10. Ten Lakey
Ten: Lakey
T he bathroom light flickered, casting eerie shadows as we dragged Skeeter's squirming body across the grimy tiles. His muffled whimpers echoed off the walls, music to my ears. I couldn't help but hum a cheery tune as I zip-tied his wrists to the rusty bathtub handle.
"There we go, all snug as a bug," I cooed, patting his tear-stained cheek. "Now, wasn't that fun?"
Skeeter's eyes bulged with terror, darting between me and Cam. God, I loved that look. It sent delicious shivers down my spine.
I leaned in close, my lips brushing his ear. "Listen up, my sweet little pig. You've got two choices here: spill your guts, or we'll spill them for you. Easy peasy, right?"
My voice was meant to calm, to soothe, much like a vampires would if they were real. But let’s face it, I usually had the opposite effect. Maybe I needed something more poignant to be seen as a non-threat. Like if I lost the knives. Or the maniacal grin. Behind me, I heard the rhythmic snick of Cam's butterfly knife as he flipped it open and closed. Such a show-off. But damn if it didn't add to the ambiance. To be honest, it made me want to jump his bones. His brand of violence was always lyrical and mine was messy. Together, we were something to be admired.
"Tick tock, Skeeter," I sing-songed, trailing a finger down his trembling jaw. "What's it gonna be?"
My mind raced with possibilities. Would he crack right away? Or would we get to have some real fun first? The anticipation was killing me. Well, it would be killing Skeeter soon enough if he didn't wise up.
I turned and caught Cam's eye. That familiar dark glint made my heart skip. God, he was magnificent when he got like this — all darkened danger and lethal grace. I’d half the mind to bend over on the sink and let him have his way with me, but then he’d kill Skeeter and we’d all be fucked.
Focus, Lakey. Business before pleasure.
I turned back to our captive, cocking my head with a Cheshire grin. "C'mon, sugar. Don't keep a girl waiting. You know how impatient I can get."
And wasn't that the understatement of the century? But Skeeter didn't need to know just how badly I was itching to make him scream. Not yet anyway.
The real fun was just beginning.
Skeeter's eyes darted wildly, like a trapped animal searching for an escape that didn't exist. I could practically smell the fear oozing from his pores. It was intoxicating.
"I-I know where the Almines are," he stammered, voice cracking. "But... but Janine's remarried now. And John... John's dead. Heart attack."
My grin faltered, a scowl creeping across my face. Well, shit. That wasn't part of the plan. I'd been looking forward to a little reunion with dear old John. Guess karma beat me to the punch.
"Dead, huh?" I mused, tapping a finger against my lips. "That's... disappointing."
Skeeter nodded frantically, words tumbling out in a desperate rush. "Janine lives nearby. New husband. They've even got a foster kid now. But I swear, they're not hurting the child. They're different now, I promise!"
A laugh bubbled up from my chest, sharp and bitter. I waved my hand dismissively, cutting off his pathetic excuses.
"Oh, honey," I cooed, leaning in close enough to feel his panicked breath on my cheek. "You really expect me to believe that leopard changed its spots? Please."
My mind whirled with this new information. Janine, playing happy family? As if she could ever be anything but a monster. And now there was another kid involved? History repeating itself in the worst way.
I locked eyes with Cam, a silent conversation passing between us. Time to change tactics.
"Well, Skeeter," I purred, my smile all teeth. "Looks like we've got ourselves a field trip to plan."
Cam stepped forward, his towering frame casting a shadow over our informant. The air in the bathroom seemed to thicken, and I shivered as goosebumps broke out over my skin. This was always my favorite part.
"Now, let's talk about the Nuns," Cam said, his voice smooth as silk and twice as dangerous. "Where are they hiding these days?"
I watched Skeeter's face drain of color, his head shaking in a silent, frantic refusal. The fear etched into every line of his face was almost beautiful. Almost.
"Come on, man," I coaxed, running a finger along his jaw. "Don't clam up on us now. We were having such a nice chat. You said before you didn’t know, and considering Father Christopher met with you, I’d say you do. Or at least, know how to contact them. C’mon, babe, just give me a little hint."
Cam's dark eyes glittered with malice as he grabbed those fat cheeks and squeezed before releasing and slapping him lightly. "I'd listen to the lady if I were you."
Skeeter's lips quivered, but no sound came out. I sighed dramatically. "Well, can't say we didn't try the nice way."
Without warning, Cam's hand flashed out. The knife glinted in the dim light, and then—
Skeeter's scream filled the room, a raw sound of agony that bounced off the tiles and burrowed into my bones. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the thin strip of skin dangling from Skeet’s face.
"Jesus," I breathed, equal parts joyful and aroused. Cam's capability for violence never failed to send a thrill through me. "Warn a girl next time, would ya?"
Cam's lips curled into a smirk. "Where's the fun in that, baby?"
I giggled, the sound mingling with Skeeter's whimpers. His face poured blood, splashing onto his chin and dribbling down his neck, soaking his shirt. It was beautiful and part of me wondered what he would look like if his whole face looked like that. This… this poetic violence was why Cam and I worked so well together. Two broken pieces forming one perfect, jagged whole. If he wanted to jump, I’d tell him how high. If I needed to jump, he’d bend down so I could use him to vault the stars.
Skeeter's sobs echoed off the bathroom tiles, a pathetic soundtrack to our little interrogation. I leaned in close, my sweet perfume mingling with the coppery scent of blood.
"Aw, come on now," I cooed, patting my fingers on his sweat-soaked head. "No need for waterworks. Just tell us what we want to know, and this can all be over."
Skeeter's tear-filled eyes met mine, desperation radiating off him in waves. "I-I'll talk," he choked out. "Please, just... no more."
