13. Chapter Twelve
Chapter Twelve
Noah
Well, that went about as well as expected.
Better, almost.
At least she didn’t scream and draw attention to herself. I suppose it’s natural to feel some kind of way about stripping the old parts of yourself and rebuilding everything you’ve ever known. Choosing a different path. I grab my pack, stuffing my mask in it.
I can’t relate. I’ve never wanted anything other than this life. So that’s what I built.
But she… she built a life in the city, and I’ve taken that from her. Some kickback is expected, but I am growing tired of her childish outbursts. Deep down she wants everything I have to offer, and she craves me, just as I crave her.
We are meant to be, she just needs to drop the fucking act.
My cell buzzes in my pocket as I start up the trail towards the hunting cabin. Pulling it out, I can see Kairo’s name flashing against the screen.
“What?” I spit into the speaker.
“I need the cabin. Like in two days. So, if you’re not done, we will be sharing it. I found her, Noah. I found my girl.”
I roll my eyes. Sure. Like the last one you found. The very same one you professed your undying love to, only to find out that she let the football team shove their cocks up her ass, so she was unclean and unworthy of your affections. Stupid little boy.
“Noah. Did you hear me?” His voice is maniacal. Excitement tinged with madness.
“I’ll be done in two days. I’m moving Cassidy to the cabin I built for her soon. Then it’s all yours. Oh, and Kairo. Clean the fucking hunting cabin next time you use it. It’s repugnant.”
“It’s supposed to be repugnant.” He sounds petulant, like a child I gave a talking to. “I’ll see you soon. Save me some of the ass you’re hoarding.”
Not a chance you fucking nut.
He laughs before the line goes dead and I shove my phone back into my pocket.
I detest this about him. About how he can think he loves someone, then discard them like they never existed. Women are his playthings. They always have been.
Kairo gets obsessive and then he hunts his target. Once he finds out she has one little flaw, he gets rid of her. Doesn’t usually kill them, but accidents have happened. Similar ones to Alannah. The trails are treacherous if you don’t know where you’re going. I’ve seen it time and again.
I don’t do anything to stop it, because that’s his life, but to say it doesn’t grate on me is a lie. It does. Cassidy is beautiful. She also has flaws, but those can be eradicated with enough patience and persuasion.
It’s not about finding the perfect woman; it’s about molding a woman into perfection.
And that’s what my idiot cousin hasn’t yet realized.
That and he picks the bottom barrel women. Ones that I can tell just aren’t the caliber he needs to truly thrive in his darkness.
Cassidy is nothing like the women he brings here. And I know if he laid an eye on her, he would want her too. But he can’t have her. She’s mine. Once he tried to share a catch with me and I vomited on his Gucci’s. No fucking thank you. The women he trials aren’t worth a single moment of my time and he knows that if he ever touched Cass, if he even so much as breathed the same air as her…
I would carve out his intestines and strangle him with them.
It’s not an empty threat and he knows it. He thinks I’m the soft one, but those roles would reverse if anyone laid a finger on what’s mine.
The hunting cabin comes into view, and I slow my pace as Dana’s shrill voice pierces the air. “Noah! Get back here! You fucking prick! We are going to die!”
Can only hope.
I take my time covering the last few feet until I’m standing just outside the door, letting her screams bounce off the walls until she’s hoarse and desperate.
Finally, I push the door open and step inside. Stopping only to pull my mask over my face, I head right back to the hanging room.
Dana's eyes widen when she sees me, a mix of rage and relief flooding her face. She thrashes against her bindings, trying to kick out at me as I approach. “What the fuck is on your face? Ugh, you know what, I don’t fucking care. I knew you’d come back! Let us down, you fucking psycho!”
I chuckle low in my throat, walking past her to where Mike is hanging limp and unconscious. He’s got a sheen of sweat over his face, and he’s pale. Probably lack of water. He stinks too. Like he shit himself. I’ll dispatch him first and get rid of the smell before working on Dana. “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood.”
She spits at me, but it’s weak. “You don’t look like you’re in a good mood.”
“I am,” I say, grabbing the rope holding Mike up and loosening it just enough for him to slump to the floor. “Cassidy’s finally coming around.”
“Fuck you,” she hisses.
“Yeah,” I reply, letting the words hang as I move over to her ropes. Her face is red and swollen from hanging so long and probably from all the yelling.
My hunting knife is sticking out of my pack, so I grab it and stand over Mike’s body.
“You still don’t get it,” she says through gritted teeth. “This won’t work out for you.”
“I think it will.” I grab the knife and plunge it into his chest. His eyes flicker, but he doesn’t fight as I yank it out, bits of flesh sticking in the serrated edges. Blood sprays in an arc against the wall, the warmth splashing against my skin as I bring the knife down again.
Squelch.
“What the fuck, Noah?”
It’s like Dana just registered what I am doing here. “Yes?”
“What… why… what the fuck?” She repeats.
