Chapter 14 #2
Finn leaned down and kissed her once more. A long, lingering, sweet kiss that made Henley want to attempt that slow lovemaking in the future. Then he leaned over, grabbed his clothes and picked up the used condom lying on the bed, gave her a sly grin, and headed for the door.
It took Henley a second to get herself together before she picked up her own clothes and began to get dressed.
They ate dinner at the lodge that night, and while Tonka wouldn’t ever be the chattiest of the men, he was finding it easier and easier to initiate conversations with the guests and with his friends. Looking across the table, he saw Henley laughing at something Alaska was saying.
“She’s really happy,” Jasna said from next to him.
“Yeah?” he asked with a small smile.
“Uh-huh. Ever since you guys started going out, she’s been more relaxed.”
“That’s good.”
“Yup.” Then, more quietly, she asked, “Finn? Are you gonna marry my mom?”
Tonka nearly choked on the corn he’d just put in his mouth. He chewed slowly, trying to figure out what to tell the girl. He finally decided to be as honest as he could be. “I want to, but it’ll be up to her.”
“She’ll say yes. I know she will.”
Tonka frowned. Jasna didn’t sound all that thrilled with the prospect of her mom marrying him. “You don’t want us to marry?”
She shrugged.
This wasn’t the time or place for a deep conversation, but since everyone else around them was busy talking amongst themselves, and she’d brought it up, Tonka decided to go for it. “What’s concerning you?”
The little girl turned to look up at him. “It’s always been just me and her. Two peas in a pod. Best friends.” She frowned a little. “I like you, Finn. You’ve been nice to her, and me too, and I really like being here at The Refuge.”
“But?” Tonka prompted when she didn’t continue.
“I’m not stupid. I know that step-kids usually get pushed to the side when two people marry. You’ll have babies with my mom, and they’ll be yours. The two of yours. I’ll be moving out and going to college before you know it and things will just change,” she finished a little sadly.
Tonka shifted to put one arm on the back of her chair, and with the other, he picked up the hand that was lying in her lap, worrying her napkin.
“First of all, if your mom and I ever get married, you won’t be my stepdaughter.
You’ll be my daughter. Period. I don’t know if your mom and I will have any children or not, but if we do, you will never be any less our daughter.
And as much as I hate you even talking about growing up and moving away, you’ll always be important to me, no matter how old you are and wherever you go.
You’ll always be your mom’s best friend too.
I can’t take that place, and I don’t want to, Jas.
You and your mom have a long history together and a special bond.
I’d never do anything to mess with that.
Yes, things will change…but hopefully for the better. ”
Jasna nodded, but Tonka wasn’t sure she was completely mollified by his words.
“The other night, when I woke up and you were there…it meant something to me,” he admitted.
“No…it meant everything. I love you, Jas. And I don’t say those words lightly.
You’re even hearing them before your mom is, because I’m scared to death she’s not ready to hear them.
Or maybe she won’t feel the same. But no matter what happens between the two of us, I’ll always love you. Always.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“I love you too, Finn.”
He inhaled deeply at hearing those words. They shared a tender look.
Then she asked, “Does this mean I’ll get double the number of presents at Christmas now? You know, because you love me and all and you’re gonna marry my mom?”
Tonka burst out laughing. Leave it to the little minx to break the emotional moment with a joke.
“Definitely,” he told her. He already planned on spoiling both her and her mom rotten, as often as he could get away with it. Starting with giving her a room in his cabin any twelve-year-old would die for.
“Cool,” she said.
Tonka squeezed her hand, then turned in his seat and faced the table once more. He caught Henley’s worried gaze. “You guys okay?” she mouthed.
He smiled and nodded at her. Yeah, he and Jasna were more than okay.
Christian was getting impatient. The summer was almost gone and he hadn’t found an opportunity to grab the girl. He’d been practicing his knife techniques on the squirrels, stray cats, and even a couple dogs he’d stolen from a few backyards. But he knew it wouldn’t feel the same cutting a person.
He couldn’t wait to see her bleed. To hear her cries. To hear her begging for her life.
He could always choose another first victim…
No. It needed to be her. Christian wanted the shrink to hurt. She’d turned him away and never looked back. Now she’d regret it.
The next chance he had, Christian was grabbing the kid.
He was done waiting. He wanted to get out of this fucking town and get to Albuquerque to perfect his technique.
There were millions of people in the city, including plenty no one would miss.
Men and women needing a hit would be easiest to lure to a motel, or wherever he found to sleep.
Prostitutes would get in his car voluntarily.
There would be kids left alone in stores, in parks…
even stuck at home while their parents worked.
He wanted the world to know his name.
And he couldn’t do that until he got his first kill under his belt.
He looked down and admired the array of knives and weapons he’d lined up on the floor of the abandoned cabin.
The carpet smelled funky and there was mouse shit everywhere…
but all Christian could see was the girl, naked, spread out in front of him, waiting for him to strike.
The blood would run down her white body. It would be like a work of art.
He couldn’t decide if he’d use a knife first or the ice pick. Or maybe the screwdriver. He also had a box cutter and a tire iron. He planned on using that last one after all the other instruments. He wanted to see how the blood splattered on the walls and ceiling when he was beating her.
Smiling, Christian stared off into space, picturing the scene in his head. Yeah, he was definitely done waiting. He needed to act. He was ready.