Ryker

Chapter One

My legs shake in anticipation as I wait for my prey to exit the VIP section. It shouldn’t have been this hard to get a horny man’s attention. Finishing another martini I adjust my form-fitting low- back black dress. I scan the club again and try to focus on my mission. Find. Interrogate. Kill. Simple.

After another thirty minutes, I finally call it, but while paying my bill, I notice him, Leo Hawkins. He goes over to the public sofa, where a young red-haired woman sits, chatting with her friends. He sits next to her, and she shifts, scooting as far from him as she can without sitting on the person's lap on the other side of her.

The old man is as slimy as they come. His balding head is beaded with sweat, and his beer belly hangs over his belt, jiggling as he laughs. It makes me cringe knowing that if he has it his way, he will take her home, then beat, rape, and torture her until she’s on the brink of death.

Shaking off the nerves as I devise a plan to get his attention. I order another drink and stride over in his direction. As I approach, I stumble a bit to appear drunk and out of control. I’m about three feet from him when I trip, falling flat on my ass. The contents splash out of the glass and onto the leg of his pants.

“Fuck!” He yells as he stands, wiping at the liquid, which is now starting to stain.

“I’m so sorry…” I slur as I adjust myself on the floor, looking up at him and allowing him to tower over me.

He scowls at me momentarily before I look up at him through my fake lashes and brown-colored contacts. My red wig heats the back of my neck, making me look even more flushed. He offers his hand, and I take it, cringing on the inside at his touch .

“Don’t worry about it, doll,” he snaps his fingers, and his waiter cleans up the mess.

“I think I’ve had too much to drink,” I force out a fake giggle. “I don’t know about that,” he gestures to the waiter again, ordering another drink for me.

“Why don’t you join me?” he firmly wraps his hands around my hips and pulls me to follow him to the VIP section, leaving me no chance to decline. He sits on the leather couch, and I look around for any lurking guards.

There is not a soul in here. If he wanted to, he could hurt me right here, right now, not that I would give him a chance. I always have a weapon within arm’s reach. A knife strapped on my thigh or strapped under my breasts for safe measure. I chose the rib strap today; it’s not comfortable by any means, but when you go out intending to seduce a rapist and a killer… you come prepared.

He pulls me onto his lap, and I let out a gasp. He smirks, letting his stained teeth show, and I can feel the bile tickling its way up my throat. The waiter returns with my drink and leaves before Leo can say anything.

“What brings you here tonight?” He reaches across me and grabs his drink off the table in front of us, almost spilling mine in the process.

“A date,” I lie, “But I got stood up, so I figured I should enjoy myself tonight,” I give him a flirty smile as I sip from my glass.

“Who would stand up a goddess like you?” He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. The need to punch him is strong. It takes everything in me not to. “Is it natural?” He gestures to my wig.

He wants the answer to be yes. Redheads are his only type. I bought a wig made of real hair, so it’s as accurate as possible, but I know it still looks like a botched dye job.

Shaking my head, I look at him, batting my eyes, “Well, kind of. When I was little, I had red hair. It wasn’t super bright, but it turned brown in high school. I tried to dye it back,” I play with my hair, flicking it over my shoulder, exposing my skin. “I thought it fit me better, but I messed up when I did it…” I give the loudest, fakest sigh I can. “I think I will dye it back when the semester ends.”

“You’re a student? How old are you?”

I know I’ve piqued his interest when he starts rubbing his hand along my ass, groping me. I shift on his lap to seem like I’m interested, but it causes my hip to rub against his dick. This is what my life has come to. Groping sixty-year-old men for a paycheck… well, not technically. I used to, back when I stripped. At least I got paid to do that. Now, the only thing I earn is nightmares.

I lean in to whisper into his ear, letting my perfume overflow his senses, but a mixture of B.O. and stale alcohol fills mine, making me gag. “Nineteen,” I whisper seductively, my voice husky. I take advantage of the low-cut dress and press my breasts into him.

I’m twenty-four, but he likes younger girls. Throughout the years I was held captive at Manzo’s, I watched, noticing who and what the other men wanted. I did it not only to prepare myself but also to help the other women and warn them about certain men. Leo was one of the worst.

