“I’m sure there’s a way we can work this out.” I try again to reason with him. “I can talk to Janet and get you your old job back.”
“Liar,” he snaps, calling my bluff. “You’re nothing but trouble. Since the day I saw you I tried to do it the easy way. I was nice and polite. I asked you out and you kept putting me off. That was until you wanted something from me. But then Barrett showed up and ruined everything.”
I watch as he grips the knife tighter and I wonder why anyone hasn’t walked back here yet. How long has it been?
“Listen, we can talk this out. Why don’t we sit down and—” I go to take a step forward and he brings the knife up to my face.
“You think I’d trust you? You’re just like the rest of them. You’re nothing but a tease, just like she was,” he says, turning the knife to Steph. “You got exactly what you wanted that night, but afterwards you pretended like you didn’t.”
“That’s enough,” I say and move again to block her from his view. “You want to be mad at someone you be mad at me. I’m the one who got you fired. I’m the one who had the police chasing you all over town. What do you want from me now, Mark? How do you think this is going to end?” I don’t know where this strength inside me comes from, but now that the words are out, I’m terrified of what his answer is going to be.
The evil smile that spreads across his face tells me all I need to know. He wants me dead.
“Are you guys not finished in there yet?” Gabi calls out just as she comes around the corner.
“No!” Steph and I scream as Mark spins around and grabs Gabi.
He’s got the knife to her throat and his back to the wall, his crazy eyes darting between us.
“She’s not the twin I wanted, but I plan on having all of you. So, I guess it doesn’t matter where I start.”
He’s completely lost his mind. There isn’t any reasoning now. This is a situation we’re going to have to fight our way out of.
“Please don’t hurt me. I’m pregnant,” Gabi pleads and covers her belly with her hands.
Seeing the fear in her eyes has every inch of my body on red alert. She’s my other half and I’ll be damned if some psycho is going to take her away from me.
“Take me.”
I’m surprised when I look back to see Steph come out from behind me and step forward.
“Take me, Mark. Isn’t that what this is about?” she says, her voice more confident with each step she takes. “It all started when we were in high school, and every girl since has been a poor substitute for me.”
Steph must have watched some serious true crime documentaries because she is laying down some psychological shit right now.
“I can see the resemblance between Ginny and me. You went after her, but it was me you really wanted. And you still do. Don’t you?”
Gabi whines as the arm around her neck squeezes and the knife gets closer. Mark is staring at Steph like she’s the Ring and he’s Gollum. Could it be true? Could all this be because he still wants her?
“Let her go, Mark, and you can have me,” Steph says, opening her arms and showing her hands, palms up. Gabi tries to protest, and Steph shakes her head. “I’ll leave with you right now and no one ever has to know.”
She takes another step closer and then waits. Mark looks like he’s thinking it over. I hold my breath wondering what the hell is going to happen.
“You’ll do what I say?” he asks quietly, suddenly much calmer than just a moment ago.
“If you let her go, yes,” Steph says, taking another step closer.
Mark looks over at me, then as if in slow motion he loosens his grip on Gabi and turns his head to the right, trying to look around the corner and see if anyone is coming.
Before I know what’s happening, Steph throws herself at Mark, grabbing the arm with the knife and shouting at Gabi at the same time.
“Get down!” she calls out.
I realize what’s happening a split second later and I lunge for Gabi, covering her body with mine. She crumples in a heap on the floor, and I look up to see Steph and Mark wrestling for the knife.
Steph screams, and I push myself off the floor, but the stupid wedding dress is twisted around my legs. I have to untangle myself before I can get up and help her.
Mark backhands Steph across the face, but she manages to knee him in the balls. He bends forward but recovers impossibly fast. She tries to grab the knife just as he slashes out at her.