Chapter 18 Casey
CASEY
Just as the guys leave, my phone vibrates. I pull it from my pocket and whoop. “Got you slimy mother fucker.”
“And what has you all excited?” Kendra asks.
“The stalker, or someone, just broke into Hayden’s apartment.
I’m outtie. Should have it wrapped up by one.
See you soon.” I kiss her cheeks then run to my room to get decked out, all the while watching the video feed of Hayden’s apartment.
Well, the feed of the living room since I can only see one room at a time on the phone app. I grab my gear bag and wave as I leave.
Kendra just chuckles and tells me to have fun. As if I’d find torturing someone dull.
I watch the road and flick my eyes to the screen of my phone every few minutes to make sure the intruder is still there. When I park, I remember the elevator is out and I have to walk up a bagillion and one stairs. While I do hate stairs with a fiery passion, I’m also a master of the Stairmaster.
I grab the metal bat from my backseat. There’s a fuzzy pink sock in my pocket when I’m ready for it. My bag goes over my shoulder and I’m in the stairwell in no time. I look to my phone and stand silent in the stairwell for a minute, getting my bearings and hyping myself up.
I take a deep breath and run up the fucking stairs. I don’t stop once until I’m on the sixth floor. I’m barely breathing heavy. Dallas is gonna be so spicy when he realizes how good of shape I’m in. But I really liked him carrying me up the stairs.
I ruffle my hair and pull on a ski mask this time. Then tug the sock on the end of the bat. That way if whoever it is tries to grab the bat, it’ll slide right out of their hands giving me a second go at them real fast.
I bounce on my toes, then push the door open into the hallway. No one’s there, thank fuck, because my ski mask and bat would probably freak them the fuck out. I just wanna scare the intruder. Maybe rough them up a bit.
I dig the key out of my pocket and unlock Hayden’s door so quietly. I even hold my breath. I step in and gently close the door behind me. There’s dim lighting coming from Hayden’s bedroom. Along with soft moans.
What. The. Fuck?
I slide my shoes off at the door and slowly drop my gear bag from my shoulder and next to my shoes. I tip toe to the bedroom, bat raised and ready. The moaning gets louder.
“Fuck me, Hayden.” It’s a deep voice and whoever it is, looks up when my body darkens the doorway.
“What the fuck are you doing?” My eyes go wide as my brain fully registers there’s a guy with his cock out and masturbating in Hayden’s bed with a pair of what I’m hoping isn’t dirty underwear in his hands.
“Who the fuck are you?” they ask.
Looking them over, they match the description of one of the delivery drivers Mr. Arie described. Mid to late forties, salt and pepper hair, muscular, hoodie and jeans. Lou’s Flower Shop printed on the hoodie.
“I think the bigger question is who the fuck are you and why are you jerking it on Hayden’s bed?” I sit cross-legged in the doorway, put my elbows on my knees, and lean toward him. “Seems weird, and to wear your company logo? Bad move.”
He’s still holding his dick and looks down at his hoodie. “How do you know it’s my company logo?”
I grin and shrug nonchalantly. “Wasn’t for sure, but you just confirmed it.”
“What’s the bat for?”
I look at it as if I’m just now seeing it. “Oh, this?” I give it another look. “We’re gonna play a game.”
His eyes widen. “I don’t want any trouble.” He must finally realize he’s still holding his dick because he shoves it in his jeans and zips up. He stuffs the underwear in his pocket and I almost tell him to leave them, but I don’t think Hayden will want them back knowing a guy jerked off in them.
“You kinda sorta started all the trouble when you started leaving creepy ass roses at Dallas’s and Hayden’s places.” I tap my bottom lip. “But how did you know where Hayden’s uncle lives?”
“Followed him there one night.” His eyes dart to the bat. “I don’t wanna die.”
“Shoulda thought about that before stalking people under my protection.” I push to my feet and pass the bat from one hand to the other.
“Please. Just let me go. I won’t do anything like this again. But they made me feel so good in the video. Hayden keeps responding to my emails. He’s so nice. I love him.”
“He’s straight?” I say it like a question, just like Hayden had. “But what’s this video you speak of?” I might have to sass the guys for keeping information from me.
“Few months back I won a contest, and the winner got a personal video message from Dallas and Hayden. They said I’m doing so good. They’re proud of me.” His eyes light up and there’s a manic grin on his face. “Most people think I’m washed up, but they said—”
“Okay, enough with the mushy shit. What should I do with you?” I tap my lips again.