I've been watching him since I escaped that hell and ended up in this one. His type has changed slightly from the blonde twenty- year-olds to the barely legal redheads. The younger, the better. So, I play down my age. Having a young face pays off most of the time.

I linger next to his ear, then pull back, looking into his black eyes for any sign my seduction is working. His pupils are dilated, but that could be from the cocaine I saw him snort about an hour ago. The only thing that gives him away is his growing cock pressing against my hip.

“You shouldn’t be in here,” he smirks and finishes his beer before ordering another .

I shrug, “What can I say? I love to party.”

The bartender brings over his beer and the check. After Leo sloppily signs his name, he stands, forcing me to do the same.

“Thanks for the drink. It was nice to meet you,” I say as I fake sway from the sudden movement.

“Oh, I’m not letting you go that easily,” He gives me a sinister look. I can’t help but admit it makes my stomach tie in knots. He steps up to me and grabs my hips to pull me into him. “Why don’t I have my driver take us back to my place?”

“Driver?” I ask, and he nods and points to a large man standing by the rope. He is dark-skinned and toned from head to toe with his arms crossed. He has buzzed black hair and an impeccable jawline. Exactly what I’d expect from a bodyguard.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I need Leo to be alone in the car so I can drug him. I can’t get what I need if there is a witness. “I don’t think I’m comfortable with that… there is a hotel not too far from here…” I trail off.

He shakes his head, “No, doll. We are going back to my place.” He interrupts me, gripping my side a bit harder, trying to show his dominance.

“I think…” He grabbed my wrist before I could protest again and pulled me towards the exit. There is no point in fighting. I can do this. I can adapt. I can, I can, I can.

I take a deep breath as he pushes me out of the club and onto the street, while his driver walks off to get the car.

“You’ll be fine. Trust me,” his slimy voice sends a shiver down my spine.

No way in hell.

The door to the club opens behind me and I can hear the last call announcement as I clutch my purse tighter. I can feel the emergency syringe of midazolam calling to me. I could drug the driver, but I can’t do it with the Ketamine I brought for Leo. My attention is dragged towards a Taxi stopping for a few girls drunkenly swaying on the curb. Their laughter and freedom causing an unknown jealousy within me.

“Let me take you home,” He whispers into my ear, and I can feel his dick being pressed into my back, and it takes everything in me not to flinch at his touch.

“I think I would like that,” I whisper back.

The SUV pulls up and I watch as the two men converse for a moment before the driver opens the door for me. I climb in the backseat with Leo following closely behind me, and eye the driver as he rounds the car to get in. Leo places his hand on my thigh, and I stiffen.

“Nervous?” I can hear the amusement in his voice. Nodding, my gaze meets the drivers in the rear-view mirror. I slump into my seat, trying to hide my face, but Leo is having none of that. He puts his arm behind my back, onto my hip opposite him, and yanks me closer. I can’t help the little yelp that escapes from my mouth as my hip hits his.

We pull up to a building I recognize as Leo’s hotel. I followed him here a few nights ago when I was gathering intel on his daily moves. I glance at the clock and see it’s nearly four-thirty.

Leo gets out and holds the door open for me to follow, but I don’t. Instead, I scoot over to the passenger side and lean my head out of the door. “I need to make a phone call. I forgot to tell my friend he doesn’t need to pick me up. I’ll be up in five?” I plead and bat my eyelashes. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“When you’re finished, make your way up to the president's suite on the top floor.” He shuts the door, and I look at the driver, who is eyeing me. I clear my throat and open my purse, taking out my phone to hide the syringe so he can’t see it. Pretending to dial, I start a fake conversation as I scoot back over to the seat behind him. He doesn’t take his eyes off me for a second .

“Hey, I got a ride. Yeah, I’ll be fine.” I pause and look at the driver again, who still hasn’t taken his eyes off of me.

