Obsession (Raven’s Vale Psychos #1

Chapter Twelve

Riot

Blood stained my hands as I cradled Hollis in my arms, carrying her out of the building. Every bruise and cut on her body felt like a personal failure. This was my fault. I should’ve protected her better. But now, she was hurt, and I knew she wouldn’t heal without medical attention.

“Fuck,” I muttered, trying to catalog her injuries as I moved swiftly through the dark streets of Raven’s Vale. The cold night air stung my face, but it couldn’t compare to the burning rage consuming me.

“Please don’t die on me, Hollis,” I whispered, tightening my grip on her limp form. “You’re not getting off that easy.”

I stormed into the doctor’s home, kicking the door off its hinges as I entered. The sound echoed through the house.

“Doctor!” I bellowed. My voice boomed through the quiet space. “Get your ass down here!”

The woman appeared at the top of the stairs, her eyes wide with fear as she took in the sight before her. Good. Fear was what kept these people in line.

“Help her.” My gaze locked onto hers. “If she dies, you’ll wish you’d never been born.”

The threat hung heavy in the air. I heard the doctor audibly swallow and saw the way her hand trembled as she gripped the railing.

“Y-yes, Mr. Tredway,” the doctor stammered, hurrying down the stairs. I could see the desperation in her eyes as she tried to prepare for whatever horrors awaited her.

“Riot,” I corrected her sharply. “My old man was Mr. Tredway, and I refuse to be associated with him. I only keep his name to remind me of the hell I endured.”

“Right… Riot.” She swallowed hard. “I’ll do my best.”

“You better pray your best is good enough.” I watched her every move. She had no idea just how close she was to her own destruction. And if she didn’t save Hollis, she’d find out firsthand.

Let her live. For once in my miserable existence, let me have this one fucking thing.

I followed the doctor into her home office. The cold metal of the examination table sent a shiver down my spine as I gently laid Hollis on it. Her fragile form seemed so out of place in this sterile room. The doctor hovered nearby, her eyes darting between Hollis and me as she tried to gauge just how close to the edge I was.

“Start fixing her,” I said, my voice icy and hard.

“Y-yes, Riot,” the doctor stuttered, scrambling to gather her instruments. She approached Hollis cautiously, as if she were a ticking time bomb ready to go off at any moment. And maybe she was -- because if anything went wrong, I’d make damn sure there’d be an explosion the likes of which Raven’s Vale had never seen.

As the doctor worked frantically to stabilize Hollis, I paced the length of the room, each step echoing like a gunshot in the otherwise quiet space. My impatience grew with every passing second, a mounting pressure inside me threatening to erupt in a storm of violence. My gaze never wavered from Hollis.

The smell of antiseptic filled the air as I watched the doctor work, each stitch she made on Hollis’ skin igniting a burning rage within me. My eyes lingered on every bruise and cut marring her body, fury building with each new injury I discovered. Damn Crash and Kane to hell -- I should have made them suffer ten times worse for what they did to her.

“Are you almost fucking done?” I asked, my fists clenching by my sides. The doctor flinched, her hands shaking as she tried to steady her needle. “Hurry the hell up.”

“Almost… done,” she whispered, beads of sweat forming on her brow. “I’m doing my best.”

“Your best better be enough,” I said, my glare drilling into her. “Or I’ll rip you apart limb by limb, and that’s a fucking promise. Remember, Doc -- if she dies, you die. Keep that in mind when you’re stitching her up.”

With that, I turned my attention back to Hollis, my gaze softening ever so slightly as I took in her battered form. She was alive, for now. And I’d make sure she stayed that way, no matter what it took.

The doctor nodded once, her hands steadying as she finished tending to Hollis’ wounds. I could tell she knew just how serious my threat was -- and that it wasn’t an idle one.

“All right,” she said at last, stepping back from the table, her eyes never leaving mine. “Her vitals are stabilizing. She’s out of immediate danger, but she’ll need ongoing care. I’ve done everything I can for now. I’d recommend putting her in the hospital, but I don’t think you want that.”

“You’re right, I don’t,” I replied.

The last time I let Hollis out of sight, my brothers had tried to kill her. Fuck if I was going to let the hospital take care of her when I couldn’t remain her with her twenty-four-seven. Not without freeing up some hospital beds by sending a few patients to the morgue. No, if I was going to lose my shit right now, I’d better do it at home and aim it at the two men who deserved it.

