Chapter 36
THIRTY-SIX
KAT
I’m thankful for the blanket of clouds tonight.
The woods behind Ashworth’s house aren’t as thick as I’d like, and even with our dark clothing and masks, it feels a little exposed.
Bright moonlight would only exacerbate that further.
Liam’s up ahead, picking his footsteps carefully between exposed roots and piling foliage.
Branches grab and snag, bare now of their leaves as autumn begins to give way.
My breath clouds in front of me, my fingers already numb around the hilt of my knife. Should have worn my mittens over the less cosy but far more practical gloves I have on. Sure, there’s the whole argument about leaving fibres, but damn, it’s chilly out.
We're near the edge of the trees, looking out at the hedges, and beyond that, Ashworth’s house. It’s a well-presented home, just. missing the picket fence. Who knew hell could look so pleasant.
‘I should have taken him out last time,’ Liam says under his breath, surveying the windows. Most are dark, other than a low light seeping between a crack in the curtains. ‘If it wasn’t for Freddie showing up, Ashworth would be dead.’
‘He will be soon. And then the list is done. We’ll be finished.’ Running my thumb over the handle of my knife, I stare out at the house, inhaling deeply. ‘I can’t believe we’ve done it.’
‘Nearly,’ Liam says before facing me, the pink heart eyes standing out amongst the sea of black he wears. ‘Thank you. For doing this with me. I couldn’t have done it without you.’
‘You’ll never have to do anything without me again. You’re stuck with me forever.’
‘Longer than forever, baby. I’ll follow you into whatever’s beyond.’
I lean back against the trunk of a tree, watching the clouds go past the concealed moon in varying shades of dark grey.
‘So I cut the power to get his cameras,’ I say. ‘Then you get in there and drag the fucker out of bed.’
‘Right,’ Liam says.
‘It’s going to have to be quick.’ Liam’s masked face snaps back to me. ‘Brutal. Horrible. But quick. We don’t have the time to risk longer. He’s smart. He’s bound to have some kind of backup.’
Liam sighs. ‘I’m going to make him swallow his bollocks before gutting him. Let him die with a belly full of balls and an armful of his guts.’
Jeez. Ashworth deserves worse, but the thought makes me a little nauseated.
‘Let’s go,’ I say, stepping forward only to give a little shriek as Liam grabs my throat and pins me back against the bark. His pupils are dilated beyond those pink hearts. My breath catches as he grazes his dark eyes over my masked face, his head tipping a little.
‘I need to show you how much I want you before we go in there. To let you know I’m just as obsessed with you as I was all those months ago.
Hell, years ago.’ His words make my stomach flutter.
And my pussy, too. Seeing him there masked and dominant, his hand pinning me to a fucking tree by the throat…
well, fuck me. My insides melt until they start dripping between my thighs.
‘Look at you, Kat. About to slaughter a man and looking at me like you want to be fucked against this tree.’
‘I very much want that.’ I breathe the words out, gasping as he reaches up with his other hand and drags my mask up so he can see my face. ‘Bet you’ve got the wettest cunt, huh?’
‘One way to find out.’ I know it’s not the time, but when Liam looks at me like I’m impossible to resist, I can’t help it. Melt like a rich tea dropped in a cuppa. A soggy mess of a human.
Liam pushes one hand into my trousers, sliding against soaked flesh. ‘There’s my dirty girl. Do you know I’m as obsessed with you as I was when I stole your panties to make my coffee?’
‘Yes,’ I whimper, taking in his masked face and the way it only increases the pleasure as his fingers circle into my flesh.
‘And you know I’ll kill a man before I let him touch you?’
‘I’d kill him first.’
My mouth parts as his hand on my throat tightens, tipping my face up.
‘You complete me, Kat. I’m a shell without you. No matter what happens tonight, I need you to remember that.’ He slides two fingers deep inside me as I grasp his arm.
‘He’s going to die. We’ll live. We’ll go home and fuck while he lies there dead, slowly becoming colder while we celebrate his death.’ I can hear the fear in my voice despite my words, because there’s no guarantee that this is how it plays out.
We might both be in a cell come morning.
