Love Between Us

Chapter 42

"It's simple, I'll kill him." Zane shrugs before angrily walking around in a circle.

"Nah, bro. You gotta hire that hitman that you talked about. That way we get off scotch free." Austin says as he places a hand on Zane's shoulder to get him to stop pacing around in circles.

"But it would feel better if I do it myself." Zane shakes his head as he folds his arms across his chest.

"True. So that means that I have no other choice than to help you."

"You two do realize you sound like psychopaths, right?" Darrell asks before laughing.

The two boys just shrug.

The four of us were now at my house sitting in the kitchen. After the whole spiel with Brianna, I was dragged away and out of the school by Zane and my brother before any teachers or administrators could find out what was happening. So now the four of us were all trying to make sense of what happened. And if I must say, Austin and Zane are just as mad (if not even more mad than I am) at the situation.

"Zuri, what do you think? Hire a hitman or have us just kill Malcolm ourselves?" Darrell asks me.

I sniffle and wipe my eyes. "Neither."

"Zuri, Zuri, listen." Austin moves forward and bends down so that he can look me in the eyes. "I know you are trying to be righteous or whatever but now is not really the time. Malcolm deserves this."

"He deserves to die?"

"Hell yeah." Austin nods as if I had asked the simplest question.

"No killing. That's insane." I shake my head.

"Well we're doing something whether you agree or not."

"I'm not saying I am opposed to anything else. I just don't want any of us going to jail."

"That's why Zane has a hitman." He says it as if it's no big deal.

"I really wish you could hear yourself right now." I laugh and wipe at the corner of my eyes.

Austin chuckles. "While we aren't going to kill anyone, he isn't going to get away scotch free. He's going to pay for this."

"I can bet you that he will," Zane adds. He walks over to me and pulls me upward so that I am no longer sitting and places both of his hands on both of my shoulders. "I promise you I will handle this, okay?"

I just nod and bite my lip.

"Tomorrow he won't know what's coming for him. If he knows what's good for him he will make an effort not to cross my path." Austin says as he pounds his hand into his fist.

"And don't let me be there, either. He's gonna regret ever doing this to you, Zuri. We'll make sure of that." Darrell agrees with a nod.

"Unfortunately I won't be at school tomorrow because of some shit I have to do for my mother but I promise you Monday he will hear from me." Zane tells me. "And I hate that I have to leave you right now but I can't miss work or I may get fired."

"It's okay, you can go. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" He stares into my eyes and I know that he is really worried about me.

"Yes. I have my brother and Darrell."

He sighs and nods acceptingly. "Okay."

I decide to walk Zane to his car after he finishes talking with Austin and Darrell about doing whatever they plan to do to Malcolm. Once we reach the car, he turns and reaches out to hold my hand.