I owed Crash and Kane a lot more pain than I’d already inflicted. I wouldn’t kill them. After all, they helped maintain the status quo in this town. Handling it all on my own wouldn’t be easy and would take me away from Hollis even more.

My gaze shifted back to Hollis, her face pale and fragile beneath the dim light of the room. She looked so vulnerable. The sight stirred something deep inside me, a fierce protectiveness that threatened to consume everything else.

What the fuck was wrong with me? Possessive, I understood. Why did I feel the need to protect her? Because she belonged to me? I hoped that’s all it was. I didn’t have time for soft emotions like love or any of that romantic shit. Quickest way to ruin a man.

I allowed myself a small, bitter smile as I stared down at Hollis. She was still alive, and I intended to keep it that way. And as for Crash and Kane? They’d pay, in blood and agony, for every mark they’d left on her. That much, I swore.

* * *

The moon glared down at me as I carried Hollis through the night, her body limp and fragile in my arms. The mansion loomed ahead, its darkened windows telling me Crash and Kane weren’t there -- or were hiding from me.

I carried Hollis up to our room and laid her down on the bed with a gentleness that would’ve shocked those who knew me only as The Butcher. My fingers brushed against her bruised skin as I tucked her in, the contrast between my callused hands and her delicate frame striking me more than ever before. I’d kill anyone who dared to touch her again. She was mine. If anyone was going to cause her pain, it would be me.

“Riot… we need to talk,” Crash’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I glanced up to see him and Kane standing in the doorway, their eyes locked on Hollis.

“Are you sure that’s wise?” I asked.

“Look, man, we fucked up,” Crash began, his usual smugness replaced by something almost resembling remorse. “We didn’t know she meant so much to you. We won’t touch her again.”

I got the feeling he was lying through his teeth, but I’d let it slide for now. As long as they knew to never touch Hollis again, that would be enough. If there was more going on, I’d deal with it later.

“Damn right you won’t. You so much as breathe in her direction, and I’ll make sure your last moments on this earth are filled with more pain than you can even fucking imagine.” I flexed my hands. “As it is, I want to beat the shit out of both of you again. I don’t think you’ve suffered enough.”

“Understood,” Kane mumbled, his gaze shifting nervously between me and Hollis. “We thought she was making you soft.”

“Soft? Why?” I asked.

“You’re different with her,” Crash said. “It’s like you care or something.”

He wasn’t entirely wrong. I did feel something for her, even if I couldn’t define it. But telling them that would only cause more problems. “She belongs to me. You touched my property, tried to kill her, and you thought I’d be fine with it? You know how I am about my possessions. Now get the fuck out of here before I decide to carve a few inches off both your hides.”

As they turned away, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of sick game fate was playing with me. A monster like me shouldn’t feel this way about anyone, least of all a woman as innocent as Hollis. Sure, I called her my property. I definitely obsessed over her. Even I could admit as much. But the fact it could possibly be something more was the one thing I didn’t like and would never admit.

As I watched her sleep, her chest rising and falling with each shallow breath, I knew one thing for certain: there was no going back. She was mine now, and I’d be damned if I let anyone take her from me.

* * *

It had been a week and Hollis had slept through most of it. When she was awake, I gave her pain medication, soup, and made sure she stayed hydrated. All the things the doctor said she’d need in order to survive.

The doctor’s visits had become a daily routine, and each time she entered the mansion, I wondered if she’d end up telling me bad news. Hollis didn’t seem to be recovering as quickly as I’d have liked. Even the doctor had looked concerned over a few of the wounds.

“Riot,” the doctor murmured, her voice trembling as she approached Hollis. “I need to examine her.”

“Make it quick, and don’t fuck up.” It had become my mantra whenever the doctor showed up.

The doctor nodded, her hands shaking as she began examining Hollis. My gaze never wavered, my eyes boring into her every movement, ensuring that she didn’t screw up and cause more harm than good.

“Her condition is better, and she’s still stable, but she needs more time to recover.”

“Every day she’s like this, she’s vulnerable. Tell me, is she going to fucking die?”