“Let me go?” He asks hopefully, and I snort.
“See, I’m tempted, but how do I know you won’t come back again? I need a guarantee of some sort, and then I’m not sure I can trust you. How did you know how to rig up Dallas’s place? And to have a reflective plate cover? And where to hide from the cameras?” Nothing’s adding up.
“Ex-investigator.”
“Sure. Sure. Still leaves what to do with you left in the air. I have a moral code, you know, and you don’t fit the usual bill.” I sigh. “Unless you’re a pedo and/or rapist.” I might ask way too hopefully.
He shakes his head so hard his hair flies.
“And I’m just supposed to trust you? Hmmm?
” Fuck. I got all excited to get here, but I can’t decide what the fuck to do.
I could kill him, but it’d fuck up all my morals.
The guy’s a creep, and he has destroyed Dallas’s and Hayden’s peace.
I could kill him on that alone. Then call the clean-up crew.
They’ll probably be thrilled for a random job and they’ll charge extra because of the stair situation. But… it’s wrong. Right?
The guy doesn’t know that while I seem like I’m contemplating life, I still have perfect situational awareness. His lunge ends up with him flailing back after I swing at him. I shove the end of the bat at his chest and he falls to his butt. His eyes go wide and I rear back.
“Sorry, I protect what’s mine, and you just fucked up.”
He flips to his front and tries to crawl away. I almost wish I had my gun on me and not in my bag. I like toying with people first before shooting them.
“You know, this could be fun. I’ll give you a five second head start.”
“Wait!” He puts up his hands. “I’ll never come back. Just let me live.”
“But how can I be certain?” I whine. “No, I have to see this through. One Mississippi.”
The guy pushes to his feet and tries to run, but his time runs out. I grab him by the hood, which isn’t the best hand hold. He twists right out of it and he’s almost to the bedroom door.
“I haven’t killed anyone in a minute, and Friday is so far away.” I pout and hit his left kneecap.
He doesn’t even yell as he goes down. Just one of those surprised oaf noises. He grabs for the door frame.
“Please.”
“Got any kids?” I ask.
He shakes his head.
“Too bad. That would have saved you. Stay right there.” I step over him and he grabs for my ankle. I stomp on his hand. “I said stay right fucking there.” I grind his hand into the carpet and he grits his teeth.
It’s lucky for me that he’s not vocal, but I miss the screams. I take my time grabbing my gun. Thank fuck for silencers, am I right?
Poor dumbass is so terrified he never even thought to call the police himself. His phone still sits on the bed.
He’s on his feet when I return. There’s a change in him. His face morphs into a sneer. “I’m done playing. Where’s Hayden? He was supposed to be home, but I got you showing up instead. Where is he?”
“Why so you can confess your undying love? You’re nothing to him.” There’s an uneasy feeling in my gut about what his plans for Hayden were.
The man snarls and lunges at me again. I dance out of his way.
Sweat beads on his brow and he wipes his forehead with the back of his head before he runs at me. “Hayden tells me I’m doing amazing. He says—”
The man is too slow, and I easily twist out of his way.
I bonk him on the back of the head with the bat, disorienting him, but not knocking him out.
“Hayden is being encouraging because that’s the type of people he and Dallas are.
I’m sure he sends dozens of the same kind of emails.
All copy and pasted messages. You’re not special. ”
“I am.” He fists his hands. “Stop lying.”
“You were planning on raping him, weren’t you?” My stomach twists and turns.
“He would have said yes.”
“Ah, and that gives me my out. Say night night.”
He snarls again, but before he can make another move, I shoot him right between the eyes. Relief floods my veins. No more worrying. No fucking my morals.
I pull my phone from my pocket and call the clean-up crew, transferring money before we even hang up. I even send them a bonus for the stairs.
I wait for them to show up. It doesn’t take them long and I hang out in the kitchen, then keep surveillance of the hallway, making sure no one gets snoopy.
“Damn, Hayden. You really live someplace the neighbors give zero fucks about each other.” But that just means this works out best for me.
I give each of the three-man crew a thousand dollar cash bonus as they officially clear everything out. “Thanks, y’all. Pleasure as always. See you later.” I blow them a kiss.
I could have cleaned up just fine, but it would have taken me much longer to do, and I promised Kendra I’d be back by one.
Now what? Obviously, I need to shower off the murder funk and come up with a story for Dallas and Hayden.
Casey: Wanna get mani pedis before tonight?
Kendra makes me wait for eternity before responding.
