The car door slam made me jump out of my skin. Fear wouldn't hold me hostage anymore. I wasn't going to hide from her either. Having Emmett by my side gave me the upper hand. She couldn't attack us both. Emmett would keep me safe.

"Let's confront the bitch," I said. "No more games. I'm not going to hide like a frightened little girl anymore."

We waited in the living room for Layla, who didn't show much surprise as she kicked her shoes off at the door. Emmett kept hidden behind the couch, keeping a close eye on us in case I needed him. I knew Layla would be more willing to open up when it was just me. Emmett had his phone on, recording everything too.

Layla dropped her purse down on the table, smiling like nothing was wrong. "I thought we were going to meet at Magnolia Cafe, Everly. You didn't tell me you'd be dropping by."

"Cut the bullshit. I know it's been you." I snapped, jabbing a finger in her chest. "This whole damn time, you pretended to be my friend. You've been trying to kill me. Hell, you almost killed Adam's mom too."

"That old bitch never liked me." Layla rolled her eyes. "Would've been better off if she was out of the picture. You act so fucking high and mighty. I loved knocking you down. Bitches like you think you can do whatever you want. You stole Adam from me. When I was miscarrying his baby. That's fucking twisted. People look down at me for my job all the time, but the real whores are bitches like you. Fucking men with girlfriends who love them."

"Adam lost interest in you. That's not my fault. I've been nothing but nice to you too. I never looked down on you, not until now. You're a psychotic bitch. I'm glad Adam left you. He deserved so much better."

That earned me a slap to the face. Which I expected. In return, I punched her back.

Layla shoved me off her and sent a painful blow to my nose. Her blows didn't stop. She went for my stomach next. I collided back with the lamp, letting it clatter to the floor behind me. She pushed me up against the wall and lunged for my neck. It got harder to breathe. I writhed and scratched at her face. I'd fight for my last breath. I didn't want to die and leave Adam all alone. I wanted us to have the family we deserved someday.

I went for my brother's signature move and jabbed my thumb in her eye. She winced, cussing as she reeled back. It gave me enough time to throw a few punches. I let all my rage out into every blow I delivered to her face and chest. She retaliated by bashing a framed picture over my head. Glass rained down on me, but I ignored it and pounced on her. Layla's a lightweight, so it wasn't difficult to knock her off her feet.

She struggled beneath me. I didn't let up. I kept her pinned down and punched her until my knuckles got sore. Blood covered my skin, but I didn't stop.

"Emmett! Give me the gun!" I yelled. "Now!"

Layla's sinister expression morphed into pure terror. She knew exactly how I'd felt the entire month. Her tears and desperate plea brought inexplicable pleasure to me. I wanted her to suffer. I wanted her to beg for forgiveness before I sent her straight to hell.

"Everly, don't do this."

"Why the fuck should I not?" I spat. "You've been trying to kill me for over a month! You killed our baby out at the aquarium on Valentine's day. . Give me one good reason why I shouldn't put a bullet in you?"

"Please.... I need help. I know that now. I'll seek treatment and stay away from you. You'll never hear from me again."

"Shut up, you lying whore."

The world around me faded away. It was just the two of us now. I could kill her and get away with it. I knew where Emmett buried his victims. Out of town, deep in the woods, where she'd never be found. She could never hurt us again if I chopped her body up and disposed of it like trash. I didn't believe her bullshit about getting better. People rarely changed. Layla didn't deserve a second chance.

My name was the last word to leave her lips. I pulled my switchblade out and slit it across her throat. Blood splattered across the plastic-covered seats as she gurgled her gore. She wrapped her hands around her neck like it would stop the bleeding. I didn't want to be a killer, but I had no choice. Layla had to die. It was the only way we'd be safe.

"We gotta do this fast," Emmett said. "They'll be coming after us soon. We gotta ditch this car I stole then the clothes. Kaz will be here soon to pick us up. We'll get you home to my house, where we'll have some of the rebels over celebrating Layla's arrest. We'll all have an alibi. They'll look into Layla's friends and never suspect a thing."

"I didn't expect her to bleed so much," I murmured.

Good thing Emmett brought the plastic.

Blood stained my clothes and dribbled onto the floorboard. The horrible stench made my stomach do somersaults. Her fearful expression gave me the creeps. She didn't look like a monster. She was afraid and begging for her life. People didn't change overnight. She only did that to save her own skin, not because she felt remorse.

As she bled beside me, I couldn't help remembering the letters Adam found from her ex-boyfriend before he died. The grief of losing him and their baby had been too much on her. It made her go insane. If Adam and Emmett died, would I end up doing something like that too? I wanted to believe I wouldn't, but I also couldn't imagine losing either of them. Layla probably never thought she'd lose her family either.