“Riot, I can’t predict the future. She’s weak, but she’s fighting. Her wounds are healing, even if it’s slow. I’m doing everything I can to help her,” the doctor replied.

“Then do more, or I swear to God…” I trailed off, not needing to finish the threat. I could see the fear in her eyes, and knew she understood the consequences all too well.

As more days passed, I found myself growing increasingly restless. It wasn’t just her survival at stake. It was mine as well. I’d never been one for sentimentality or attachment, but I couldn’t deny the hold Hollis had over me. And as I watched her, clinging to life, I began to realize just how much I needed her.

“Riot,” she murmured, her voice weaker than I’d have liked.

“Hey,” I said softly, my voice surprisingly gentle. “How are you feeling?”

“Like hell,” she replied, attempting a weak smile. “But I’m still here.”

“Damn right, you are,” I muttered, my eyes never leaving hers. “And I’ll make sure you stay that way.”

* * *

The first time I saw Hollis sit up in bed, the relief hit me like a sucker punch to the gut. Her eyes, once glassy and distant, now held a spark of life that sent my heart racing.

“Riot.” She held out her hand to me. “I feel so much better. Thank you for taking care of me.”

“About fucking time,” I replied gruffly. But even as I spoke, my hand moved instinctively to brush a strand of hair from her face -- a touch so tender it almost surprised me.

“Careful, you might actually start acting like a human being,” Hollis teased, her lips twitching into a weak smile. My own mouth quirked in response, though I couldn’t quite bring myself to return the sentiment.

“Fuck off,” I muttered, though the words held no real venom. They were more an admission of defeat than anything else. Because as much as I hated to admit it, Hollis had wormed her way under my skin, and there was no denying the possessive need that had taken root within me.

I’d thought things were finally better, and we were heading back to our normal lives when the doctor arrived that day with a clipboard clutched tightly in her trembling hands. I could sense that something was off -- and I didn’t like it one bit.

“Spit it out. What’s wrong with her?”

“Riot… I ran some tests while treating Hollis.” The doctor hesitated, her eyes darting between us before finally settling on me. “She’s pregnant.”

For a moment, the world seemed to go silent, leaving nothing but the sound of blood pounding in my ears. Then, without warning, a primal rage surged through me, and I lashed out, my fist connecting with the wall beside the doctor’s head.

“You’re fucking lying,” I snarled. “Dr. Fields informed me I can’t have children. So there’s no fucking way Hollis is pregnant.”

“Riot, please,” the doctor stammered, her eyes wide with terror. “The results are clear. I only ran a pregnancy test because I realized there was more to your relationship, and certain drugs could harm a baby.”

“Get out!” I roared, grabbing her by the collar and shoving her toward the door. “Get the fuck out of here before I put your head through the Goddamn wall!”

And just like that, she was gone -- leaving me alone with Hollis and the bitter taste of betrayal.

“Riot?” Hollis murmured, her eyes searching mine for answers. But all I could do was stare back at her, my heart a twisted knot of pain and anger.

“Did you know?” I asked finally, my voice hoarse. “Did you keep this from me?”

“Riot, I swear, I didn’t know,” she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. “I --”

“Save it,” I spat, cutting her off. “Just… fucking save it.”

As I stormed out of the room, my hands trembling with rage, one thought echoed through my mind: someone was going to pay for this, and they were going to pay dearly. If she was pregnant and it wasn’t mine, then someone had dared to touch what belonged to me.

* * *

The air was thick with the scent of fear as I strode into Dr. Fields’ office, my fists clenched and rage boiling beneath the surface. This was the woman who had sworn, years ago, that I couldn’t have children -- a fact I’d accepted without question until now.

“Riot Tredway,” she stammered, her face paling at the sight of me. “What brings you here?”

“Cut the shit, Nora.” I slammed my hands down on her desk. “You fucking lied to me.”

“Wh-what do you mean?” she asked, beads of sweat forming on her brow. Yeah, I could nearly taste her fear. She either knew exactly why I was so pissed, or she’d lied to me about multiple things and wasn’t sure exactly how fucked she was right now.

“Your little lie just cost someone dearly.” I narrowed my eyes. “Hollis is pregnant, and you’re going to tell me how the fuck that’s possible when you swore I was sterile.”

