Betrayals (Cainsville 4)

"This is not the time--"

"So you did." He resisted the urge to glance back. Just keep moving. Play this out, but don't stop looking for Liv. "Let me guess...she was caught up in a vision and mistook you for Gwynn."

"If you have anything to say to me, Ricky, you can say it later. We're trying to find Olivia, and carrying on a conversation--"

"I don't want you to see Liv socially anymore."

"I believe that is up to Olivia," Gabriel said, his voice ice.

"Nope, it's not. She loves me, and I can make her choose, and we both know who she'll pick. She's mine. Even if she wanted to leave? Too bad. I keep what's mine."

Ricky could feel waves of hate and cold rage rolling against his back. He took three more steps and then said, "Are you going to shoot me, Gabriel?"

Silence. Then, "What?"

"You have a loaded gun at my back. Seems a little familiar, doesn't it?"

Gabriel said nothing, and Ricky continued fighting the urge to turn around.

"Liv told me about the vision. So I'm giving you a second chance."

"Second chance?"

"To kill me."

It'd been quiet before. Now the silence hung there, heavy, expanding, filling the corridor as Ricky stopped walking, his back still to Gabriel.

"Third chance, actually," Ricky said. "You had two in the psych hospital. First when I fell out of the belfry."

"I didn't. I wouldn't--"

"Then Tristan tried to make you do it. You didn't hesitate then--you wouldn't kill me for him. But the first time? Yeah, the first time, it took you a few extra seconds to decide to pull me up."

"I would never--"

"Right." Ricky turned around then. "You wouldn't. But that one moment where you considered it is driving you crazy. You can't forget that you imagined what it would be like. Kill me. Get me out of the way. Have Liv for yourself." Ricky lifted his hands over his head. "Go ahead and shoot."

Gabriel glowered at him. Then he bent, put the gun on the ground, straightened, and crossed his arms.

"So you won't kill me?" Ricky said.

"Never."

"Mmm, I wouldn't say never. If I lost my mind and threatened Liv, you'd kill me. I'd expect you to. But not for this. You would never kill me..." Ricky picked up the gun. "And I would never take her away from you."

Gabriel's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah," Ricky said. "I was just riling you up. Liv told me about the vision of those kids. The boys from the fifties. She was freaked out because she'd wanted you to see a good side of Gwynn, and instead you got that. I decided that you and I need to move past this. Prove that you aren't going to shoot me in the back or push me off a balcony. I'd say it's proving you aren't Gwynn, but that's bullshit. Gwynn wouldn't have killed Arawn. If he could have, that might have solved a whole lotta problems. But he wasn't that guy. Neither are you."

Ricky looked at Gabriel. "And yeah, you're probably thinking this really wasn't the time for this crap, but notice that I didn't stop moving until now. And I needed you distracted enough, worrying about Liv, not to question my acting. Now we need to find Liv. But before we do, I'm going to make you a promise, Gabriel, and I need you to make the same back. I will never interfere with your friendship with Liv. Ever. Now, your turn."

Gabriel's brow furrowed.

"Promise me that you'll never interfere with my friendship with Liv."

"With your relationship?"

"No, my friendship. Whatever happens with our relationship, you will not interfere with our friendship. I want your vow."