Seriously… what the fuck. He knows I’m up to something, but I haven’t given him any reason to be suspicious. “I don’t know his name, so I didn’t ask. What do you mean?” Still talking to nobody, I shift in my seat and place the syringe in my right hand. Without a second thought, I take the full syringe of midazolam and inject him in the neck. He yells, and I watch as anger replaces his non- expressive face. He quickly turns around and grabs my throat. Squeezing hard.

Clawing his hand, I manage to dig my nails deep into his skin, drawing blood, which forces him to let go as he hisses in pain. “What the fuck!”

When he pulls out his gun, I’m able to rip it out of his hands before he has a chance to cock it and point it in my direction. I shift myself to the middle seat and point the gun at his forehead. He just stares.

“It’s not going to kill you,” I huff out, gasping for air. He looks at me, confused, and I hold up the syringe and wiggle it in my fingers.

“What was it?” he responds.

“Something to knock you out. I need you out of the way so I can get to your boss.”

His eyes go wide, and he starts to laugh, “Bad idea, sweetheart. Even doing that to me puts you at the top of my list. You kill him, and people you don’t want to fuck with will hunt you down and gut you.”

“I’ll take my chances,” I give him a weak smirk.

We sit there in silence, and I watch as the drugs start to take effect. I’m not sure how long the drugs will keep him detained. With his size, I’m sure he will metabolize it faster than Leo would have. I grab his phone, turn it off, and shove it deep into the slit between the seats. Mentally calculating how long I might have without being interrupted, I add the extra thirty seconds it would take for his large hands to try and reach for the phone in between the seats, plus the additional minute of him waiting for the phone to turn on before he can call for backup.

I look at the time and start to get impatient. I could leave him here, but there is always the chance he would make it up to the room before he passes out, warning Leo.

“It’s a bad idea,” He repeats as he slurs.

“I know. I’m full of them,” I smile and shrug as his eyes drift close. I put the gun in my purse, which now won’t close all the way. I think about taking out the spare change of clothes to make room but disregard the thought as I exit the car.

I make my way to an elevator and keep my head down, letting my hair fall over my face. Once inside, I let out a long breath, pressing the button to the top floor.

The door opens to a long hallway. My heart starts pounding in my ears as I approach Leo’s door, the adrenaline starting to take over. When I knock, the door flings open, and Leo is standing there looking more smug than usual.

“Took you long enough,” His voice is deeper and more eerie. He grabs my upper arm and drags me inside.

“I’m sorry, he’s a talker,” I say as he shuts the door behind me, pressing me against it.

My palms grow sweaty now that we are alone, racking my brain for any excuse to separate us. My lungs burn as he starts moving his lips against my skin. I fake a moan as his mouth moves to my collarbone and towards my breasts. I can’t help but roll my eyes. He kisses like a dead fish. Cold, sloppy, and wet.

His hands begin to explore, touching me everywhere as he starts to unzip my dress. I freeze as my heart starts pounding in my chest—for the first time in a long time, I can feel it beating. I love and hate the adrenaline rush coursing through me. I love that it reminds me I’m alive, and I know he will get what he deserves, but I can’t help the tiniest sliver of guilt that comes with it .

His smile grows against my skin, making me shiver. “Wait,” I say, but he doesn’t. “Wait,” I say again, pressing my hand against him, making him back up an inch to look at me. “I have something for you,” I smile as innocently as I can, reaching for my purse to grab my gun.

He grabs my wrist, and I pause at his tight grip. Feeling like I’m losing control of the situation, I rack my brain for an alternate solution. When my eyes lock on the open bathroom door, I inhale a small breath.

I lean in closer to him, rubbing my free hand over his dick. I feel my body trying to pull away and run, but I force it to comply, nibbling his ear as I press my body flush into his.

“I need a moment to freshen up… but after, I need all of you,” I whisper as I grip his cock a bit harder, and he groans, rocking his hips further into my hand. I pull back and meet his eyes, waiting for my request to enter that pea-sized brain.

“Fine,” He releases my hand and gestures to the open door to his left, and I run to it before he can change his mind. Shutting the door behind me, I take a few deep breaths and scratch my head as the wig begins to itch. I take a good look in the mirror, disgusted with myself.

