Obsession (Raven’s Vale Psychos #1

Chapter Ten

Riot

Raven’s Vale was a cesspool of filth and violence, the perfect breeding ground for someone like me. I’d always fed off the fear that my very name instilled in the hearts of others. But as I sat there, my cold gaze fixed on Hollis, I couldn’t help but feel… different.

“Riot,” she whispered, her voice trembling with uncertainty. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I grunted, trying to shake off the strange sensation gnawing at my insides. Was it love? Or just obsession? I’d never felt anything like this before -- a vulnerability that made me question everything I thought I knew about myself. And I wasn’t sure I liked the feeling.

“Look, Hollis,” I said, my words edged with frustration. “I wish I could give you the life you deserve. But all I know is pain and destruction. That’s who I am. The fucking Butcher. You’re never going to get sweet words of affection from me.”

She hesitated for a moment before moving closer, her eyes filled with a determined light that caught me off guard. “You’ve given me more than you realize, Riot,” she replied softly, her hand reaching out to brush against my scarred knuckles. “You’ve shown me a strength I didn’t know I had. Let me see a side of you no one else knows about. And I don’t need anything else from you.”

Her touch ignited a fire within me, one that threatened to consume what little sanity I had left. It terrified me, yet I couldn’t bring myself to pull away. My mind raced with unanswered questions and self-doubt -- emotions I wasn’t accustomed to. Part of me wanted to lash out, to destroy the very thing I wanted to keep -- Hollis.

“Are you sure about that?” I asked. Not that I was letting her go, but I’d learned something over the years. Even if I didn’t react to things the way everyone else would, or feel the same, I’d figured out how to mimic them. As Kane liked to say, I’d figured out how to put on a mask of humanity. “Because once you’re in this deep, there’s no going back.”

“Riot,” she murmured, her breath warm against my skin. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

My eyes darted to every corner, searching for an escape from the turmoil within me. But there was none. Only Hollis. I felt the need to destroy, to kill. Fisting my hands at my sides, I remained still, refusing to take it out on her. I felt like I needed her, even if I didn’t know why.

“Riot… you don’t have to be afraid,” she whispered, her words piercing through the haze of my thoughts. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Afraid?” I snorted. It wasn’t fear I felt. If I thought for one moment she’d run, I’d cuff her to the bed again. I wondered if I could microchip her like a dog, then I’d be able to track her no matter where she went.

It wasn’t a bad idea. In fact, now that I’d thought about it, I’d have to get the necessary materials to make it happen. Then I’d know where she was at all times.

My heart thundered in my chest as I stared down at her, my mind racing with a million reasons why toying with her like this was a terrible fucking idea. She was the only one who could make me show a gentler side of myself, even if I knew it was a damn lie. If it’s what I needed to do in order to tie her to me even more, then so be it.

I leaned in slowly, tentatively, giving her every opportunity to pull away. I needed her to want this, to give in to me. By moving slowly, she felt like she had the choice of whether or not to kiss me. Truthfully, if she pulled away, I’d kiss her anyway.

My lips barely touched hers, the lightest kiss I’d ever given. I tried to mimic the things I’d witnessed between couples, the soft touches, loving looks, and sweet kisses. I didn’t understand any of it, but I felt like it was necessary right now. Hollis wasn’t quite the same as the nurse who’d wanted to save me. However, I had no choice but to consider the fact she wanted to redeem me in some small way or feel like she was special.

She was. Just not in the way she probably thought.

“Riot,” she whispered against my lips.

A sound on the other side of the door had me tensing and listening intently. Was it Crash or Kane out there? Possibly both. I couldn’t be certain, but it sounded like Lyla’s voice -- accompanied by Crash and Kane’s sinister laughter. So, those three had been working together just as I’d suspected, even if I didn’t know why.

“Riot? What’s wrong?” Hollis asked, her gaze searching mine for answers.

“Nothing,” I lied, forcing a casual shrug. “Thought I heard something, but it’s nothing important.”

My mind churned with suspicion, but I couldn’t bring myself to reveal what I’d heard. Not now. Not when Hollis was feeling closer to me than ever before. I could tell in the way she touched me, the soft smile curving her lips. Even if I didn’t know what love was, it was clear that’s what she thought she felt for me, and I’d use that if I needed to.

“Okay,” she said, though I could tell she didn’t quite believe me. She leaned against my chest, resting her head on my shoulder as we sat in silence.

I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling in the back of my mind that something was off. The thought of Lyla being tangled up with Crash and Kane made my blood boil. Those two motherfuckers had caused nothing but pain and suffering in Raven’s Vale, same as me. I knew they’d only use Lyla for their own twisted purposes. But I also knew that dragging Hollis into this mess would only put her at risk, and I’d be damned if I let anything hurt her. If someone was going to put a mark on her, it would be me.

“Hey,” I muttered. “What do you say we get out of here for a while? Maybe go somewhere quiet, just the two of us.”

That’s the sort of thing women liked, wasn’t it? A date of sorts? It wasn’t like I’d ever been in a relationship before. Never wanted one. I wanted to control Hollis. Possess her. Bind her to me in every way possible so that she voluntarily stayed with me. And not once would she suspect I’d backed her into a corner and put a collar on her.