“Riot, I can assure you, my initial diagnosis was accurate,” she insisted, her voice shaking. “I don’t know what happened, but --”

“Wrong answer.” I grabbed her by the collar and lifted her off her feet. As I slammed her against the wall, I could feel the rush of power coursing through my veins. “Think very carefully about your next words, Doctor.”

“Please, Riot,” she begged, struggling for breath as I tightened my grip. “There may be… other factors… I didn’t consider before. You might not be entirely sterile, just… less likely to --”

“Less likely?” I asked, my voice dripping with disdain. “You told me it was impossible. Not difficult. Impossible. And now there’s a child growing inside Hollis, a life I never wanted but won’t hesitate to protect, simply because she seems like the type who’d want to keep it.”

“Riot, I’m sorry,” she choked out. “I should have been more thorough --”

“Damn right, you should have. Or maybe it wasn’t a case of being wrong. Perhaps you’ve been lying to me all along, about this and who knows what else. Remember what I told you in the very beginning? Betray me and I’d make your life hell?”

I pulled her away from the wall only to slam her against it again. I heard her teeth snap together from the impact, and hoped I’d caused her at least a little bit of pain. Much more was coming her way, though.

I pulled out my phone and called Kane, putting it on speaker.

“Hello,” Kane said when the call connected.

“Need you at Nora Fields’ office. Bring Crash. If the two of you want to make up for the shit you pulled, here’s your chance.” I ended the call, not even waiting for his response. I knew he’d come. Both of them would.

“It’s your lucky day, Doc. You get the buy one, get one free special. Not only is Kane going to fuck up your world, but Crash is too. Aren’t you lucky? You really should thank me.” I smiled. “After all, I’d do far worse things to you than either of them, and you know it.”

She choked and gasped, clawing at my hand. I held her in place, pinned to the wall, until Crash and Kane arrived. They took one look at my face and the doc and knew something had gone wrong.

“This bitch has been lying to me. She’s probably lied to the two of you as well,” I said.

“What did she lie about?” Kane asked.

“She said I was sterile. I’m not.” I let my words sink in. “Hollis is pregnant.”

“What purpose did it serve to tell him that?” Kane asked. “Were you hoping he’d knock someone up?”

Nora sagged and gave a bark of humorless laughter. “Fine. Looks like I’m caught. Want to know the truth? The three of you were perfect research for a paper I wanted to write about the mental and physical qualities of serial killers. And I may have thought one of you having a kid would be golden. Then I could study it from the time it was born and see if it turned out like any of you regardless of whether it had a loving home. I could have documented every detail of the child’s life as it was happening.”

“You think we’d love our children?” I asked.

“Not you. Their mothers. Even if one or two of you kept your kids, I knew at least one of the three would discard them. That child could be brought up in a normal home. No abuse. Just love and affection.” Dr. Fields smiled, as if she thought it was the most brilliant idea ever.

Crash shot me a look. “Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like she’s confessing a little too quickly. Besides, her logic is flawed.”

“On many levels,” Kane muttered.

“What made you think we wouldn’t just kill the women carrying our kids?” Crash asked. “Did it not occur to you none of us want families? We aren’t the domestic type.”

Dr. Fields’ brow furrowed. “But Riot hasn’t killed Hollis. So I was right, wasn’t I?”

“I can’t pretend to understand what’s going on with Riot and Hollis, and I’m not sure he knows either,” Kane said. “But the baby has nothing to do with the fact she’s still breathing. More than likely, any women you sent to us would have died the same day we fucked them.”

“Ha! My plan was so much more involved than that. Do you take me for an amateur?” Her eyes were feverish as she told us everything she’d planned. As much as I wanted to snap her neck, it would be too humane for the likes of her.

“Why tell us all of this?” Crash asked. “Are you hoping we spare you?”

Dr. Fields wouldn’t talk. For once, she kept her mouth shut. I tossed her to Kane and Crash. I had a feeling she’d started spilling her secrets to save herself from some torture.

“Make the bitch suffer, then find all her files on the three of us. Who knows what else she’s been hiding.”

I walked out, knowing they’d do as I’d said. Especially if it meant I wouldn’t kill them for hurting Hollis. Little did they know I actually needed the two of them. It was better for them to remain clueless.