Looking away, I feel the panic begin to set in. My hands feel shaky as I turn on the water; closing my eyes, I try to compose myself, but when I look in the mirror again, I don’t see myself. No, Bianca is gone. I see Maggie. The sweet 15-year-old girl who had her life ripped away from her.

The image morphs into Karmen. Her black hair highlighted her pale, thin skin. Nothing but emptiness in her dark brown eyes. She gives me a gentle smile before she fades, and Mia replaces her. Mia was the oldest. She was twenty-one when Manzo found her. She was bigger than us when she first arrived, but Manzo starved her until she was nothing but bones.

Her cheekbones and glowing blue eyes are sunken in, and her thick, bright blonde hair has become scraggly and unkempt. The figure nods, and then, like smoke, she vanishes. I put my hand on the mirror and bow my head, letting the overwhelming emotions settle.

Leaving the bathroom, Leo’s sitting on the bed with two drinks poured. My eyes travel over him. His shoulders are relaxed, and he looks like he has all the time in the world. I can’t help the smile that crosses my face.

Sitting beside him, I pick up the drink and notice it’s still fizzing from whatever he put in it. I turn and smile at him, “What’s this?” I ask.

“Whiskey,” his hand strokes my thigh as he takes a sip from his own glass.

He looks at his phone as it lights up on the table. Standing, he answers and walks toward the window. I take the opportunity to switch drinks as he mumbles something into the phone.

I wish I could just shoot him now and be done with it, but he needs to suffer. He doesn’t deserve a quick death. If I could, I’d spend weeks, months, years , torturing him until he is bawling like the bitch, I know he is.

I blink a few times, having to calm myself down. Now isn’t the time, play the part. I glance up at him as he hangs up. He whips around and eyes me, then the drink. He sits on the bed beside me and picks up the glass. “Cheers.” We clink glasses, and I watch him take it all down in one gulp. I can’t help but give him a genuine smile. Too fucking easy.

He looks at the drink in my hand, and I raise my glass and take a reasonable drink. It burns on its way down, and I let out a sigh, enjoying the burn. He gave me the same toothy smile as always, and for a moment, I was back in Manzo’s basement. I swallow hard, releasing the lump that has formed in my throat as I set down the glass on the bedside table and turn to face him.

“I have something to confess,” I play with my thumbs in my lap, trying to look as naive and innocent as possible. He doesn’t answer but gives me a slow nod. “I…” I pause for dramatic effect. “I-I’ve never…” I gesture between us.

“Never fucked an older man?” His brows are raised with hope flaring in his eyes.

“No…” I shift uncomfortably and look back down at my hands as the words slip out of my mouth. “I’m a virgin.”

Pausing, I lift my gaze back to his wide eyes. A virgin redhead teenager. His holy grail. Only problem? I’m not a teen, I’m not a redhead, and I’m, in fact, not a virgin.

“Is that my surprise?” He smirks and places his hand on my knee. I give him a slight nod and stand, turning so I’m in front of him.

“I just want to lose it…” I push him down onto the bed and straddle him.

My tight black dress rides up, showing more than I want him to see. The lace from my underwear is starting to show, and he reaches his hand down to try and caress me between my legs. No matter how much he touches me, I will stay as dry as the Sahara Desert.

Leaning my head back, I try my best to pretend I enjoy his touch. I roll my hips on his fingers and stare back down at him through hooded eyes. I start pretending whatever he tried to give me is taking effect so I can make my way to the gun. I stop rolling my hips and let my eyes flutter closed briefly before reopening them.

“What’s going on?” I mutter, and he sits up, kisses me roughly, and rolls us so I’m on the bottom. He needs to feel like he is in control.

I feel his dick hardening as I give him sloppy kisses. I rake my hands up my body, trying to reach for the knife strap that is wrapped under my breasts, but his body is flush against mine. I try to sit up, but he pushes me back down .

“Looks like the drugs kicked in.” He whispers in my ear. He grabs my arms in a tight grip with one of his hands, pinning them over my head. The other reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a pair of handcuffs.

My eyes widen, and I can see the enjoyment that washes over his face as he notices my panic. The panic is real, and I need to regain control. But if I act now, he will overpower me. I need more time for the drugs he took to kick in. When I don’t start showing the signs I’ve been drugged, he’ll know something went wrong.