Vengeance didn't bring me the pleasure I expected. Only guilt stabbed at my heart.

Emmett parked in the middle of the woods and climbed out. The autumn breeze rustled against my face. It was refreshing to let the blood stench out.

"Just push her out here," Emmett said. "I'll need you to help me carry her."

"Maybe this wasn't a good idea." My body trembled as I slid around the bloody plastic.

"We're not going to get caught. Don't worry," he replied.

"That's not what I meant. Does Layla really deserve to be dumped out here to be feasted on by the wild animals?"

"Are you really pitying this psycho bitch?" Emmett asked. "Did you forget how she tried to kill you and made you miscarry? Layla deserves this. She should be lucky you killed her so quickly. I would've made her slowly suffer all the way here. You should be relieved now. She can't ever hurt you again. You know she would've got out later and came after you again. Crazy doesn't go away."

"I guess you make a point."

Finding the perfect place to dispose of her body was easy. It scared me how Emmett found the swamp in the middle of nowhere. It made me shiver just thinking about how many bodies he hid out in those woods. I was just glad to get it over with.

Kaz arrived just after we dumped Layla's body. I went with him while Emmett took the car I killed her in, along with our disguises. I stayed silent all the way back to New Syracuse. Kaz didn't ask me about what happened either. He helped Emmett hide bodies. He was probably used to it now.

"It doesn't make you feel better, does it?" Kaz asked softly.

I frowned. "No, not at all. I'm glad she can never hurt us again, but something about this feels... Wrong."

You lose a part of yourself when you allow vengeance to take control. I had to live with what I did for the rest of my life. I could only hope nothing ever traced back to me, and that they never found her dead body.

I washed off in the shower, scrubbing at my skin like it would wash away the sinful things I did. Kaz washed my bloody clothes. I had to fake a smile and celebrate Layla's murder with the gang I abandoned. What happened to leaving them? How did I get sucked back up into their world?

💀

Blood stained my hands. No matter how much I scrubbed them clean, it would never wash away what I did. While Layla hadn't been innocent, it hurt knowing how I ruthlessly killed my old friend. Maybe I wasn't as similar to Emmett as I thought I was. Revenge didn't relieve me at all. It only left a hollow place in my heart.

How would I tell Adam what we did? Could I even confide in him about it?

Pacing around my living room, I tried not to let myself unravel. Adam had no idea I'd run off with my brother after visiting the flower shop and dining at Harlan's diner. Emmett dropped me off at home after I washed my clothes and freshened up, but I was considering going back to the hideout. I'd rather be anywhere but home.

When Adam's truck pulled up into my driveway, my stomach lurched. Images of Layla's bloody body came to mind again and I swore I'd puke. What the hell made me think killing her was a good idea? I'd let myself get too swept up in my hatred. While I was safe from her, there was a chance I'd get caught and end up in jail. What if Adam refused to help me? What if he took me down to the station himself?

Before I had a chance to escape or reconsider everything, the front door unlocked. Adam stepped in, kicking his boots off on my dark pink Go Away mat.

"Adam, I'm sorry." I hung my head low, unable to face him.

"What for? Lying to me again?" Adam asked, bitterness in his tone.

I cringed. "I shouldn't have done that. I couldn't help myself though. You don't understand. Emmett texted me, said my stalker was outside the diner watching me. I wanted to tell you, I really did. But there wasn't enough evidence. I needed to make sure she'd never hurt me again."

"Oh God. Everly, what did you do?"

Swallowing the lump that formed in my throat, I confessed. "I killed Layla. We buried her... In a remote area where she won't be found."

Adam deadpanned. "It was Layla? Your friend?"

I nodded. "Yeah, your ex. She was obsessed with you. Probably because she lost y'all's baby and then you hooked up with me. While still with her, ain't that right?"

Adam flushed. "Er, look. I know that was wrong of me, but I couldn't help it. I fell in love with you, Everly. Layla was nothing but a fling. When I met you, shit changed. I didn't wanna keep sleeping around. I wanted to settle down finally."

"I'm not mad about that. We've both kept secrets from each other," I told him. "And now, we're going to keep a huge one from the rest of the world."

Adam sighed, nodding. "Yeah, I figured that much. We'll just have to play it off as your stalker getting spooked. We'll play ignorant for a while, pretend like we know nothing. When Layla is reported missing, then we'll start piecing things together. Make it look like she fled town."

Nobody would ever know I did. I'd get away with murder and be able to live my own life freely. But was it worth the price I paid for Layla's death? I got to keep Adam by my side and never need to keep looking over my shoulder, fearing she'd come kill me. Maybe revenge could be beneficial?