the number.
    “The same thing applies to you.  Call me anytime you want to.”
    She twisted away with her sumptuous ass pinned underneath that rigid dress.

CHAPTER EIGHT
     

    The sound of footsteps threw Bruce off count that night.  He laid the bolts by the tool chest.  Soft perfume overtook the smell of gas and sweat.
    “You came.”
    CRRRRAAAAACCCCK!
    He spun around on his knees.  She stooped inside the garage.  Rain seeped down her long coat.  The bottom of her pants and boots were soaked in mud and rain. Dirty-blond ringlets sheltered her face. Pieces of the broken Jim Beam bottle sprinkled her feet.
    “Bruuuuuccccceeeee!” She drooled down her chin. “Damn you, Bruce!”
    “Shannon?” He stood.
    “Don’t come near me.” She slipped on glass and oil. “You motherfucker.”
    Mascara ran down her face. More lipstick was on her chin than mouth.
    “I don’t have time for your shit. Get your drunk ass outta here.”
    “You asshole.  I know .” She punched the wall.  “I know!”
    “Get outta here!”
    “You killed her. Ahhhh!” She swung her fists.  “I know you did. You can lie about it all you want but I know you did it. I knew you hated her but I didn’t think you’d actually kill her. I loved her.”
    “I didn’t kill Nadia.”
    “Bullshit.” She spit on the floor.
    “I was out of town when she was killed.”
    “No you weren’t!” She sucked in tears. “You’d come back.”
    “No I didn’t. What are you talking about?”
    She stumbled.  “Antwan told me he saw you buying beer by your house the night Nadia was killed. You were back in town.”
    “Antwan doesn’t know what the fuck he’s talking about.  I hadn’t made it back in town until the next day. You can ask Swag.”
    “Fuck Swag.  He ain’t nothing but your puppet.  He do all you tell him to.”
    “If I killed someone you think Swag would hide that? Huh? Antwan made a mistake. He didn’t see me.”
    Her head rolled to the side.  “Ya’ think I’m stupid, Bruce?  You think I don’t know how much you hated her? And you just walkin’ around…” She danced with her arms spread.  “Just walkin’ around like you own the place. Like you gon’ get away with it like you got away with everything else.”
    “What have I gotten away with huh?” He beat his chest.  “I’m sick of you fuck ups throwing my past up in my face.  I’m sick of all of you.” He reached the counter.
    “You stay away from me!”
    “You only know the lies Nadia told you.”
    “No I know the truth. Everybody else is scared of you but I’m not.”
    “Listen, Shannon.”
    “Nadia wasn’t scared of you either.  But I bet you made sure she was when she died didn’t you?”
    “I didn’t kill her.”
    “Get on the phone and call nine-one-one.”
    “What?”
    “Get on the goddamn phone!  You’re gonna turn yourself in.”
    “Shannon how much you been drinking?”
    “Do it!”
    “Fuck you, bitch. I’m not calling anyone.”
    “Oh yes you will.” She pulled out a gun.
    Bruce stood back with his hands up. “I knew you were crazy but I didn’t know you’d be this crazy.”
    “It ain’t like you never seen a gun before. Now get on that fuckin’ phone. I’m not playing with you.”
    “You ever shoot a gun before huh?”
    “Does it matter?”
    “If you kill me, where you think you’ll end up? You’d throw away your freedom and future for me, Shannon? You’re making a big mistake.”
    “My mistake was not protecting Nadia from you. She told me everything. Things she didn’t tell anyone else.  She loved Dylan so much. She’d do anything to keep her from you because she knew you’d ruin her life.”
    “Yeah well it sure is funny that Nadia was the one Dylan had the falling out with isn’t it?”
    “Nadia was just so desperate. Secrets can change everything.”
    “Do you know why Nadia was killed?”
    “Stop fucking with me. You killed her because you hated her. Get on the phone or I’ll