“You are everything I crave. The perfect woman…” He pauses, and his grip loosens for a second around my arms. I watch as he starts to sway, then shakes his head, trying to snap out of it. He quickly shoves me up, causing my head to hit the top of the headboard.

He attaches one of the handcuffs to my right arm, weaves the chain through one of the bars, and locks the other cuff into place with a sharp click. My heart starts pounding as I jiggle the cuffs, trying to get my hands out of the restraints, but they aren’t some ninety-cent cheap shit.

They are heavier than the kind you would find at a sex shop; they have to be police-grade. Resigned to the situation, I lean my head back, knowing I’m fucked. He smirks as he walks over to the end of the bed and pulls out red rope from under it. I knew getting raped was a possibility. It was always in the back of my mind that I might fail.

I watch as he takes off my heels, wrapping the rope around each foot and tying it to the post on either side of the bed, spreading me out like a starfish. His greedy hands lift my dress, exposing my black-laced underwear. He admires them for a moment before pulling them off, completely exposing me. Disgust rolls through me at his perving gaze.

Pretending I’m almost passed out, I shuffle my body, so my head is near my hands. I can barely reach under the wig to grab one of the metal bobby pins I used to hold my hair into place under the wig. Digging through the strands, I pull out the pin and shift it into my palm. Thankfully, he doesn’t notice. He’s fully focused on my body.

Lock-picking is the one skill I could never master. Closing my eyes, I let my head fall onto my shoulder, so I don’t have to watch what is about to happen.

He starts to laugh. “Sleep well. I’m going to make you cum in your sleep.” He whispers as he pushes my underwear aside and strokes my bare pussy with his thumb.

Shivering in disgust, my whole body tenses as he leans down and spits on my bare pussy. He moans loudly as he runs his fingers up my slit. My eyes shoot open, and I look up at the cuffs, finally getting my first hand free.

When he thinks I’m wet enough to his satisfaction, I feel him shift about to stand. While working on the second cuff, I close my eyes, pretending I’m still passed out. I hear his belt clink as it hits the floor, and I crack my eyes open to see him standing there, jerking off. Finally, the second cuff loosens, and I pause.

I need to time this right. I watch through my cracked lids as he strokes himself, revealing the smallest cock I’ve ever seen. I believe he is trying to get hard, but I think he already is… He goes to take a step towards the bed but sways, catching himself on the bedpost.

Now! I open my eyes and sit up quickly, struggling with the knot tied around my left foot. When I make eye contact with him, I notice his eyes are a bit droopy and mixed with shock. He lunges forward to try and pin me down again, but he falters. I use the opportunity to punch him in the nose, making him lose his balance, falling on his ass.

I know that trying to untie the knots around my ankles is pointless, so I reach for my knife, still sheathed in the strap around my ribs, and quickly free my first foot.

I go to cut the other as he pulls himself up onto the left side of the bed, grabbing my arm and ripping the knife out of my hand. I hiss as a shooting pain consumes my left arm as he cuts me deep with one of my own knives. Through the pain. I’m thrown into a panic as he presses the metal against my throat and chokes me.

“I was going to keep you. But now…” He slurs as he presses the knife into my neck a bit harder. I struggle underneath him, trying to slip my right foot out of the loosened restraint.

I watch his face contort with anger as it consumes his lustful feelings. His grip around my neck loosens, and I gasp, taking the opportunity and using his immobility to my advantage. I head-butt him in the nose, hearing a crack under the impact. He shouts and drops the knife to grab his nose.

I make his supporting arm buckle, elbowing him in the inner crease between his arm and forearm, causing him to collapse. He falls on top of me, and I push him off, letting him fall to the floor with a loud thud. I quickly release my foot and use the height advantage to kick him in the ribs.

I search the room for my purse with the hope of grabbing my gun. Leo stands, and I freeze. Standing there staring at each other, the anger in his eyes would cause anyone with a soul to bend to his will. Because of him, because of Manzo, I don’t have one.

