Page 31 of Unbalanced

That night is burned into my brain. I can still see his face in that glorious moment when he realized that I pushed him down the steps.

It wasn’t difficult to lure him out there. I used a burner phone and pretended to be one of the maids. A little flirting and a promise of sex was all it took. He raced out there, away from my birthday party with family and friends, so that he could fuck some random woman.

He was already dying from his overindulgence in pussy and alcohol…I simply helped him along.

It was in that moment I chose my path. I keep this world in balance as best I can by weeding out the sinners. Cheaters, liars, thieves, and abusers…none are free from my judgment.

I spot Rob and Emily standing in the gazebo at the edge of the water and head in their direction. Rob’s voice carries on the breeze.

“Why are you like this? Always trying to make me look bad,” he snarls and steps into Emily’s personal space.

She doesn’t back down, but her right hand grips the edge of the wood railing.

“Don’t I have enough stress without you constantly adding to it?”

“I wasn’t Rob. I was telling the story. Camille asked how we met. Did you want me to make something up?”

Rob grabs her arm, and if I hadn’t seen her wince, it might look intimate. I snarl under my breath, walking faster.

“What I want is for you to stop acting like you’re better than me.”

The anger floating around him is tangible.

“I don’t. You’re just insecure,” she says, jerking on her arm.

Rob shoves her backward until the banister is pressing into her back. Emily’s eyes go wide, and the shimmer of fear is evident.

“Let me go. I shouldn’t have come tonight. Hell, we shouldn’t be together at all,” Emily bites out.

Rob smacks Emily across the face so hard that it sounds like a crack of lightning. Her hand goes to her cheek as she stumbles in her wedge sandals. If not for his grip, she’d be on her knees.

“You don’t say when we’re done,” he growls.

Emily turns her head away from him as he lifts his arm.

I march into the gazebo, hands curled into fists, rage flooding my body.

“Let her go,” I order and grab his wrist before he can strike her again.

Rob looks at me like he’s not sure where I came from. He sways slightly on his feet, eyes red and glassy. He’s drunk…again. Fuck.

“Stay out of this, Alden. It doesn’t concern you.”

Emily winces when the knuckles on the hand holding her go white.

“Rob, you’re hurting me.”

“Shut up,” he snaps.

It’s obvious he is too far lost in the booze to realize I’m about to beat the shit out of him and throw him in the pond.

Emily suddenly steps in close to Rob and brings her knee up hard, right into his groin.

“I said let go,” she says, her voice all steel.

Rob goes down in a heap, releasing her. Emily steps closer to me, her eyes wide with fear but also anger as she stares at Rob.

“Fuck…you bitch…ah, shit.”