Karma III. Sabrina Eubanks

Let him know not to come barking up the pregnant lady tree. She’d laid her claim and Ramsey’s. She was his girlfriend. Women were so into titles. None of it meant shit to him.

      That wasn’t what he was here for.

      Lissette stopped at an apartment on the second floor. “This is me. Thanks again, I really appreciate it,” she said, with a smile and with finality. This was as far as she was willing to accept his charity.

      She wasn’t letting him in. Not so stupid after all, but stupid enough.

      Keith slipped the bags off his shoulder and sat them by her door.

      “You’re welcome. How’s Noah doing? He was hurt pretty bad. We did a lot of praying for him.”

      “We appreciate it. It must have worked. He’s doing much better, but he’s still got to take it easy.”

      Keith nodded. “Yeah, I’d imagine … well, nice meeting you, Lissette. Give Noah my regards.” He turned to walk away.

      “I sure will. I’ll make sure to tell him I met you.” Keith smiled. No, you won’t, but he’ll know I was here. Keith moved fast, putting his foot between both of hers and forcing her body against the door with his own. He had his hand over her mouth before she could scream.

      “Open the door and I’ll take it easy on you.” The hand covering her mouth was suddenly wet with tears. She was making a scared moaning sound behind his hand. Keith reached into his fanny pack and pulled out a short knife with a sharp blade.

      He held it to her stomach just hard enough for her to know what it was. She froze. Even seemed to stop breathing.

      Keith leaned forward and spoke in her ear. “I said, open the fucking door. Don’t make me hurt you in this hallway.” Lissette whimpered, but she opened the door. Keith pushed her inside and nudged the door closed with his shoulder. Lissette stood staring at him with huge eyes, one hand over her mouth, the other on her belly. Keith put the knife back in the fanny pack and took out a length of cord. The realization of how dire her situation was showed on her face. She watched with desperate fear as Keith wrapped the cord around both of his fists.

      Instead of cowering and mewling, she took off in a mad dash for the bedroom. Keith was right behind her, his instincts telling him she was going for a gun. She sprinted into the room and jumped across the bed, reaching for the drawer in the farthest nightstand. She reached in and came out with a silver .32, rolling over on her back, and taking aim.

      She would have gotten him pretty good if the weapon had fired.

      Instead, when she pulled the trigger, nothing happened. If that pistol had come from Ramsey, Keith was certain of two things — it worked, and it was loaded. He jumped on the bed, one knee on either side of her and wrenched the gun out of her hand so hard, he heard the bone in her finger snap. Lissette cried out in pain.

      Keith glanced at the gun, looking down at her in mock annoyance. “Next time take the safety off. Oh, wait … you don’t get a next time.”

      Lissette started fighting, but he subdued her long enough to get the cord around her neck. “Please!” That was all she managed to get out before Keith started choking the life out of her.

      He looked at her with eyes just as sorrowful as the ones looking back at him. “I’m sorry, Lissette. I regret this more than you know.

      You should have been more discerning about the company you kept.

      Thank your lover for this. Go to sleep.” He made sure she was gone, then he looked at her beautiful face. Her features were puffy and her skin had an unnatural color from the violence of the act he’d just committed. It wasn’t as easy as it looked like it was in the movies, to strangle a person who didn’t want to die to death. It was violent and it took strength and determination.

      Keith looked down into her sightless eyes. He hadn’t really wanted to do what he’d just done, but he believed it had been necessary. He also realized that he’d better do whatever other dirt he planned to do and get the fuck out of Dodge. Keith put his hands down and closed her eyes. There was no going back now. He’d started a war. He might not be able to swing this alone. He took out his cell and called a couple of old friends.