Blood drips down his nose and onto his shirt. I can feel my own blood drip down my arm. Taking notice of my purse on the coffee table out of my peripheral, I lunge for it, but he does the same. He tackles me, sending shooting pain through my spine as the table breaks under me.

My fists crack against the side of his head. I quickly stand and run over to the purse, not caring about the aching pain shooting through my foot with every step as I sprint over the glass. I grab the gun, cock it, and aim it at him. He’s still lying on the floor, moaning.

My breaths are heavy, and my body feels like I just ran a marathon. The pain in my arm is blaring at me, but I ignore it as I make my way over to his slumped form. I try to lift him into the chair but struggle under his weight. I use the handcuffs he restrained me in to lock his right hand onto the chair, then use the rope to tie his feet to the legs .

Shifting through my purse, I pull out the pair of handcuffs I brought to lock his other hand in place. I tighten both sets as far as they will go and smile.

He rolls his head back, and I watch his eyes flutter open. “What…” he mutters, trying to move his wrists but winces, “Who are you?”

I bend down so I’m inches away from his face, “Nobody you need to worry about. What did you put in my drink?” I cock my head to the side and narrow my eyes. He gives me a weak shrug, and I laugh, “Well, you drank it. Took too damn long to kick in if you ask me.” I stand up, straightening myself again, and grab the gun he has next to the T.V.

I remove the magazine, pull the slide, and watch as a bullet falls to the floor. “Keeping one in the chamber is dangerous,” I mock as I face him to watch as he tries to stand. A small smirk tugs at my lips as he struggles against the restraints. Reaching for a towel that’s lying on the floor, I wipe the gun down and let out an exasperated sigh.

“What do you want?” he groans, “Money?”

“You,” I say, smiling. I retrieve the gun that I had thrown on the bed, then stroll back over to him and lift his chin with its barrel, forcing him to look at me. “You killed my girls,” I hiss.

He doesn’t say anything, so I swing, hitting him in the jaw. He lets out a cry, which makes me smile.

“You did so much worse to my sisters. I wish I had enough time to enjoy this.” He eyes me as I back away and start going through his stuff.

“As many times as I have done this, it never gets easier. I have never enjoyed taking a life, but some people deserve it. Men who think they can get away with anything just because they have power and money…men like you,” I sigh, “Did you know that one of those girls was only fifteen when you got your grubby little hands on her?” I scowl as I think about poor Maggie .

“Money and power have been sought after since the beginning of time, doll. I am a flea compared to the men I work for. When they figure out who killed me, they will find you and put you through a fate much worse than death. And what can I say, those girls have the tightest pussies. I love a good virgin for myself. They need to be broken. Who better to do it than me,”

Broken . I flinch, and he snickers.

Standing, I adjust my posture as I rake my eyes over one of the papers on his nightstand. “You are the boss. Nobody is coming after me… even if they did, I’ve come to terms with my inevitable death, now you however…” I click my tongue and lean against the bedpost. “Here’s what I’ve decided. You can admit, on a recording, to raping and killing those girls, or you can die by my hand.”

“I’d rather die,” He spits blood on the floor and looks up at me through hooded eyes.

“Who told you about them? Who sent you their way?” He doesn’t answer. “Who!” I demand. I stride towards him, grab his cheeks, pinch them together, and place the barrel against his bruised temple. “How did you know about them? It wasn’t a coincidence that they all knew me,” I dig my nails deeper into his cheeks, and he winces.

“I don’t know who you are. But if he…” He pauses and smirks. “Oh damn.” He laughs again and tries to shake his head, but my tight grip won’t let him. “You’re Bianca, aren’t you?”

I tense, letting go of his face. Anger and hatred course through me like a blazing fire.

“Holy shit,” He laughs harder, “Like father, like daughter.” “Who,” I repeat, digging the gun barrel harder against his head. “Who do you think, doll? Manzo.”

My eyes narrow, and I do my best to push down the panic sneaking up my spine.

“Think. Use that pretty brain of yours. He will always find you, no matter where you go or what you do. You were his favorite. He wanted me to give you a warning. I got to have my fun as long as I let you be,” I feel the anger starting to rise in my body. “Look what he did to you. Do you put it past him?”