I felt a rush of triumph. God, I loved it when they broke.
"The group home," he gasped, words tumbling out in a frantic rush. "Everything you need to know is there. Where Lakey stayed. During Cam's time in the clink. It's all there, I swear!"
My body went rigid. That hellhole where I'd rotted while Cam was locked away. Where nightmares were born. How did he know about that? How did he know I stayed there?
I straightened, my playful demeanor evaporating like mist. “Now, Skeets, we just have one little issue…”
He swallowed; his tear crusted eyes landing on mine. “Wh…what?”
“We don’t know where it is. You see, a lot of my time there is a big, black hole. So, you’re gonna need to refresh my memory.”
He shook his head. “I don’t… don’t know where it is! Lakey, please, I swear-”
Leaning down, I grabbed his nuts and twisted. “Listen here you sweaty little piece of fuck, give me that address or I will cut your balls off and feed them to you. I’ll cauterize the wound with a piping hot pan, so you don’t bleed to death and make sure you die a very slow, very painful death.”
Cam slapped my ass. “Damn girl, you trying to make me take that ass right now?” He leaned down to whisper, “You’re gonna get it as soon as we’re out of here.”
I looked back and winked as Skeeter groaned in disgust. “What? You don’t like consensual sex, Skeeter? Makes sense, I guess. Be hard to find it underneath that pot belly you carry around. Is that why you picked an old lady? Blindness makes it easier to accept your fate, I suppose. Anyway…” I sighed, leaning back and wiping my hand on his shirt. “The address. Now.”
He started talking so fast I couldn’t make out a word.
“Are you fucking stupid? Slow down, no one can understand your incoherent babbling.”
“The old mill. I think it’s by the old mill. I don’t have an address, but that’s where that guy in the SUV said to meet him next week with information on you.”
Hmmm… information on me… “Why does he want information on me? I ain’t been around him for… a very long time.”
“He didn’t say. Just that he wanted to tell you something, or give you something, or something. I don’t fucking know. Cam, please. I’ve told you everything I know.”
"Well, well," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "Looks like we're not killing anyone today. Might need him again."
Cam's answering grin was all teeth. "He does have a penchant for lying."
My mind raced, plotting our next move. The group home held secrets, alright. And we were about to blow them wide open. Or up. Depended on my mood when I got there.
I gave Skeeter one last saccharine smile before turning to Cam. "Make yourself comfortable, sweet summer child. We’ll be back later."
Cam nodded, his dark eyes glinting with barely contained violence. We left Skeeter whimpering in the tub, his muffled cries fading as I shut the bathroom door with a decisive click. The sound echoed through the apartment, a final note to our twisted symphony.
"Well, that was fun," I chirped, skipping towards the kitchen. "I don't know about you, but I could use a drink."
I yanked open the fridge, the cool air a stark contrast to the heated intensity of moments before. My fingers closed around two bottles, the glass slick and cold against my skin.
"Catch," I called, tossing one to Cam. He snagged it effortlessly, his huge hand dwarfing the bottle. I popped my cap off with practiced ease, the sharp hiss cutting through the eerie quiet.
"To old times," I murmured, clinking my bottle against his. The group home loomed in my mind, a specter of pain and rage. So much of my time there was blank, but what I did remember was a cesspool of pain and misery. I’d never wanted to revisit those memories, but something about this hit list got me excited to exact revenge. Who knows? Maybe I will find peace and healing. I was just grateful I wouldn’t be going at it alone. With Cam by my side, I was ready to face those demons. And make them pay.
“Nah, babe, to new ones.” He grinned, leaning down to capture my mouth in a searing kiss before tearing away with a sexy smirk.
I took a long swig of beer, the bitter taste washing away the metallic tang of violence still lingering on my tongue. My mind was already racing, piecing together our next move like a jigsaw puzzle.
"So, Cammy," I said, my voice light as a spring breeze, "what do you think about a little field trip to my old stomping grounds?"
Cam's lips curled as he licked his lips. "Feeling nostalgic, Lakey?"
I giggled, twirling a strand of hair around my finger. "Oh, you know me. Nothing says, 'home sweet home' like revisiting the scene of the trauma I can’t really remember."
He lifted the bottle to his lips, downing almost all of it before motioning for me to grab him another. "And here I thought you'd want to savor our little reunion with Skeeter a bit longer."
"Please," I scoffed, waving my hand dismissively. "He's small potatoes. The real prize is waiting for us at that hellhole."
My mind flashed back to those endless nights of abuse, the constant fear, the burning rage that had forged me into the woman I was today. I could almost smell the musty corridors, hear the echoes of muffled sobs. There was a giant piece missing. I vaguely remembered being strapped to a gurney and being wheeled down a hall, but everything after that was dark.
That was the piece that I needed to fill. Well, one of them. My childhood was a pretty big black hole as well and according to Google, that’s a sign of repressed memories.
"I’m so excited, Cam," I continued, my voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "If we find the place, there’s bound to be information, right? They can’t have had all of us girls there, without some kind of filing system. Some records of some kind. All those files, all that dirt on the bastards who made our lives a living nightmare. It's just sitting there, waiting for us to use it. Who knows? Maybe we will find some info on the where-abouts of the ones missing on the hit list."
Cam leaned back against the counter, his massive frame radiating predatory grace. "And what exactly did you have in mind for all that information, sweetheart?"
I felt my lips curl upward in a little smirk, a whirlwind of possibilities swirling through my head. "Oh, you know... a little blackmail here, some well-deserved vengeance there. Maybe we'll even burn the whole fucking place to the ground."
“As long as I can sink little Marie here”—he flicked his butterfly knife open and shut— “into the guts of the bastards who hurt my girl, I’ll follow you anywhere.”