“You said that already.” I point out as I open the back door and drag Mike’s body outside.
A trail of blood follows as I pull him the few feet up the rest of the cliff and towards the edge. The ocean roars down below, sending up sky high sprays of salty water.
The salt air stings as I kick him over the side, his body spinning before landing with a dull thud on the jagged rocks below. Waves crash against him, shoving him against the rocks like a limp rag doll. Soon he will become one with the fish.
I turn back to the cabin, wiping the blood off my hands and onto my pants.
Dana’s wails float through the woods as I rinse off in a small puddle. Picking up a stone, I scrub at my arms where Mike's blood has begun to dry into sticky patches. I don’t particularly care about blood, but when it dries it’s irritating as fuck to wash off. By the time I'm clean enough, Dana's voice has grown hoarse.
Back in the cabin, I find her struggling against her ropes, her eyes wild with panic. “Noah! Please! Don’t do this!”
I say nothing as I grab another piece of rope and wrap it around her ankles for good measure.
“You’re going to kill me,” she says, desperation creeping into her voice.
“Yes.”
“But why? We were good together!” Her tone shifts from pleading to accusing. “You used me! You lied to me!”
I ignore her and check the knots one last time.
“She’ll leave you,” Dana spits as I drag her toward the back door. “She’ll leave you like everyone else.”
“By everyone else, you mean who?”
She writhes in terror as I hoist her out of the cabin and onto the ground outside. “Please! Noah!”
I haul her up to the cliff edge, taking my time as she kicks uselessly against my grip. “We could have been perfect together,” she sobs. “Cassidy will never love you like I do.”
“True. She will love me the way I want to be loved.” I pause, looking at Mike’s body slowly being dragged away.
This is too easy of a death for Dana.
I turn and head back to the cabin. Something about what she said grates on my nerves, and I decide I’m going to bleed her out like a pig.
Back in the hanging room, I drop her on the ground, grabbing her feet and lifting her. A grunt escapes me as she tries to kick out. Leaning down, I bend my knees and hoist her ankle ropes onto the hook.
She screams as blood rushes into her head. Beautiful.
Grabbing a blood bucket, I put it under her head as she thrashes and writhes. Begging for mercy. Apologizing over and over.
I hardly hear her as I turn and grab my knife.
“I’m sorry it came to this Dana,” I say, not really sorry at all. “But I just can’t have you risking everything I’ve built here. All of this,” I motion with my knife around us, “is for a good cause. Carefully curated over years of hard work and patience. Cassidy… she’s the one I’ve been waiting for, and you are putting all of it in jeopardy. So…”
I shrug, bending down and knicking her jugular, her eyes going wide as she screams, blood trickling down her face.
“Please, Dana. Stop moving so much. The bucket is there for a reason and you’re making a mess.”
Before I can make the second cut, the door to the cabin swings open and a piercing scream rings out.
Fuck… oh fuck.
I turn slowly and put down the knife. Cassidy stands there, chest heaving as she takes in the sight before her.
I’m sure I look like some grim reaper with my mask on and blood splattered all over me, but she’s looking at me like I crawled out of hell.
“Oh my God…” She stares before looking beyond me and at Dana, gurgling as the plink of her blood fills the bucket.
I step towards her, “It’s not what it looks like.”
Her hand flies to her mouth, and she shakes her head, taking a step back. “You’re… you’re…”
“Cassidy,” I say gently, holding out a hand like I’m coaxing a wounded animal. “I can explain.”
“You’re fucking insane!” She turns and bolts, her footsteps frantic on the wood as she dashed out the cabin.
My pulse spikes. This wasn’t supposed to happen. FUCK.
I tear off after her, blood and adrenaline pounding in my ears. She’s fast for someone who said their knees were shot. I grit my teeth and push harder; if she makes it too far down the trail, we’ll have a real problem. I don’t even have the rain on my side this time.
“Cassidy!” I yell as I gain ground. “Come back!”
“Go to hell!” Her voice is raw, desperate.
The wind howls between us, making it hard to hear anything except the wild thud of my heart as I close the gap. She’s not running where I thought she would; instead of heading for the main lodge, she veers off toward a narrow path leading to the falls.
Clever girl. She must have noticed the cabin and not said anything, thinking it was someone’s house.
She doesn’t know these trails like I do. It’s only a matter of time before she hits rough terrain and has to slow down. Or worse—before she trips and—
A small scream echoes through the trees as Cassidy stumbles on loose rock, falling hard before scrambling up again.
I’m almost on top of her now, can see the panic etched on her face as she glances back and sees me closing in. My heart lurches at the fear in her eyes, but there’s no time for that now.
Surging forward, I tackle her with just enough force to take us both to the ground without breaking anything important.
She fights like a wildcat, thrashing and clawing at me as I pin her down. “Let go! Let go of me!” Her voice is shrill, terror mixed with fury.