Pushing off of him, I make his head snap back. My breathing is still heavy and the walls feel like they are caving in on me. I shake my head, trying to snap out of it. The room starts to spin. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, then another and another. Leo’s smile is wide when I open my eyes, but he jerks his head every few seconds, trying to keep himself conscious.

“Where is he?” I ask.

“Go. Fuck. Yourself.” He spits the words at me.

“Oh, I will.” I smile and pull out the black knuckle duster I keep in my purse, “But first, I need to deal with you.”

When he doesn’t answer, I swing, making contact with his temple. He screams, and I let out an exasperated sigh. Putting the gag in his mouth, he watches and the fear finally reaches his eyes. I know he won’t talk, and I’m just wasting time.

The driver should be waking up any minute, but I still haven’t gotten anywhere. I took too damn long getting out of those cuffs.

I punch him again, this time in the ribs, then again in the nose. He screams out in pain as his already broken nose makes a satisfying crack.

His head hangs limp, so I bend down and grab his face, forcing him to look at me before he passes out. “Please,” He mutters through the gag and blood spills out of his mouth onto his lap.

A wicked grin splits my face, “You showed them no mercy. You raped and killed them, then discarded them like trash. It’s time you live the same fate.” I let go of his face and his head hangs again .

I stand, wiping the blood that is now covering my palm on my thighs, and walk over to the window to see if the driver is waking up. It takes a second, but I see a shadow move.

“Fuck.” I say as I quickly run over to his desk and shove the papers I was looking over earlier into my purse. I bend down to collect my underwear Leo discarded on the floor, pausing when I see a briefcase under the bed.

I hear Leo start to yell something through the gag, but I ignore him and pull it out to examine it. I try to open it, jiggling the locks when it doesn’t open. I run my fingers over the keyhole, looking back at Leo, whose eyes are now wide, as he is tugging against his restraints.

I stand and pat down his pockets. When I come up empty, I pat his torso, checking any place he could hide a key. I feel something under his shirt as I reach his neck. I pull it out from under his shirt, and bingo! We have a key. When I take it off him, he spits and mumbles something I can’t make out. Slipping the key around my neck, I retrieve the gun and point it to his forehead.

“This is for Mia, Karmen, and little Maggie, you fucking fleabag.”

I pull the trigger and watch the shell casing clatter to the ground as Leo’s body slumps in his chair. I stare for a moment, shock freezing my body. I lied to him before. I’ve never killed anyone. Ever. I feel bile start to rise as I stare at his dead body.

I never wanted this to be the outcome. I never wanted to kill. I wanted him to agree, to confess. To admit to the world that he is a pedophile and a rapist. But men like Leo Hawkins will never relent when they think they have all the power.

Not like it would do much; the few women who did come forward disappeared before they could testify. With all his money, he could easily buy his way out of whatever sentence he got. I knew this would be the result in the long run. I have to remind myself of the number of lives I’m saving .

Willing myself to focus, I shift my attention to the room, mentally planning the cleanup. It needs to be perfect. He’s a powerful man; anything that could be traced back to me could be the cause of why I wind up dead.

I quickly strip the bed, removing the blood-stained linen. Then, I look at the ground to find a small stain where I fell after he tackled me onto the coffee table. The rest is mixed with his. I don’t have time to tear up the entire carpet, so I grab my knife from its holster under my breast and cut a square around the blood-soaked area.

I pull it up and shove it into my purse, then pick up the sheets, the glass I drank out of, my discarded heels, underwear, briefcase, and shell casings. I slip on my shoes, open the door, and then sprint for the stairwell, which I noticed on my way up when I was trying to find his room.

As the stairway door closes, I hear the ding of the elevator. I crouch under the square glass pane as the driver walks past me, pulls out the key, and opens the door. He lets out a curse, and then I hear the door shut behind him.

I run up the stairs, every step causing shooting pains in my feet. When I reach the roof, I fling open the door and hide behind a large metal box. I expect to hear police sirens arriving in the distance, but the only noise is the sound of the city starting to wake up.