“Okay,” Gabriel said.
Jake swallowed, eyes fixed on the worn graffiti on the wall. “That’s…that wasn’t the only time I’ve wanted to do something like that.”
Gabriel looked at Jake. “Did you kill them?”
Jake shook his head. “Of course not.”
“Did you hurt them?”
“I wanted to.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t,” Gabriel said, like that was the only part that mattered. “Like I said: I would’ve been just as happy to beat on Teddy-Bear-Ass and the biker guy as you.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Sure I do. Hype’s brother’s an asshole and her mom’s boyfriend’s a d**k, and you wanted to turn them both into chunky salsa. Understandable.” He spread his hands. “It was pretty tense in there for a while. Maybe that, um, reminded you of…of things you’d rather not think about?”
Jake let his head drop forward on