“Shhh, Cassidy,” I breathe, trying to calm her without loosening my grip. She’s strong with all that adrenaline coursing through her, but I’m stronger. “Just listen.”
“I hate you!” She jerks beneath me, trying to throw me off.
“No, you don’t,” I say, forcing the words out calmly while she writhes under me. “You’re scared. This isn’t—”
“Not what it looks like?” she spits. “You’re fucking deranged!”
“Listen,” I say again, this time letting some of my own frustration bleed into the word. “If you run now, you won’t get far.”
Her eyes blaze up at me in defiance. “I don’t care! If you’re going to kill me, just do it!”
The accusation stabs deeper than I expect, and I release one of her arms to cup her face with my hand. Her skin is cold as ice; even in panic she’s freezing.
“I’m not going to kill you,” I say fiercely. “I love you.”
“You can’t love anyone!” Her voice is raw and broken now.
I let out a long breath, holding her gaze with everything I have left in me. “Then why are you still alive?”
Confusion flickers through the rage on her face, “Let me go, Noah! You… you killed her!” Her voice breaks as she bucks her hips upward, slamming into my cock and making me keel over.
She takes that split second to roll from under me and take off again, towards the cabin I built for her.
I’m up and after her again, the rain starting to pour down. It’s a slight advantage, but not enough to slow her. She’s got more fight than anyone I’ve ever brought here, but she doesn’t understand. Doesn’t get the depths of my love for her.
“Cassidy!” The name rips out of me.
She doesn’t look back this time, just barrels forward with single-minded determination. The path narrows and I gain on her, my breath coming fast and ragged. She thinks she can outsmart me, but she doesn’t know how deeply I’ve planned this.
“I’ll hunt you,” I shout as she slips around the side of the cabin and the door creaks open. “You know I will.”
Her response is a strangled cry as she slams the door behind her. My hands are on it before the sound finishes echoing in the trees, rattling the frame with violent force.
“Leave me alone!” Her desperate voice through the wood is both a plea and a challenge.
“Never.” I throw my weight against it, once, twice—a third time until it bursts open in a shower of splintered wood.
Damn, I made that solid.
The cabin is huge, beautiful in its design, with an open floor plan and three bedrooms upstairs. Giant windows overlook the falls and the meadow, with a big sunroof to let in the light. This wasn’t how I wanted to show her my craftsmanship, but we’re here now. She stands there, chest heaving with exertion and panic as she holds a piece of broken wood like a weapon.
I stop just inside the doorway, watching her every move with feral intensity. Water drips from my hair and clothes, pooling at my feet as we face each other.
“Get away from me.” Her voice shakes as her grip on the wood tightens.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Cassidy.” I step closer, holding my hands up, trying to show her I’m not a threat.
“Get… the… FUCK… away.” She swings the wood the closer to her I walk.
“You’re overreacting. If you just let me explain—”
“EXPLAIN? You’re… you’re… bleeding her out like a fucking animal!”
I should have just shoved her over the fucking cliff.
Sighing, I step into her reach as she swings, my hand coming out to grab the wood and wrenching it from her grip, throwing it across the cabin with a loud bang. “Yes. I am bleeding her out like a pig. She deserves it. She found us and I can’t have anyone take you away from me. Cassidy… she was a bad person. Obsessed with me.”
She scoffs, trying to peer into the hearts around my eyes, “Obsessed with you? Like you’re obsessed with me?! How the fuck is it any different! Should I kill you? Huh, Noah? Is that what I should do? You killed her to make it stop, so I should kill you!”
“That’s different, minx. I belong to you, as you belong to me.” I grab her waist, pinning her arms down at her sides. “Stop fighting me. I’m on your side. I’d never hurt you.”
“You’re hurting me now!” She screams, tears pouring down her face as I squeeze her tighter.
“Stop fighting me,” I demand. “It doesn’t have to be like this.”
Her eyes are wild, cornered-animal desperate. “I don’t want you! I don’t want any of this!”
“You don’t know what you want.” My voice is steady, but it comes out strained as she struggles against me. “You will. I promise.”
We’re locked in a standoff, both of us running out of steam to continue this fight.
“You’ll never be free of me,” I say softly. “So stop running.”
She collapses against my chest, shaking with sobs that sound like they’re tearing her apart. She’s exhausted, too broken to fight back anymore.
“Please,” she whispers, so low I can barely hear it over the roar of the rain outside. “Please just let me go.”
I hold her tighter instead of answering, cradling her like something precious and fragile that might shatter at any moment.
The storm outside is nothing compared to the one raging between us. But deep down, I know it’s only a matter of time before she sees things my way.
Cassidy goes limp in my arms as defeat settles over her like a heavy fog. I guide her to the floor, sitting with my back against the wall and pulling her onto my lap.
She’s drowning in despair, but she’s not alone.
“I can wait,” I whisper into her damp hair.
And I will.
For as long as it takes.