Reaching up, I push his mask to the top of his head. He gives a throaty growl before guiding my desperate mouth to his, swallowing down my moans as he drives me mad upon his fingers.
‘I love you, Kat. More than any of this.’
I’m panting against his mouth as he speaks, those wicked fingers driving me to distraction.
‘I… love…’ Oh god. My gloves dig into his forearm as I ride the wave, ready to fall. ‘You.’
‘My filthy, devious little killer,’ he moans into my mouth before claiming it. His thick cock grinds against my hip as he fucks me with harsh thrusts of his fingers.
I’m so glad Liam does, because fuck me, I’m gone.
‘Liam,’ I whimper as he forces me over the edge, playing my body like a motherfucking instrument. The world disappears as I ride his fingers until he closes his mouth over mine, swallowing my moans. He doesn’t stop, and with the way he pins me, I have no choice but to succumb to his touch again.
‘There’s my girl,’ he says when my legs finally stop shaking enough to bear my full weight. I’m a little lightheaded, and I’ve dropped my knife at some point.
‘I’m not sure that this is responsible criminal behaviour,’ I say, tracing my fingers over his, where they sit loose against my throat. ‘You’re going to go in there with a bloody lob on and smelling like pussy.’
He gives me a smirk before slowly licking his wet fingers. ‘Can’t have him dying with your scent in his nose. That’s mine.’
I reach for his belt buckle, craving more, but he stills my hand. ‘Let me carry the need in there, Princess. The desire to get you out and alone will fuel me.’
Closing my eyes for a second, I breathe him in.
The musky smell of me, with the mind that lingers on his breath.
The surrounding trees add to the heady scent, a light wind dancing around us.
Suddenly the cold makes me shiver, the heat of our tryst dissipating and reminding my body it’s bloody cold out.
I stoop to grab my knife, straightening as Liam adjusts his still hard dick in his trousers. We move together past the trees, crossing the grass and taking cover behind the first row of bushes. Adrenaline courses as we fix our masks back into place.
It’s now or never.
Moving silently, I go towards the exposed portion of the power cable, until a distant siren roots me to the spot.
Not so distant, perhaps.
Liam yanks me back behind the bushes as the sirens grow louder, flashing blue lights soon dancing off the trees.
‘Fuck,’ Liam says, ‘Come on.’
We retreat to the treeline, dragging our masks up, hearts racing, and watch as multiple police cars storm around the corner and pull up in front of Ashworth’s house.
‘Damn. Are we too late?’ I ask.
‘I don’t think so,’ Liam whispers as an orange glow lights up the windows inside the home. Moments later, Ashworth appears at the door in striped pyjamas and a dressing gown. Police officers pour out of the cars and surround the house.
‘What the fuck?’ I can’t believe my eyes. Ashworth looks furious, even from across the large garden, gesticulating wildly until an officer slaps cuffs on him.
‘If we hadn’t stopped against the tree… we’d be in there now.’ Liam sounds half relieved, half enraged.
‘Saved by fingering, who’d have thought it?’
‘Kat,’ Liam says.
‘Saved by the devil’s doorbell...’
Liam smiles for a moment, before it melts from his face. ‘If he’s in custody, he’s untouchable. He won’t die. We can’t finish the list.’
I can feel his heart breaking. Everything we’ve worked for… remaining unfinished. Fear creeps in among the anger. Because Ashworth knows who we are.
If he’s in custody, he might squeal like a piggy to save his own ass.
Fuck.
Dipping behind a tree, I pull out my burner phone and turn it on. Right there on the news page, I find the answer.
LOCAL OFFICER EMbrOILED IN ABUSE RING.
An acrid taste fills my mouth.
Freddie published it early.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Liam’s jaw tightens as he reads the headline. ‘I’ll kill that smarmy little fucker.’
‘Get in line,’ I say. ‘A whole year we’ve waited to get to this point.’
‘A year wasted.’
Taking a deep breath, I force myself to calm down. ‘We’ll get Ashworth. Somehow. Men like him rarely fare well inside.’
‘Assuming they don’t come right after us.’
We slink together through the trees, making the long trek back to the car. I reach over and take his hand, knowing that this is another bump, and we’ll get through this one too.
With rage.
With sex.
With love.