Kendra: Sounds good. meet you at Lyn’s in thirty?
I contemplate telling Dallas and Hayden their stalker issue is over, but decide to keep it to myself. At least for a few days. This way, I have a reason to have Dallas close.
But that leaves one giant problem.
Friday.
It’s not like I can say oh, by the way, I have a live streaming torture death show and won’t be around. Shit, maybe I should tell them they can go home if they want. It’d make my life less complicated for sure.
But Mr. Arie gives me vibes I can’t interpret right now, so I’d rather have Dallas with me.
“Why the fuck is romance so complicated?” I throw my head back and suppress a scream.
Kendra and I get our mani pedis and head back to the apartment to start packing for tonight’s performance.
I need the water so badly. Sure, I killed a couple people since the last live stream, but it’s the torture that gives me life.
Torturing pedos and rapists is my calling.
I take great pride and pleasure in it. And watching the light leave their eyes.
Oh, that’s just the icing on the cake. The screams are the best music.
But I could do with less of the smells. Too many people piss themselves. A few vomit. Shit themselves. I might stab someone in a spot that ruptures their bowel, and that doesn’t smell pleasant. The cleaning chemicals stink. But it’s all worth it to clean up the streets.
“Oh,” Kendra starts when I plop down next to her on the couch. “We have a few choices for tomorrow night’s entertainment. I got a pedo and a rapist. Couldn’t decide. We could do a two-fer.”
I bounce to my toes and spin. “That would be amazing. It’s been a while since I’ve done a two for one night.”
“I knew you’d like that.” She chuckles. “Which one do you want the pleasure of hunting down?”
“No preference.”
She hands me a sticky note. “Kevin Jones. Pedo. Address on the back.”
“You’re the best.” I smash a kiss to her cheek and dance around the living room. “I don’t know why this week feels a thousand years long. Tomorrow can’t get here soon enough.”
“I feel the same. And I think Danielle’s mad at me again.”
I sigh and slide back down on the couch to throw my arm around her shoulders. “I thought you two were good for each other, but the more I think about it, the more it feels like she’s abusing your emotions. And BTW I gave Bella, Clayton’s assistant, your number.”
Her eyes go wide. “Why the fuck would you do that? I can’t talk to her. She’s way too cute. And I just know her heart is pure a snow.”
“I told her you adored her. She’ll text. Or call. She thinks you’re too good for her.” I rub my head against her shoulder. “On another note. Apparently Clayton’s been flirting with me for years? I had no idea.”
She snorts. “That’s because you flirt, but never register when people flirt back. A couple years ago he had it bad. Don’t you remember the thousand and one collabs we did with him?”
“I thought he was into you!”
“No, honey, he wanted you. He wanted to hear your voice on the phone when he called.” She kisses the top of my head, then wiggles her shoulder to get me to move. I just wrap my arms around her waist instead.
“I had no fucking clue.” I laugh because it’s so absurd. No one wants me. Other than Dallas and Clayton, apparently.
“You’ve always been clueless, and it’s kind of adorable.”
“Well, now I have Dallas, so I don’t have to worry about anyone flirting. He fucks me.”
“You know, I don’t think romance is all about just fucking. It’s like you’re taking care of the stalker. Dallas getting you the cupcake. Things to show each other you care.”
I blink up at her. “Then we’ve been in a romantic relationship for years.”
“Platonic queer relationship. I looked it up.”
“Oh, okay.” I bob my head. “You’re making everything weird.” I lick her cheek and pull away with her scowling at me.
“Ew.” She glares as she wipes my slobber off. “Anyway, how the fuck are we gonna sneak away to kidnap our victims with the guys around?”
“That’s a good question. We’ll think of something.
” My phone buzzes and I pull it from my pocket.
“Speak of the devil. Says they’re heading over.
” Why the hell does my heart give a little pitter pat?
I want to sigh and look at the text. No, I want to sigh and look at my man. I want him in my sights at all times.
“You got it so bad.”
“I know,” I whine and throw my head back before sinking deeper into the couch. “I don’t understand any of it, but he makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. And is dick is so damn good.”
Kendra throws a pillow at me. “I know his dick is good. You’re moaning on it all the time.”
I sign and lean on her again. There’s a knock at the door before Dallas and Hayden come in.
“Sorry, didn’t know if we should knock, or just walk right in.”
Kendra gives them a soft smile. “You’re welcome to just walk in.” She turns to me with a grin. “We were just discussing asking you to ride with us to Influencer Con, or were you planning on flying?”