“Really?” Hollis asked, her face lighting up with surprise and excitement. “You’d want to do that?”

“Sure,” I said, forcing a smile. “Why the fuck not?”

“Sounds perfect,” she agreed, squeezing my hand as we rose to our feet.

As we stepped out into the dimly lit hallway, my ears strained for any sign of Lyla, Crash, and Kane. But all I heard was the distant echo of our own footsteps. Whatever they’d been doing, it seemed they’d moved elsewhere.

“Riot,” Hollis whispered, her fingers still intertwined with mine, “Thank you.”

I didn’t know what the fuck she was thanking me for -- all I’d done was drag her deeper into the darkness that consumed me. But in that moment, I knew one thing for certain: I’d do anything to keep her safe, even if it meant facing off against the men I considered my brothers. For the first time in my life, I had something that was mine and only mine, and I’d never let her go.

“Is it really safe for us to leave this place?” Hollis asked. “You have to stay in Raven’s Vale, don’t you?”

I paused. To some extent, she was right. If I was caught outside of town, then I’d end up back in the hell I’d escaped from. Unless they sent me to prison. And as for this small town, there weren’t a lot of places I could take her.

“What about a drink?” I asked.

“You mean at the bar?”

“Why not?” I took her hand and led her out of the house and down the street. The bar I had in mind wasn’t far. Raven’s Vale actually had two, but the one I preferred was in the seedier part of town. Of course, no one was going to fuck with me regardless of where I went.

We entered the establishment and Hollis stared at everything with wide eyes. Clearly, she’d never been here before. I wasn’t really surprised. It didn’t seem like her sort of place.

I led her up to the bar and motioned for her to sit on a stool, and I claimed the one beside her. The bartender came over, arms crossed, and glowered at me. We’d had run-ins a few times before, but I let his attitude slide -- most of the time.

“Beer for me,” I said.

“And you?” he asked Hollis.

She licked her lips. “Um. Something fruity?”

The bartender snorted. “Do we look like we offer froufrou drinks? Sorry, but your options are beer, vodka, whiskey, or rum.”

“Rum and coke?” she asked, sounding uncertain. Obviously she’d never had it before. I had a feeling tonight would be interesting.

While she was distracted by everything going on around us, I noticed someone in the corner who could get me what I needed. I placed a hand on Hollis’ shoulder and leaned in to whisper to her. “Stay put. I’ll be right back.”

She tensed but gave me a nod. I hurried over to Ben and sat across from him.

“And what does The Butcher need tonight?” Ben asked. “Drugs? I doubt it’s sex since you came in with a woman.”

“Neither. I need to get my hands on a GPS I can inject into her. I need to know where she is every second of the day. Can it be done?”

Ben leaned back and sighed. “Yeah, but it won’t be cheap. They won’t give a shit who you are, or why you want it, but they will want cold hard cash for it.”

“I want it tonight. Get the money from the dear ol’ mayor, then drop it off at the mansion. Make sure you bring it to my room. I don’t trust Crash or Kane with it.”

He nodded. “Consider it done. Might be late, though. And you’ll have to use that computer you hate so much, or your phone. It will be the only way to keep track of her.”

“Fine. Just get it to me.” I stood and went back to Hollis. She’d already started sipping her drink, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the look on her face. Her nose wrinkled, and she faked a gag after every swallow. I drained half my beer and watched her. She managed to finish her drink and I got her another. If I was going to chip her like a wayward puppy, then it might be better if she were drunk off her ass first.

Although, the idea of her fighting back and having to restrain her excited me. I loved her spirit. Even when I could see the fear in her eyes, she didn’t back down. She’d done her best to face me head-on, and not many people in this town could do such a thing. It was part of why she fascinated me.

I’d given her glimpses of my past, told her a few sob stories. It didn’t take much to make her sympathize with me. I’d twist and mold her into the perfect woman to remain by my side. But there was only so much I could do… If Hollis hadn’t already had a darker side, then I never could have convinced her to kill anyone.

Once she’d had enough to drink that she could barely stand, I lifted her into my arms and carried her home. Stripping off her clothes, I cuffed her to the bed. She was so out of it, she didn’t even question why I’d done it.

By the time Ben arrived with the tracker, Hollis had been asleep for more than an hour. I took the items from him, listened to his quick explanation, and then dismissed him. After I locked the door, I prepped the tracker and then inserted it in her thigh, just under her ass cheek.

Rubbing the lump, I hoped she wouldn’t notice it, or that it would burrow deeper on its own. It wouldn’t do me any good for someone to spot it and draw her attention to it. Then again, if she wore something short enough for them to spot it, I’d have to kill whoever saw her that way. And as they said, dead men couldn’t tell tales. I’d found a blade across their throat was an excellent way to silence someone.

“Sweet dreams, Hollis.” I took off my clothes and wrapped myself around her. Breathing in her scent, I closed my eyes and smiled a little. I’d been taming her a bit at a time, and she hadn’t even realized it.

Now that I had Hollis right where I wanted her, I’d have to deal with Crash and Kane… but that was a problem for another day. For now, I’d enjoy watching the different emotions play across Hollis’ face. From fear to excitement to hope and even what I assumed was love… with Hollis, every day brought something new. I didn’t think I’d ever grow bored of her, but if I did… Well, I’d cross that bridge when I came to it.